Molineux tribute to Wolves football legend Bert Williams
[gallery] Tears flowed and chants echoed around the ground as an emotional Molineux paid tribute to the great Bert Williams.
Former players and fans turned out to honour the footballing legend from Shropshire, who died eight days ago aged 93.
A minute's applause was held before Saturday's game against Bristol City, which Wolves won 3-1, in honour of Bert while flowers were laid in his memory.
His family also gathered at Molineux and paid tribute to both the club and the fans.
The crowd joined in the spirit of the moment by breaking out into chants in his honour before and during the game, with the South Bank singing "one Bert Williams" and "England's number one" in reference to the star, from Shifnal, who won 24 caps for his country, played 420 times for the club from 1945 to 57 and helped win the league title in 1954 and the FA Cup in 1949.
Tributes from a book of condolence, including some from former players including Matt Murray and Mel Eves, were read out while other players, past and present, such as Malcolm Finlayson, Ron Flowers, Phil Parkes and Carl Ikeme joined the Williams family pitchside.
Before the game, gold flowers spelling out Bert and The Cat were carried by Wolves keeper Aaron McCarey and Bristol City's Elliott Parish from the halfway line and placed behind the respective goals.
At half-time, Mr Parkes, who was another of Bert's goalkeeping successors at Molineux and holds the record for consecutive appearances for Wolves with 173 from 1970 to 73, presented a cheque for £1,000 to consultant Daryl Leung from the dementia ward at New Cross Hospital where Bert was cared for recently, on behalf of Wolves Aid.
Bert's daughter Ann Crawshaw, her husband David and son James Pearson, along with Bert's son Paul, his wife Tania, his other son Vaughan and wife Susan, and James's children Oliver, Isobel and Poppy were guests of the club. They were greeted by Wolves chairman Steve Morgan and director John Gough.
Mrs Crawshaw thanked the club for their help during a difficult time for the family. "Wolves have been amazing," she said. "They have always been there for us. They have instigated so many lovely memories for us. It was very nice of Steve Morgan to come and see us and we had a lovely chat with him and John Gough, who we know. They were all so kind."
