Harold Baxter, a former footballer and president of Dergview FC, has died at the age of 79. He passed away at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Tuesday.

Mr Baxter, from Castlederg, suffered injuries in an incident on his farm prior to his death in hospital. He would have celebrated his 80th birthday in January.

Dergview FC said in a statement that without his hard work and dedication, the club would not exist today. The statement noted his tireless fundraising, advertising, and promotion efforts over many decades.

Derek Hussey, a club official and founder member, described Mr Baxter as a lynchpin of the club. He said Mr Baxter became involved with Dergview during its earliest years and that everything he did was with the best interests of the club and especially its young members and players at heart.

Former Dergview manager Tommy Canning said Mr Baxter was a person of integrity who could be leaned on for support. He said Mr Baxter was a quiet force within the club and would deliver on his promises.

Mr Baxter was a prolific goalscorer in his playing days. As a teenager, he was on the books of Derry City before scoring regularly for local teams including Mourneview, Killymore Rovers, Victoria Bridge, and Barrowfield.

In 1982, he scored the winning goal as Barrowfield won the Fermanagh and Western Division Two title. A leg injury forced him to retire from playing, but he later returned to the pitch with Dergview before retiring for good in the late 1980s.

Beyond football, Mr Baxter worked as a farmer and was the sole distributor for Braid Soft Drinks in Castlederg and the surrounding area.

Former West Tyrone Assembly member Maoliosa McHugh said Mr Baxter was a good man he had known all his life. He recalled speaking with Mr Baxter for an hour just a few weeks ago about past and present matters.