Rovers have announced that former club director, Walter Hubert, has died aged 87.

He arrived in Blackburn at the age of eight when his family fled Nazi Germany in September 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War, having been born near Frankfurt.

He quickly became an avid Rovers fan after the war, before joining the club as a director, also serving on the board, in the 1960s and 1970s, having helped his father build up a successful scrap metal business in East Lancashire.

After moving away from the north west in the 1980s, Walter continued to follow the club’s fortunes, despite not being able to attend games in his latter years due to ill health.He died at his home in London on May 11 after a long battle with cancer.

However Rovers remained on his mind even at the end, as he discussed documentary ‘The English Game’ and a book about the club’s Golden Anniversary from 1925, with members of his family in the days leading up to his death.

He is survived by his daughter, Sarah, from his first wife, and her family.

A club spokesman said: “The thoughts and wishes of everyone at Blackburn Rovers are with Walter’s family and friends at this difficult time.”