ALBERT Young has been presented with the Football Association's long-service medallion, marking more than 50 years in local football.

He received the medallion and a lapel badge from Westmorland County FA chairman Gary Aplin at the County FA's August meeting.

Although Albert played football as a young man in and around Carlisle, where he was working on the railway, his close contact with local football began in 1950 with the setting-up Lunesdale United FC at Tebay.

He was a founder member of the Lunesdale club and its first chairman. In latter years, he became president, a post he still holds and he also became a vice-president of the Westmorland FA and the Westmorland League.

In the1998-99 season, Albert sponsored the Westmorland Senior Cup competition and, at the end of the final, proudly presented the trophies and medals.

He still attends Lunesdale's weekly meetings when he can and rarely misses the monthly Westmorland FA Council meetings.

(Contributed picture)