SOUTHEND United will pay tribute to one of their “superfans” who died after a battle with cancer.

Leigh man, Brian Meyers, was 71 when he died on November 3, after fighting oesophageal cancer for almost three years, before it spread to his peritoneum lining – which goes around the kidney and liver.

He will be remembered by fans during a silent minute at the Shrimpers’ next league home game on Saturday, November 23.

Brian, a builder who also ran his own company, was described as a hard-working man, and quite “a character” by his loving wife, Yvonne, 68.

She said: “I met Brian in May 1969 in Southend High Street. I was looking through the shop windows and he came up to me and asked me to meet him the next day.

“He was a character then and a character before he went; he had his charisma.

“I met him the following day and never looked back. We got married a year later.

“We were married 49 years. He so wanted to reach our 50th wedding anniversary but I told him it didn’t matter because we had been together for 50 years.”

As a boy, Brian would go to the Blues’ ground with his father, while it was being built, delivering bricks and seashells. Brian regularly watched the games and played football as a boy.

Yvonne said he “loved football”. Brian even used to play the drums and cornet for the club’s marching band.

For a few years in 2005, Brian had his own executive box at Roots Hall and often sponsored players.

Yvonne and Brian share four children – Tania, 46, Tracey, 45, James, 41, and John, 35, along with six grandchildren – Connor, 19, Jack, 18, Joe, 15, Charlie, ten, George, five, and Alice, three.

Yvonne added: “Brian took the children and grandchildren to the games and collected signed player shirts.

“He was always on the club’s fan forum imputing his little bit. He had the Echo delivered every day but only so he could read the back page for the sport.”

Brian’s funeral will take place next Wednesday, November 20, and will pass Roots Hall and Yvonne is hoping some of the players will come out to pay their respects.

Many family members will wear Southend United shirts on the day. His sons and grandsons will wear personalised shirts with Brian’s initials on the front, the number one on the back, and either “Dad” or “Grandad”.

There will be flowers of the Blues emblem at the back of the coffin

Yvonne added: “When Brian got too sick, he was cared for by Fair Havens who blew me away with the service and level of care. The palliative nurse was amazing.

“We began raising money for them when Brian was still alive which he wanted and we will do a collection for them at his funeral.” The family will attend the game on November 23 together.