THE youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team was laid to rest yesterday to cheers and chants of "Alan Ball, Alan Ball".

Memories of the diminutive player's tireless performance during the historic final were shared during the service at Winchester Cathedral.

Fellow members of the 1966 squad joined more than 1,000 who gathered to pay tribute to the Farnworth-born footballer who dedicated his life to the game.

Among them were brothers Jack and Bobby Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Roger Hunt and hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst.

Ball's coffin held centre stage in the hushed cathedral, draped in the St George's Cross England flag and with his trademark chequered grey flat cap on top.

Alan Ball died, aged 61, last week from a heart attack while fighting a fire in the garden of his Hampshire home.

Yesterday the mourners were led by his son Jimmy, aged 31, and daughters Mandy, aged 39, and Keely, aged 35.

His wife, Lesley, died three years ago from cancer.

The family wanted yesterday's service to be a celebration of Ball's life - and requested no black ties.

Inside the cathedral, Nobby Stiles, the England midfielder who was Alan's international room-mate, gave the first address.

He told the congregation: "He adored Lesley. He was very proud and loved his family - more than all he was very proud of his country."

He added: "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 unbelieveable."

During the service, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was sung, along with Wembley anthem, "Abide With Me".

The Rev Canon Michael St John-Channell said Ball would never be forgotten because of the famous World Cup final victory over West Germany.

He said: "Remember those famous words They think it's all over, it is now', but not for Alan. For him, today is a new beginning."

The words, which have gone down in footballing history, were uttered by soccer commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme, also born in Farnworth, when Geoff Hurst scored in extra time as some fans ran on the pitch during the 4-2 victory over West Germany.

Fighting back tears, former Arsenal captain Frank McLintock paid tribute to Ball, who joined him at Arsenal in the early 1970s.

He said: "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. 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."

The final speaker was Ball's son, Jimmy, who received a round of applause from the congregation.

He said: "We have been very fortunate to have had a mother and father as great as ours."

He then went on to recite the Rudyard Kipling poem "If" and said 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."

The service concluded with Frank Sinatra's song "My Way".

Among those in the cathedral was Alan's grief-stricken partner, Valerie Beech, aged 59, from Kearsley, who is divorced from ex-Wanderers player Harry Beech.

She was the best friend of Ball's late wife and she and Ball struck up a relationship after seeking comfort in one another following Lesley's death.

As well as Alan Ball's World Cup winning team-mates, many other famous names from the world of football were among the mourners.

They included England manager Steve McLaren, Sir Alex Ferguson, Lawrie McMenemy, Mick Channon, Matthew Le Tissier, Gordon Strachan, Kevin Keegan, Denis Law, Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee, Viv Anderson, Peter Shilton, Trevor Brooking and Arsenal and England prodigy Theo Walcott.

Cathedral officials set up speakers outside so the service could be relayed to hundreds who gathered outside in the cathedral close.

And it was as the coffin was carried out of the cathedral that the congregation broke into spontaneous applause, cheers and chanting. The applause quickly spread to those outside, many of whom were wearing football strips.

A former Farnworth Grammar School pupil, Ball had trials with Bolton Wanderers as a teenager, before starting his career with Blackpool.

He went on to win 72 caps for his country in a 10-year England career.

He is the second member of the 1966 side to die, following the death of captain Bobby Moore in 1993.