Ahead of Saturday's game against Gillingham, the club wish to remember life-long Iron supporter Mark Lucas.
He passed away hours after learning the result of the reverse fixture earlier in the season, following complications due to pneumonia; aged 38.Life-long friend Simon Faulkner spoke of his friendship with the United fan, who always attended Scunthorpe home games, sitting in the corner of the Clugston Stand – an area affectionately known as “Mark’s Corner” to all that knew him. Simon was quick to point out that Mark, who suffered from muscular dystrophy from birth, defied the odds in every aspect of his life after being told he would never talk, drive or even play football.
“He was first taken to the Old Show Ground by his dad and brother and has mostly been to every home game for over 30 years,” he explained.
“He missed the opening of Glanford Park as he was having an operation in Leeds related to his condition. Despite this, he attended just about every Scunthorpe United home game and a lot of away games in our younger days as well.
“He was passionate about football; Scunthorpe United and West Ham and it is a shame he never got the chance to see the two teams play against each other. If you ever needed to know anything about Scunthorpe, Mark was always the person I would ask, because he knew it all.”
Reminiscing about Mark, Simon spoke of his humourous, who would always attempt to play a prank on his friend, wherever they were watching the Iron.
“There are so many stories I could tell,” he continued.
“One away game years ago, we went with the disabled supporters group and was situated in front of the Gillingham supporters behind the goal. The goalkeeper that day was called Steve Banks, who was a former West Ham goalkeeper.
“Mark decided to say a few things, but nothing too nasty, but the Gillingham fans eventually decided to throw things at us, such as coins – all courtesy of Mark.
“He’d also like to get announcements at away games and send letters saying that I had got married and was expecting twins with a girl who liked me at school at that time. That got about 2,000 fans laughing at the time.”
The friendship lasted beyond school, with the duo meeting at infants school, before progressing right the way through to college, doing the same college course.
“We were known as ‘The Terrible Two’ at our infants school and they told him he wouldn’t be able to talk.
“He taught himself to talk by rolling his tongue. They told him he wouldn’t be able to drive, but he did using a little control stick and he was still playing football until he was about 15, which he really wasn’t supposed to, but that was the way he wanted it.
“What’s more, he still worked full time at a CCTV in town and he was still working up until a couple of days until he died. He also loved his Florida holidays and up until this moment, he is still sorely missed.”
On such a special fixture for the people who knew him, the Iron would like to offer our deepest condolences to Mark’s family and friends in memory of the Scunthorpe United fan through and through.