A former councillor and Manchester United footballer has died after losing his battle with Parkinson’s disease and cancer.

Brian Rowe, who served as a Hove councillor, died peacefullyatEastbourne Hospital aged 82.

His wife, Arlene Rowe, said: “He stayed cheerful through it all.

He suffered a lot but he wouldn’t have given up a minute of life.

Evenon the Saturday before he died we were still laughing away.”

Mr Rowe played football for Manchester United during the Second World War.

As a 17-year-old, he was drafted in as a reserve goalkeeper when many players were enlisted to fight for the Allies.

He later served in the RAF.

He gave up football at a young age to pursue a career in the academic world after taking advice fromhis father.

MrsRowe, from Hove, said: “I think it’s a shame he didn’t do it in a way.

He was a very good football player, there’s no doubt.

But that generation did what their fathers told them.”

Mr Rowe, who died on August 30, won a county scholarship to the University of Manchester and went on to study at Cambridge.

He eventually became London University’s chief examiner for English Literature.

His role took him across the world helping set up university examinations in commonwealth countries.

The sports enthusiast also served as chairman of leisure services on the Hove council cabinet after moving to the town more than 20 years ago and was heavily involved with Sussex County Cricket Club, sitting on the board of directors.

Mrs Rowe, 70, a former Hove mayor, said: “He did everything he could to promote sport among youngsters.

He used to say sport was a garden of friendship.

He was very involved with Sussex’syouth cricket and wrote articles for Wisden.”

Mr Rowe, who wasmade an Alderman in 2003, had been fighting illness for more than 20 years.

Mrs Rowe said: “Twenty-two years ago, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Ten years later he suffered a heart attack, then he had cancer of the vocal chords and finally bowl cancer.

He never talked about his illness in public.

I remember after an operation on his vocal chords, he attended a committee meeting the next day.

He had such a strong will, a real case of mind over matter.”

Mr Rowe’s funeral will be held at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Norton Road, Hove, at 11am today.