In one respect, it is not easy for David Wilkes to talk. His voice cracks a couple of times and there are moments when he has to pause, as his memories of Tony Hopper compete with the sudden emotional difficulty at having learned of his former player's death at 42.

We speak on Wednesday, Wilkes having agreed to talk to the media in order to pay respectful tribute on Carlisle United's behalf. It is only a few hours after the devastating news broke yet, in another sense, words come easily to the Blues' head of coaching.

They race to mind because Wilkes, as well as many over Brunton Park's recent decades, knew Tony Hopper closely, welcomed him as a teenager, guided him as his youth team coach, saw the calibre of the boy and the man who has been at the heart of scores of tributes since his passing to motor neurone disease.

"It's strange," Wilkes says. "Wednesday's like a day off in football, so the place is quieter than usual. But the news has gone around quickly. We were all chatting earlier in the week about Tony's situation, and we were all very deeply concerned about it, and upset for him and his family. I knew he was struggling, but it's still such a shock. It's tragic, really."

Hopper's battle ended on Tuesday night as, surrounded by his family, he died in the Eden Valley Hospice. It followed a courageous period which, from diagnosis in January last year, saw Tony and those close to him, particularly his wife Sue and their three sons, face his newly challenged life with dignity, as well as an inspiring approach to raising funds and awareness in the fight against such a cruel disease.

His story has also touched the football community, particularly in Cumbria, since Hopper was known as a dedicated and committed player from perhaps the county's greatest era of home-grown local talent.

Wilkes was a mentor to most of those boys of the 1990s, a time which defined many careers, and made Hopper a proud standard-bearer for all those lads from Carlisle, from Harraby and other parts of the city, who want to wear the blue shirt - in his case, in United times both successful and challenging.

“He was about 14 or 15 when he first came in," Wilkes says, "a little bit late compared with some of the others. But I remember a time we went to Holland on a trip, and he did really well. We just offered him terms at that point."

He joined, essentially, Cumbrian football's golden generation, its Class of 92. Paul Murray, Rory Delap, Tony Caig, Lee Peacock, Matt Jansen, Scott Dobie, Paul Reid, Richard Prokas, Darren Edmondson, Jeff Thorpe, Will Varty, Lee Andrews - those and more became outstanding first-team players for Carlisle and, in several cases, stars at higher levels.

There was individual quality, and a collective ambition that saw much higher-profile youth teams often beaten by those "Brunton Babes" who had, Wilkes says, a common thread. “That bunch of lads were such a good group, and what was important was that they were always together – they won together and they lost together.

“It’s a rarity, I suppose, that you get a group like that. I heard Ryan Giggs speaking at a coaching conference the other week and it was probably the same for his era at Manchester United - he said they were so competitive, and would kick lumps out of each other in training, but were the best of friends off the pitch.

“Those Carlisle lads had that special bond. We had some great victories and Tony was always overjoyed when we won. It meant so much to him, especially against the bigger clubs, like your Manchester Uniteds, Man Citys, Evertons.

“It meant a lot to all of them, of course, but especially Tony, as a Carlisle lad. He was so proud. He loved playing for Carlisle.”

Many of the above team-mates, and scores more, have described Hopper as a diligent and hard-working player who, as Murray said, "left everything on the pitch". Edmondson, while paying tribute to his old friend's character, also confirmed that, when tackled by Hopper in training, you were left in no doubt that you had been in a challenge.

Both off and on the field, the 1990s at Brunton Park went from hardship to glory to turmoil to tumult. Hopper was a rare constant, including the surreal spell when owner Michael Knighton felt he could do without a manager and instead appointed himself, as well as coaches John Halpin and Wilkes, to handle first-team matters.

Hopper was steadfast. "One thing I remember, clearer than most things, is a time we played at Preston. If you asked Tony to play in any position, he would, and that night I asked him to play left wing-back. ‘Yeah, no bother, no problem Dave,’ he said.

“We won 3-0 that night, and that was Tony. He was one of life’s nice guys, a solid character, with loads of heart and endeavour, who would just get on with it and give of his best. Unsung.

"He was really brave as a young player and always battled his way past setbacks. He would come and see you if there was a problem, and he would talk to you if he was concerned or upset about anything, but one thing he wasn't was a complainer.

"He was also great to be around off the pitch - quite a dry sense of humour, but never offensive - and that's why I'm sure he has lots of good friends who will be devastated at the moment."

Brunton Park will rise for a minute's applause on Saturday, for a player who made more than 150 Carlisle appearances from 1993 to 2002, before establishing an outstanding non-league career for a decade with Workington Reds.

It will, perhaps, bring back to mind the final, touching time that Hopper saw and heard the ground saluting him, at a special charity game in May last year, which saw many of his old colleagues gather back at the old place.

“I remember standing with him in the tunnel that day, as he was about to go onto the pitch, and he was getting emotional," Wilkes says, struggling a little to articulate this raw memory. "He gave me a hug..."

A few moments later, he adds: "That day showed how much he meant to people - the high regard everyone has for him. He’s like a local hero, really."

There is disbelief, still, at Tuesday's news, as well as a sincere determination to honour his memory. People like Wilkes, and the great many who also knew and respected Tony Hopper, will also have their private thoughts as these difficult days go by, as Tony's family try to cope with their loss, as a community bonds around them - in Saturday's case, at the football stadium he knew as home.

"I know his dad, John, and my heart goes out to the family, it really does," Wilkes says. "Tony's such a good lad, one of life's real good guys. He won't be forgotten."