Sir Bobby Charlton passed away last month and it was visible how much he had touched people during his funeral yesterday. Over 1000 people gathered to attend including football community members from all over the country. Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson led the way for the mourners.
Several former players and players from the current England team attended to say their final farewell. Other than players, numerous fans came together from faraway places to pay their final respects to one of the game’s greatest.
Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton was one of the survivors of the 1958 Munich air disaster. He came back from that horrific accident and carried the legacy of the teammates he lost that day. He touched a lot of hearts throughout his time.
It became visible by the amount of people who came to pay their final respect to him during his funeral yesterday. He passed away on 21st October and the football community is still mourning. The funeral cortège was set to pass by Old Trafford to the Manchester Cathedral.
Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson led the mourners to say their farewell. After the service ended, he held an interview with Sky Sports. He said, “It was very sombre. There was a wonderful tribute from his grandson. I thought it was fantastic.”
He added, “It’s not easy to go up there and speak. But he was a fantastic man. I’m at United because of Bobby Charlton, no question about that. From the day I came he supported me 100% all the way. He was totally behind me in everything we tried to do.”
Most England first team players were absent due to preparation for the international break games. Some of the current players who attended the service are – Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, and Tom Heaton. However, coach Gareth Southgate was also present at the service.
Some former legendary players who attended the service were – Peter Schmiechel, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, and more. Manchester United coach Erik Ten Hag sent his condolences, but could not attend the service due to his commitment in Netherlands.
The funeral cortège received a guard of honour from the Manchester United U18 and U21 teams before going to the cathedral. A private wake was also held at Old Trafford after the end of the ceremony. Old Trafford was decorated for the occasion dedicated to Sir Charlton.
The windows above the entrance of the stadium had special writings, “Sir Bobby Charlton. 1937-2023. Forever Loved.” The walls around the stadium held a number of images depicting the life of the Manchester United legend.
Sir Charlton played for Manchester United from 1962-1976. He scored 249 goals in the 758 matches he played. He appeared in 106 games for England, scored 49 goals, and helped them win their only World Cup till date back in 1966.
Paying his tribute, Sir Alex Ferguson said, “People loved him because of all those thunderbolt goals but it was more than that. My dad used to say that humility in success is a sign of greatness, and that was Bobby. He never used to boast about his own achievements; it was always about the team and the club.”
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