Thousands of Manchester United fans lined the streets outside Old Trafford to say goodbye to Sir Bobby Charlton, one of the club’s greatest ever players.
Charlton died last month at the age of 86 and on Monday his coffin was driven past his club’s home ground for the last time before the cortege headed for Manchester Cathedral.
The private service was attended by nearly 1,000 family, friends and colleagues, with United stars from throughout the decades of his career as a player and then an executive.
The likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Gareth Southgate, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane were joined by president of the Football Association Prince William and the president of Uefa Alexander Ceferin.
“We’re talking about the greatest English footballer we’ve ever had. Some would say as good as anybody else ever. And then of course, as a man, he oozed class as a man too,” said former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce.
“So when you’ve got the mixture of the both, you can understand why there’s going to be thousands lining in the streets paying their utmost respect. He was a proper man and a wonderful footballer.”
The funeral procession, led by a single walker in front of the hearse bearing the coffin, drove past the statue of Charlton, Denis Law and George Best, celebrated team-mates at United, outside Old Trafford, flanked by the current Manchester United under-18 and under-21 squads.
Several members of the senior squad attended the funeral, although many had already left for international duty, but Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton were among those who were available to attend.
The order of service for the funeral, led by Canon Nigel Ashworth, featured the hymn Abide With Me, traditionally sung at the FA Cup final, and Jerusalem, as well as tributes from David Gill, former Manchester United chief executive, and John Shiels, former head of the Manchester United Foundation.
“It was a sombre occasion,” legendary United manager Ferguson told the BBC.
“The speakers were fantastic, especially his grandson. He was magnificent. It’s not easy to go up and speak.
“Bobby Charlton was a wonderful, humble man and I was at Manchester United because of Bobby Charlton.”
Charlton was regarded by many as United’s greatest ever player, joining the club at the age of 15 and then scoring 249 goals in 758 appearances as well as winning three league titles and the European Cup. He is perhaps even less disputed as England’s best ever, having been part of the 1966 World Cup-winning side and having scored 49 goals in 106 appearances for his country. Only Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane have ever managed more for England.
In retirement, Charlton remained in football briefly as a manager but then with far greater distinction as an influential director at United for more than four decades. He also created a foundation in his name which was established after a trip to Cambodia where he witnessed the effects of landmines left behind by the war. It funds projects helping victims of conflict as well as research into humanitarian clearances of landmines.
