Alan Ball the England hero buried under flag of St George
3 May 2007
Daily Mail
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.
Alan Ball's coffin, draped in the English flag, is carried into Winchester Cathedral. His famous cloth cap sits proudly on top of the coffin,
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.
Gordon Bank, 1966 World Cup winner, is unable to hold back the tears after the service
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.
"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.
Their heads lowered, members of the public bid farewell to Alan Ball
Among the early arrivals were former co-players with Ball at Manchester City, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee.
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.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV pundit Bob Wilson, left, and 1966 team mate Jack Charlton pay their final respects
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.
Former Southampton manager Laurie McMenemy
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.
Stiles added: "He adored Lesley, he was very proud of his family and he was very proud of his country."
Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton pay their respects.
The Reverend Canon Michael St John-Channell said in an address to the congregation that Ball would never be forgotten because of the famous victory over West Germany.
He said: "It was without exaggeration one of the finest days of this nation which all of us are proud, whether we were there or not, and Alan was very much of that great time. He will never ever be forgotten."
Alan Ball looks over Jackie Charlton's shoulder to look at the World Cup trophy after England's 4-2 success over West Germany in 1966.
He said that Ball was a great role model to people today.
"It is a very different time to those days and to those people who have huge wealth and popularity in sports and other areas of life I would say that some of them would do well to learn from Alan's example of how to treat people and what is important in life and what is not important; family and friends come first.
"He tucked into his life many things we only dream of and the memories we have are precious, especially to those who have shared his life."
He added, recalling the commentary of the World Cup match: "Remember those famous words 'they think it's all over, it is now' but it is not for Alan, for him today is a new beginning."
Frank McLintock, former Arsenal captain, said in a tribute to Ball: "Dying is no big deal, even the least of us can manage it, living is the trick and I think Bally managed to do that."
And fighting back tears McLintock added: "Alan lived his life to the full and I would just like to say thanks for the memories and thanks for his contribution to our lives."
Dennis Law (centre) makes his way into the cathedral.
Ball's son, Jimmy, was applauded as he went to make his tribute and tapped his father's coffin. He recited Kipling's famous poem "If" and said that it typified his father's spirit.
After the final line of the poem which reads "and you'll be a man, my son", Mr Ball said: "And he was a man, probably the best I ever met."
Mr Ball thanked the general public for their messages of support and added: "I know I speak for my sisters when I say we have been very fortunate to have a mother and a father as great as ours."
Hundreds of mourners gathered for the service at historic Winchester Cathedral for Alan Ball's funeral
Mr Ball closed the service by asking everyone in the cathedral to sing along to "My Way" by Frank Sinatra.
As the coffin was carried down the aisle the congregation broke out in applause, whistles, cheers and chants of "Alan Ball, Alan Ball".
Members of the public lined the streets outside the cathedral to pay their final respects to the footballing legend
Alan Ball's cap sits on top of his coffin, which was covered in the St George's flag
dailymail.co.uk
3 May 2007
Daily Mail
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.
Alan Ball's coffin, draped in the English flag, is carried into Winchester Cathedral. His famous cloth cap sits proudly on top of the coffin,
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.
Gordon Bank, 1966 World Cup winner, is unable to hold back the tears after the service
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.
"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.
Their heads lowered, members of the public bid farewell to Alan Ball
Among the early arrivals were former co-players with Ball at Manchester City, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee.
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.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV pundit Bob Wilson, left, and 1966 team mate Jack Charlton pay their final respects
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.
Former Southampton manager Laurie McMenemy
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.
Stiles added: "He adored Lesley, he was very proud of his family and he was very proud of his country."
Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton pay their respects.
The Reverend Canon Michael St John-Channell said in an address to the congregation that Ball would never be forgotten because of the famous victory over West Germany.
He said: "It was without exaggeration one of the finest days of this nation which all of us are proud, whether we were there or not, and Alan was very much of that great time. He will never ever be forgotten."
Alan Ball looks over Jackie Charlton's shoulder to look at the World Cup trophy after England's 4-2 success over West Germany in 1966.
He said that Ball was a great role model to people today.
"It is a very different time to those days and to those people who have huge wealth and popularity in sports and other areas of life I would say that some of them would do well to learn from Alan's example of how to treat people and what is important in life and what is not important; family and friends come first.
"He tucked into his life many things we only dream of and the memories we have are precious, especially to those who have shared his life."
He added, recalling the commentary of the World Cup match: "Remember those famous words 'they think it's all over, it is now' but it is not for Alan, for him today is a new beginning."
Frank McLintock, former Arsenal captain, said in a tribute to Ball: "Dying is no big deal, even the least of us can manage it, living is the trick and I think Bally managed to do that."
And fighting back tears McLintock added: "Alan lived his life to the full and I would just like to say thanks for the memories and thanks for his contribution to our lives."
Dennis Law (centre) makes his way into the cathedral.
Ball's son, Jimmy, was applauded as he went to make his tribute and tapped his father's coffin. He recited Kipling's famous poem "If" and said that it typified his father's spirit.
After the final line of the poem which reads "and you'll be a man, my son", Mr Ball said: "And he was a man, probably the best I ever met."
Mr Ball thanked the general public for their messages of support and added: "I know I speak for my sisters when I say we have been very fortunate to have a mother and a father as great as ours."
Hundreds of mourners gathered for the service at historic Winchester Cathedral for Alan Ball's funeral
Mr Ball closed the service by asking everyone in the cathedral to sing along to "My Way" by Frank Sinatra.
As the coffin was carried down the aisle the congregation broke out in applause, whistles, cheers and chants of "Alan Ball, Alan Ball".
Members of the public lined the streets outside the cathedral to pay their final respects to the footballing legend
Alan Ball's cap sits on top of his coffin, which was covered in the St George's flag
dailymail.co.uk