“It was the nearest club to where I grew up on the north side of Cambridge and in the early 1980s I was working in Shire Hall with a former player called Brian Holmes, who played for the club in the 1950s,” he said.

As well as delving into archives, he was regularly attending matches, even getting the chance to play for his team.

“I’d gone to watch the reserves one Saturday afternoon, and not long before kick-off I was asked if I had my kit with me as one of the subs hadn’t turned up,” Mr Harvey said.

“I joined the bench for the match and with 15 minutes to go, playing Harlow Town reserves at Milton Road, I came on and made my first appearance.”