A lifelong St Albans City fan has died after a lengthy battle with illness.

Michael Melnyk started following the Saints in the 60s when he along with his brother Steve was taken to games by his Ukrainian father and English mother, Oleksa and Florence.

After the father died in 1978 the remaining three family members continued to attend a high number of City matches but Mick’s attendance became less frequent following the death of his mother and brother within four days of each other in July 2010.

A passionate supporter, he followed the club home and away and during the 90s assisted with the matchday programme and yearbooks, as well as producing the programme for reserve team matches.

He also served for a while on the management committee of the football club.

In addition to football, one of his hobbies was pub quizzes and this included a period as a member of a quiz team that represented St Albans City with great success.

In recent years he was a regular at quizzes held at The Swan public house in Wheathampstead and the Royston Social Club in College Road, St Albans.

A lover of music he was particularly fond of the Alan Parsons Project and Barclay James Harvest, and had been to a number of concerts down the years ranging from Tina Turner to Bon Jovi and, more locally, Jim Rodford formerly of The Zombies.

He was a huge fan of Judie Tzuke and is credited on the singer’s official website with maintaining a comprehensive listing of her recordings.

When she was forwarded his obituary, Judie herself replied saying: “Thank you so much for letting us know of Mike’s passing. He has been such a great supporter of my music I wish I could have thanked him personally.

“Please send my deepest sympathies to his friends and family.

“May he rest in peace.

“With love and thanks, Judie T.”

Mick spent his entire 46-year working career as an employee of the Oscar Faber Group Ltd, working initially at their London office before switching to their St Albans base in Upper Marlborough Road many years ago.

Born in St Albans he lived in the city throughout his life having attended the St Alban & St Stephen School and then Nicholas Breakspear.

Mick became ill two years ago and recently spent three months in Watford General Hospital with late stages bowel cancer before passing away at the River Court Nursing Home in Watford on June 21 at the age of 63.

His funeral service will be held at the West Herts Crematorium, High Elms Lane, Garston, at 3.40pm on Monday.