Chatham Town captain Reece Butler looks ahead to their Isthmian Premier Division play-off sem-final clash at Billericay Town on Wednesday night

Chatham Town’s play-off semi-final at Billericay comes after tributes were paid this week to a dedicated supporter.

The passing of Paul Rodgers, hailed by the club as “a true member of the Chats family”, was announced earlier this week. He was a fan who had built a close bond with the team, particularly skipper Reece Butler.

Mr Rodgers has been Butler’s player sponsor for several seasons and the pair had become close.

The skipper paid a heartfelt tribute.

“He’s been my sponsor for five or six years now. That was sad to find out,” Butler said. “I’d speak to him a lot around the ground after games.

“It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth. I’ve known him for years now. It’s definitely a sad one. It just goes to show that life’s short. You need to live every moment.”

Butler revealed he had only spoken to Rodgers last week at the Potters Bar game, where the supporter opened up about the impact the club had on his life.

“He said he was in depression before he started coming to watch Chatham and that the club helped get him out of it,” Butler added. “He said it gave him a sense of purpose.

“For the last five or six years, we’ve been a big part of his life. He’ll be sorely missed by everyone.

“All the fans around the ground knew him. All the players knew who he was. I had a personal relationship with him. It’s a sad loss.”

Today, we share the incredibly sad news that one of our long-serving, dedicated supporters, Paul Rodgers, has passed away.

Paul was a true member of the Chats family. A familiar face, a loyal voice, and someone who stood by the club through every high and low. His passion,… pic.twitter.com/DhdHPLNpVE

Butler, who has just signed a new deal for next season, says those connections with supporters are what make playing