He was 82.

In a long love affair with the game, the Lake Macquarie stalwart held almost every position - from honorary groundsman to president - with the Speers Point-based club from where he became a director and eventually secretary and president of the Northern NSW federation.

He was a supporter of Newcastle's 1978 entry to the original national league with KB United and later served on the project's committees.

But his most enduring contribution lay in the area of youth development. In tandem with coach Willie Gallagher, as team manager of the federation's youth teams, Tredinnick presided over a golden era in the 1970s when Northern NSW dominated national championships.

His teams were graced by the likes of Neal Endacott, Lloyd Hardes, Brett Cowburn, Michael Boogaard, Craig Johnston and two of Alan's six children, sons Peter and Howard, both of whom earned full Socceroo selection.

His youngest, Amy, represented Northern NSW and was a member of Australian national women's train-on squads.

Alan's professional calling was education, and as a primary teacher he was principal at a series of NSW country schools before landing in the Hunter where he held the head job at Cardiff North, Irrawang and Boolaroo public schools.

For football devotees visiting his long-time family home, the abiding memory is that of a yard trampled to dirt by the traffic of local kids playing pick-up games and dreaming of glory at a time when the northern shore of Lake Macquarie was the hottest football nursery in Australia. Under Alan Tredinnick's educated eye, many of them made it.

His funeral service will be held at The Chapel, Harris Street, Wallsend at 3.45pm tomorrow.