The footballing journey of West Country legend Tony Book, whose passing at the age of 90 was announced today, is a tale that seems almost impossible in today's game.

From his humble beginnings as a Somerset bricklayer, Book started his iconic Football career at Frome Town, before moving to Bath City in 1956.

He briefly signed for Toronto City in 1964, before joining Plymouth Argyle. With the Pilgrims, Book made 81 appearances and scored three goals. While he was at Argyle, Book caught the eye of Manchester City bosses and he made the extraordinary leap from the Division Two side to join soon to-be top-flight titans Manchester City.

READ MORE: Unlock supermarket trolleys without £1 coin using man's unconventional hack

READ MORE: Green Army can drive Plymouth Argyle forward, declares Simon Hallett

What makes Book's story even more remarkable is that he didn't make this transition until he was in his 30s, an age when many players begin contemplating retirement.

At aged 32, he joined Maine Road and went on to play over 300 games for Man City, securing four major trophies including the league title.

Imagine a player in his early 30s with a solid career behind him at a National League South team suddenly joining Premier League stars like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri. Sounds impossible, doesn't it?

It was almost as unlikely back in 1966 when Book joined a star-studded City team featuring England regulars Colin Bell and Mike Summerbee. Yet, against all odds, Book not only played for Man City but captained them during their first golden era and later became their manager.

He spent most of his early career playing at Twerton Park for Bath while working for a building firm. Book was born in Bath on September 4, 1934, the third of seven boys. His father, Charlie Book, was a captain quartermaster in the British Army who was posted to India for a period that covered the entirety of the Second World War. With his family travelling with him, Book and elder brothers Rheece and Mervyn spent a large portion of their childhood living on various military bases in India.

Book learned his football either playing barefoot with local children or on Army camps. The family returned to Bath in 1945, with Book going on to attend West Twerton Secondary Modern. He took a job in a shop after leaving school but that interfered too much with his footballing ambitions and he moved on to become a bricklayer and manual labourer for a firm called Mortimers.

After completing national service, Book worked throughout the week and then played at weekends for amateur side Peasedown Miners.

He left them to sign a £2-per-week semi-professional deal with Frome Town but, when that club hit financial difficulties, his boss at Mortimers, who was also the chairman of Southern League Bath City, offered him terms to join his hometown team in 1956.

Book established himself as a consistent and hard-working player at that level with potential to go higher but, as trials at Chelsea and Nottingham Forest yielded nothing, it seemed destined to be his limit.

The key to his rise came after Bath’s appointment of the ambitious and flamboyant Malcolm Allison as manager in 1963. Allison took Book with him to his next job at Toronto and then, in 1964, to Second Division Plymouth.

Book was 30 by the time this chance to play league football finally came - though Argyle believed he was 28, as Allison, keen to avoid awkward questions from the board, advised him to amend his birth certificate to take two years off his age.

Allison moved on again to take up a coaching role alongside Joe Mercer at Manchester City and it was not long before he returned for Book.

“Out of all the players I coached in my career, Tony was my favourite - and I mean favourite. He had everything a good footballer needs,” Allison later said.

Book signed for City in 1966 and soon proved doubters wrong by establishing himself as a permanent fixture in the side and winning the player-of-the-year award in his first season. He was named captain for the following season and helped City to the League title.

Injury prevented him playing a full part in 1968-69, but he returned in time to lift the FA Cup after victory over Leicester at Wembley and further glory followed with League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup successes in 1970. City also went close to winning the title in 1972 but finished fourth, just a point behind winners Derby.

On one occasion early in his City career he was living in a Manchester hotel and was about to be introduced to two business associates of a friend, when police suddenly swooped on the lobby. The acquaintances turned out to be the Kray twins.

As Book’s playing career was winding down, he was offered the chance to take over as caretaker manager after the departure of Johnny Hart due to ill health in 1973. He continued as assistant to Ron Saunders and took the job himself permanently in 1974.

He had to make some unpopular decisions to clear out players like Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee and Rodney Marsh but oversaw League Cup success in 1976 and a runners-up league finish in 1977.

They also finished fourth in 1978 but indifferent form after that led to the beginning of the end, as City brought back Allison, ostensibly to work alongside him, although in effect he took charge. The arrangement failed and both were sacked in 1980.

Book later admitted he should have resigned when he was forced to sack his coach Bill Taylor prior to Allison’s arrival. He also admitted to a bit of skulduggery during his management career, successfully getting a game at Maine Road called off due to a frozen pitch after over-watering it the night before.

Book briefly did some work for Cardiff but soon returned to City as youth development officer. This role developed into coaching with youngsters, reserves and then the first team as time went on and there were also further brief stints in caretaker charge as City went through several managers.

He left in 1996 after a clear-out by new manager Frank Clark but remained an honorary president. He later did some scouting for Huddersfield, Sunderland and Tottenham and served as an ambassador for City in later years.

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement from the eight-time Premier League champions: “For nearly sixty years Tony helped to shape Manchester City.

“Not just in what he contributed as a player, captain and manager, but in the way he conducted himself. His hopes and ambitions for his club were matched only by his incredible humility regarding his own significant achievements.

“He will forever be remembered by our supporters as a man who helped to lay the foundations upon which unprecedented success could be built. A player and leader whose outstanding abilities not only helped return us to the peak of English football, but also delivered our first ever European honour.

“Tony’s devotion to his club meant he was still fulfilling club duties earlier this season I will miss seeing him at our games enormously, and witnessing first hand the regard in which he is held by every generation of the City family.”

In a statement, Plymouth Argyle said: "We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Argyle player Tony Book. Tony's story was incredible, and will never be forgotten. We send our love and condolences to Tony's family and friends."

He is survived by his wife Sylvia, whom he married in 1957, and children Tracey and Anthony.