BOB Brown, a former administrator, coach and Football Hall of Fame WA treasurer, has been made a Life Member of Football West.
Former top referee Steve Muldoon has also been given Life Member status.
The pair were accorded the honour at the Annual General Meeting of Football West on Tuesday, February 16.
Brown, who has been involved in local football for over 50 years, said: "I am flabbergasted. But I must say that it is very nice to be recognised by the people within the game."
Born in Scotland, he emigrated to WA in 1958 and played with North Perth and then Perth City before an on-going knee injury forced his retirement.
He became secretary/manager of Perth City in 1961 - and a few years later was called on by the Soccer Federation of WA to take charge of the manager duties of the State team.
He looked after the team that faced Manchester United at the WACA Ground in 1967 - and he was also manager of the side that took part in the Meredeka Tournament in Malaysia, which was the first overseas trip by the WA State team.
Bob also got involved in coaching with Bayswater United in 1969 and, along with Frank Schaper and John Birighitti, helped to set up the Coaches Association in WA.
He also coached several youth teams and was an Independent Member of the SFWA from 1970 to 1972 and later Junior Vice-President in 1980-81.
He went into the sporting goods business in 1969 and was approached to sponsor the junior game. He was the first sponsor of the Country Week competition, an involvement he maintained for many years.
His business in the centre of Perth, Sports Forum, was the first of its type in the city to sell football-related items.
He was one of the original Committee members of the Football Hall of Fame WA, which was set up in 1996. He was treasurer of the body up until 2012 and stood down from the Committee in 2015.
Steve Muldoon has been one of WA's most prominent referees for a quarter of a century.
He has had 25 years of continuous refereeing, being on the State League panel for 15 years and the National Soccer League Panel for 10 years
He is currently one of three A-League inspectors in WA and a mentor to young WA referee cadets