OTHER SPORT

FOOTBALL LEGENDS ATTEND BALL FUNERAL

Hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their respects to Alan Ball

Thursday May 3,2007

By Julia White for express.co.uk

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LEGENDS from five decades of football were among those celebrating the life of England World Cup hero Alan Ball today.

Members of the victorious 1966 squad joined hundreds of well-wishers at Winchester Cathedral for his funeral.

They included centre half Jack Charlton, midfielder Nobby Stiles, goalkeeper Gordon Banks, full-back George Cohen and striker Roger Hunt.

Ball’s coffin was led into the hushed cathedral draped in the St George’s Cross England flag and with his trademark grey flat cap on top.

Other stars of UK football included England coach Steve McClaren, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal prodigy Theo Walcott.

Stiles was the first to pay tribute in the cathedral to his friend and former teammate.

He said: “My most abiding memory of Alan is in the World Cup final. I think all the lads agree he was the best player on the pitch by far.

Alan Ball's son Jimmy led the mourners

“He covered every blade of grass, he was unbelievable.”

The 61-year-old died last week after suffering a heart attack while fighting a bonfire that was burning out of control at his home in Warsash, Hampshire.

Leading the mourners was Ball’s son Jimmy, 31, and daughters Mandy Byrne, 39, and Keely Allan, 35. Ball’s wife Lesley died three years ago from cancer.

Among the early arrivals were former co-players with Ball at Manchester City, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee.

He covered every blade of grass, he was unbelievable.

Nobby Stiles

Ball’s best friend Mick Channon, with whom he played at Southampton, was also present.

Lawrie McMenemy, who signed Ball for Southampton, and Denis Law, the former Manchester United striker, were among the mourners.

Outside the cathedral many well-wishers, some wearing football strips including Southampton’s and England’s, gathered to pay their respects.

The family asked for no flowers from mourners but for donations to be made to the Bobby Moore fund.

Ball won 72 caps for his country in a 10-year career and he made a total of 743 league appearances for Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton.

He later managed seven clubs including Manchester City, Southampton and Portsmouth during a career in the dug-out which spanned 19 years.

In later years he was a regular on the guest speaker circuit and a keen golfer.