Sir Bobby Charlton tribute by Ashington AFC to be emotional for Colliers manager, a relative of the England legend

A minute's applause will be held before kick-off and the club has asked supporters to wear red, in reference to Sir Bobby’s England and Manchester United careers, in Charlton’s memory.

Skinner said: “I got a phone call just before midday from my dad who let me know the sad news that Sir Bobby had passed and we got a couple of hours to get our heads around it as a family.

"Everybody is fully aware that he was Manchester based but probably the only time I saw him in recent years was at family funerals.

"You just need to look at the outpouring of grief and condolences from all around the world to show what a gent Sir Bobby was and I think Manchester United display a banner in their stadium about him that reads ‘born in Ashington, made in Manchester.’”

He continued: “Sir Bobby left Ashington as a 15-year-old and made a life for himself in Manchester, but he never forgot his roots.

"In 1989 he brought the Manchester United team to Ashington to help out financially and he did a talk-in at the Comrades club in the town where all of the proceeds went to Ashington Football Club.

"His passing is a big loss to the family and to the footballing world.

"I am sure Sir Bobby will be remembered. He was one of our own.”