Carnoustie Panmure FC manager Phil McGuire has paid tribute to the club’s general manager, Mark Johnson, who has died suddenly last month aged 52.
Phil has set up a gofundme appeal to help with funeral costs and it has raised £3350 so far.
Mark, together with Phil, played an important part in developing the team which went on to win the East of Scotland League in 2021/22.
He also worked as a mental health ambassador for the Scottish Junior Football Association, and was a junior football correspondent for The Courier.
Phil said: “It is hugely important to me and many others that we can unite together and raise enough funds to help with the funeral costs.
“Mark was a real football person working at Carnoustie Panmure Football Club for many years.
“He would go out of his way to help anyone including many others at various football clubs and assist and advise them whenever they reached out to him.
“He also sat on the East Regions Scottish Junior FA board and worked with junior football clubs across Scotland.”
Early years
Mark lived in the St Andrews area with his beloved partner Fiona Kirk and their golden Labrador, Maverick.
He was born in Derby in 1970 and after leaving school, studied geography at Nottingham University.
Mark moved to Scotland around 2006 when he began work on the railways and it was at this time he met Fiona and they built a life together in Fife.
Through Fiona’s brother he joined the committee of St Andrews United in 2007 and also edited the match programmes.
He left the committee in 2015 when Phil, his good friend also left the club and moved to Carnoustie Panmure where he took over as general manager and once again, edited the programmes.
Mark was instrumental in Phil joining as team manager in 2018 when Alan McSkimming left the club.
Sports fanatic
Outside of football, Mark was an all-round sports fan who followed cricket and Formula 1.
He was also a keen photographer, mainly of vehicles and did voiceovers for several transport and fairground DVDs.
Following Mark’s death, Carnoustie Panmure FC wrote on Twitter: “It is with a heavy heart we regret to inform you of the sudden passing of our clubs general manager Mark Johnson.
“We kindly ask for privacy for Mark’s family, friends, players and colleagues at this very difficult time.
“We pass on our sincere condolences to Fiona and Maverick.”
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