A former GP who served as Leeds United’s medical officer during the club’s Don Revie heyday has died at the age of 82.

Ian Duthie Adams, who lived in Ilkley for 14 years, died at Burley Hall Nursing Home, Burley-in-Wharfedale, last Thursday.

A private cremation took place today at Christchurch, The Grove, Ilkley, at 11.45am, followed by a thanksgiving service 

Dr Adams was born in 1931 to parents who lived in a GP surgery house in Beeston, with brothers Donald and David born few years later.

In 1939, at the start of the Second World War he was evacuated to Grasmere, returning after two years, and then in 1944 he went to Mill Hill school in London and was again evacuated, this time to St Bees in Cumbria.

He qualified from Leeds Medical School in 1956 and worked as a houseman at Leeds General Infirmary.

In 1957 he started two years of National Service and passed Airborne Selection course to become a Captain in 2 Para, serving in Cyprus and Jordan.

He married his wife June in 1958, the start of 55 years of happy marriage. His daughter, Jane, was born in 1961 and his son, Alistair, in 1963.

In 1959, Dr Adams joined his father in general practice in Beeston for 13 good years.

But it was his 15-year spell as medical officer at Leeds United which many more remember him for.

Described as being a pioneer in the field of sport medicine, he helped keep Leeds players in good health through some high-profile campaigns in the 1960s and 1970s – under celebrated manager Don Revie.

In addition to his work for Leeds Utd, he became medical officer for international athletics, gymnastics, karate, cricket test matches plus Leeds Rugby League.

He went on to be elected chairman of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine as well as to the executive of the European Federation of Sports Medicine Associations.

Dr Adams retired in 1994 at the age of 62 and the same year completed a marathon in three hours and 12 minutes.

His wife passed away in October last year. He leaves two children and three grandchildren.