A LOYAL Whites fan has been named as the man who died at the weekend after a fishing boat capsized off the Irish coast.

Francis Smith, 72, from Orchard Road in Salisbury, was a familiar face on the terraces at the Ray Mac. He died after spending five hours in the water, half a mile from the Saltee Islands.

It is believed he was visiting family in eastern Ireland and was one of ten people to be rescued by coastguards after the alarm was raised on Saturday night.

The boat overturned in choppy water when a breaking wave broke the windows of the wheelhouse and water flooded the deck.

Friends at the Ray Mac on Tuesday night paid tribute to Mr Smith, describing him as a “lovely” man with a “big smile”.

Club PA announcer John Harper, 69, from Devizes Road, said: “Everybody loved him. He was a nice guy and a loyal supporter.

“He loved coming up here, with a big smile on his face, thumbs up when we won and thumbs down when we didn’t.

“Somebody told me and confirmed Francis had died and it was very sad to hear. We travelled together a couple of times to games as a friend of his used to take him to away matches.

“He always seemed happy. The smile on his face is one of those things you don’t forget.”

The RNLI said a woman and nine males, including a teenage boy, had all been wearing life-jackets, including Mr Smith, otherwise the tragedy could have been “ten times worse”.

A family member raised the alarm after they failed to return the shore at around 11.15pm.

The scene was attended by coastguards.

A small passenger ferry, which spotted the overturned hull, also joined the search and pulled them to safety.

A coastguard helicopter also at tended the scene, and transferred Mr Smith, who had lost conciousness, to University Hospital Waterford where he was later pronounced dead.

The RNLI’s Owen Medland told RTE Radio One it was “miraculous”

all ten casualties were recovered from the water. “That stretch of coastline is a popular angling area,”

he said.

“The weather was entirely appropriate for undertaking that activity, but unfortunately the vessel did encounter some choppy conditions.”

Tributes flooded in on Facebook for Mr Smith on Tuesday night, from a host of fellow Whites supporters after the match.

Commercial manager Mandy Woolford wrote: “I sat and cried when I got out of work tonight. Such a lovely caring man! My thoughts go out to his family and friends. A man that always made me feel glad to be back at the club. RIP Francis xxx.”

Suzie Iles Whitton said: “That’s very sad. He always had a smile and wave for me. God bless.”

Trevor Purse said: “He always had a smile and a wave, a great supporter that will be missed. RIP Francis.”