A FAMILY has paid tribute to one of Swindon Town’s biggest fans who has died.

Loyal Robins supporter Bradley Perkins of Shaplands, Stratton St Margaret, suffered heart failure and tragically lost his fight for survival at the renal unit of Churchill Hospital in Oxford last week.

Bradley, 43, who was born with spina bifida and used a wheelchair, was a season ticket holder in the Don Rogers stand at the County Ground.

He loved everything to do with the club and campaigned hard to get disabled people better access to the stadium.

Bradley’s mum Linda, 62, of Lydiard Millicent, said: “He was in and out of hospital and must have had at least 40 operations in his life, but he never let his condition get him down.

“Bradley was a very humorous man, who was very determined. He would go to Swindon matches home and away and had been following them for more than 20 years.

“The last match he saw, which he thoroughly enjoyed, was the win over Leeds United in January.

“He was ill a lot of his life – but he would bounce back after every operation – so it was a shock when he left us.

“It leaves us with a huge void in our lives.”

Bradley would drive as far away as Sheffield to follow Town up until he suffered a stroke in 1994.

He was regularly heard on local radio stations after ringing in to talk about his beloved reds.

Swindon-born Bradley, who went to Nythe Primary School and Treloar School in Alton, Hampshire, also leaves his partner Paula, his dad Ian, 68, sister Kate, 34, and brother Joe, 38.

Plans are already in place to name one of the new plastic weatherproof shelters after Bradley at the County Ground. These will cover disabled fans from the elements in the Don Rogers stand.

Bradley’s funeral will be held at Kingsdown Crematorium at 1.30pm on Thursday, March 25.

To help celebrate his life mourners are asked to wear something red to reflect his spirit, humour and dedication to Swindon Town Football Club.

Donations can be made to the Swindon Town Disabled Supporters’ Fund via Hillier Funeral Service, 170 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3DF or call Hillier’s on 01793 522797.

Clive Maguire, Swindon Town Football in the Community manager, said: “I have known Bradley for about 20 years as I was his social worker in my previous job.

“I’ve kept in touch with him since, he’s a really nice guy and I was shocked to hear the news.

“Considering the severity of his disabilities he never let it get in his way.

“My favourite story about Bradley was that I sorted him out with a signed shirt during the Steve McMahon’s time as manager.

“He phoned me up one day and said there was a problem with the shirt.

“I started to worry, and he explained that he had put it in the wash and all the writing had come off! I had to get him another shirt in the end to replace it!

“Bradley will be sadly missed. He came to as many games as he could. He had been very ill over the last three or four years and that affected his attendance, but he still got to games when he could and absolutely loved Swindon Town.

“He will be missed by everyone he sat with at the bottom of the Don Rogers Stand.”

Swindon Town chief executive Nick Watkins said: “For all our supporters who passed away this year, rather than have a minute’s applause or a minute’s silence for each person, we will have a roll call at the final home game of the season against Brentford.

“Then there will be a minute’s applause to accompany that.

“Unfortunately a few Swindon supporters and people connected with the club have passed away recently, so we thought it would be nice to remember them all with a roll call at the end of the season.”