Wolves keepers past and present pay tribute to Bert Williams

But that was Bert Williams MBE – one of the game's greatest goalkeepers and a real gentleman who had time for everyone.

"I remember meeting him properly for the first time when I'd got in the team as a 21-year-old, which was a big honour," said ex-Wolves keeper Matt Murray, who enjoyed a lasting friendship with the great man.

"Ever since then he has always been a source of great support for me when I was playing and when I was injured.

"My grandad was a Derbyshire man, not a Wolverhampton man, but one day I took him a book round and said: 'Hey grandad, I've got a signed book for you – I know Bert Williams.'

"And he said: "What??! You know 'The Cat'?!" I don't think there was anything I could have impressed him with more than that.

"That's how big Bert was. He wasn't just a star man at Wolves, but across the country and overseas as well. He was massive.

"The word 'legend' gets bandied about too easily these days but in Bert's case he was the ultimate legend.

"He was, without question, Wolves' greatest goalkeeper and a top, top man.

"While Bert may have gone, his legacy will never be forgotten and his memory will live on. His role playing for Wolves when they were one of the best teams in the world with all the floodlit friendlies mean he will quite rightly go into club folklore.

"It's so long since he played but still everyone talks about Bert Williams and Wolves and I think that is how it will always be and rightly so. He was an incredible man and an incredible goalkeeper.

"We are all very proud of him, I think, because he was so special."

Bert – a hugely successful businessman outside the game – never earned more than £15 a week during his playing career.

But, ever the gentleman, he never begrudged the millions lavished on today's stars – only the behaviour of those who let themselves down, something he never did.

"You knew he never resented the earnings of the modern-day footballers," said Murray. "He wouldn't swap his time. He was happy with that. But I do think you could sense how disappointed he would be sometimes in some of their behaviour as role models.

"Bert always used to say to me that what you did out on the pitch was important, of course it was.

"But how you conducted yourself off the pitch was just as important and I think he was right."

Thoughtfulness and consideration for others was another of Bert's traits and Murray, who was forced to retire through injury in 2010, revealed the legend was always there for him when he needed him most.

"When I had a bad injury one of the first calls I'd get would be from Bert, telling me to keep my chin up and asking me if I wanted to pop around for a cup of tea!" he said.

"I would regularly go and see him and look through all his memorabilia. At the same time he'd also call me if I was doing well to pass on his congratulations, or tell me to keep going if I'd had a bad game.

"To me it was a massive inspiration to be getting that advice and feedback from someone who was such a top player. He was also such a humble man as well.

"He always talked to me about how privileged he'd felt to have played football and how blessed he was to have had such a good family and a good career.

"You know the game has changed so much. There was Bert, 5ft 9in, and today's guys are 6ft 5in.

"Maybe the ball flies around and bends in the air more than it did in Bert's day – but I would take that over centre-forwards trying to kick you into the net, or diving into some of those boots.

"Bert loved his time though, and wouldn't change it."

So highly did Murray think of Bert that he was only too happy to hand over a five-figure sum from his testimonial for the Alzheimer's Society, the charity to which Bert devoted his efforts in his later years following the death of his wife Evelyn in 2002.

"He wanted to make a difference and to see him get out at his age and raise so much is just a testament to the man that he was," said Murray.

"I was delighted to be able to add a donation as part of my testimonial year to his fund.

"I loved the guy. I knew that this moment was coming, because I was with the family at an awards evening at Christmas time.

"When the text came through that he had died peacefully surrounded by his family I just thought that was how it should be – Bert has a beautiful family because he raised his children the right way."