da realsbet： Sir Alex Ferguson joined mourners at Sir Bobby Charlton's funeral today, as the football world paid its respects to one of the game's greatest icons.

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United players past and present pay respectsFuneral cortège passes by thousands at Old TraffordPoignant memorial service at Manchester CathedralGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Thousands gathered at Old Trafford and lined the streets around Manchester Cathedral as the funeral cortège of one of English football's greatest ever players passed by. Among the 1,000 in attendance for the ceremony were Sir Alex, who was joined by United legends of the past including Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Bryan Robson as well as representatives of the club's current squad led by Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Representatives from the wider football world were also present to pay tribute to Sir Bobby, who died at the last month at the age of 86. England manager Gareth Southgate, Liverpool great Alan Kennedy and Real Madrid's Emilio Butragueño were among those also in attendance.

WHAT THEY SAID

"It was very sombre", Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports after the service. "There was a wonderful tribute from his grandson. I though it was fantastic. 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."

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Sir Bobby survived the 1958 Munich air disaster before going on to score 49 goals in 106 appearances for England, helping them to win their only World Cup to date in 1966. At club level his powerful shooting fired Manchester United to three league titles and a 1968 European Cup win.

On an individual level Sir Bobby was voted the Ballon d'Or winner in 1966.