Tributes have been paid to Young Men’s Social Club footballer Maxwell “Mackie” Simons, who was a member of the club’s famous team that dominated the local football scene in the early 1960s.

The former Bluebirds midfielder, who earned a reputation as a talented and reliable player during his heyday, recently passed away at the age of 81.

Simons groomed his skills with Social Club’s youth team before progressing to the senior squad that won three league and FA Cup titles between 1963 and 1965.

Former Bluebirds captain and fellow midfielder Gladwin “Bubba” Daniels described his late team-mate as a reliable and easygoing player he enjoyed playing alongside.

“Mackie was a very dependable player and I liked him very much because he was very easy to talk to,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“He wasn’t one of those players that would argue about what they should or shouldn’t do.”

Former Bluebirds and Aberdeen forward Eversley “Bo” Lewis spoke of Simons’ tactical awareness as a holding midfielder

“You didn’t have to tell him to do too many things because he knew his role and he did it to a tee,” said Lewis, who joined Scottish side Aberdeen from Social Club as a 16-year-old in 1960.

“I didn’t play much with him in the senior league because I was abroad playing, but when I did he was always a holding player and was super fit. He didn’t advance too far up the pitch as he took care mostly in defence and did a great job. That was his role and he loved that.

“We had great times on the field. He was quite the player and you couldn’t have a better friend. He was a true gentleman and will be missed.”

Former Bluebirds forward John “Rifleman” Roach described his close friend as a “team player”.

“Mackie was definitely a team player who looked out for everybody and he would be playing his game but also looking out for you,” he said.

“Fitness was him and he definitely had some stamina. He was more left footed than anything else but we had him in left midfield because he was non-stop.

“If something was happening most times he was in it and we had some good times at Casuarina Park (Social Club’s former ground on Mill Creek Road, Pembroke).”

Simons grew up in the Dock Hill area in Devonshire but opted to play for Social Club rather than neighbourhood side Dock Hill Rangers, who lost back-to-back FA Cup finals to Bluebirds during the 1963-64 and 1964-65 seasons.

Former PHC coach Alfie Eve played alongside Simons with Social Club’s youth team.

“He started with the juniors just like myself in the junior programme,” said Eve, son of late Bermuda Football Association founding member Dudley Eve.

“Mackie was a good football player and he was left footed so that made him even more special because left footed players in those days were rare.

“In those days midfielders were called half backs and he was a left half and a left winger.

“Social Club had a lot of super stars playing back then so he was competing against players like Donald “Dick” Dane who was also a left footed player and a hard player.”