North Village Community Club lost a stalwart this week with the passing of Kacy Simons at the age of 51 after a battle with cancer.

The former midfielder was a regular member of the Village team in the 1980s and 1990s, and later played for their Masters team.

Simons was diagnosed a year ago with multiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer that begins in the blood’s plasma cells.

He received treatment overseas and locally, and North Village presented him with a cheque for $4,000 in May after raising funds to assist him from its annual triangular football fundraising event.

Simons had participated in the club’s previous fundraising events to support other members suffering from illness and in need of financial assistance.

“He was a good friend, a lot of the guys my age and younger would all tell you that when we were first breaking into the [Village] team he took care of us, looked out for us, and had our back both on the field and off the field,” Stephen Coddington, the Village president and a former player, said.

“He was a really good guy, did a lot for North Village. We called him the music man because he played the music for the team when the clubhouse was on North Shore Road and held discos there.”

“He was in the junior team that played in front of the First Division team back then, players like Andrew Bascome and Kevin Grant, before they broke into the first team.

“He was, genuinely, a good guy and will be sadly missed by his extended family at North Village but also his blood family, the Brangmans and Simonses.”

North Village plan to have a minute’s silence ahead of their Friendship Trophy match against Southampton Rangers at Bernard Park on Sunday.

“We’re going to have the flag flying at half-mast and will be wearing black armbands,” said the president.

“Earlier this year we did raise some money for him, just over $4,000 and we continued to do small things to make sure he was taken care of,” Coddington said. “As a community club we don’t have a lot of income but when it is one of ours we try to look out for them.

“He was a combative midfielder and had a competitive nature which he used to fight the cancer. He gave a good fight. We extend our condolences to his family.”

In May, Vernell Crockwell, sister of Kacy, expressed her appreciation for the support shown to her brother during his illness.

“On behalf of Kacy and our family, we would like to thank North Village for all of their fundraising efforts and support,” she said at the time.

“As soon as North Village learnt of Kacy’s plight, they did not hesitate to rally around us and assist in any way possible.

“To North Village and those in the community that have supported their fundraisers, please know that you have blessed Kacy and our family immeasurably.

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and pray that God will continue to richly bless you all.”