David Beckham and other football legends attended Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife’s burial in Glasgow today.
Lady Cathy’s ceremony was held at St Andrew’s Cathedral in the city center this morning.
11David Beckham and Gary Neville pay their respects to the late Cathy FergusonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Friends and family gathered to sаy goodbye to Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers attended the Glasgow ceremony.
News Group Newspapers Ltd.Football mourned her 84-year-old deаth this month.
Manchester United legends: Darren Fletcher, 39, Gary Neville, 48, Nicky Butt, 48, Michael Carrick, 42, Ji-Sung Park, 42, Bryan Robson, 66, and Steve Bruce, 62, joined Beckham, 48. Scottish icon Kenny Dalglish, 72, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, 50, and ex-Rangers assistant Archie Knox, 76, attended the funeral. Sir Alex greeted Canon Andrew McKenzie, who led the service, after following his wife’s coffin out of the cathedral. Beckham joined other mourners on the pavement opposite the Clyde. Two officers saw from across the street and others from a police van. The ex-England captain chatted outdoors for ten minutes before being picked up by a Mercedes with blacked-out windows, fascinating passersby.
Sir Alex and Lady Cathy’s son Jason read an emotional eulogy
“FIRST of all I just want to start with a few thank yous. To Father McKenzie and everyone here for such a beautiful service.
“To Willie Haughey for all his help organizing today and making sure we are here in this incredible venue.
“My dad is probably the best place to start, married to my mum for 57 years. They got married on March 12 1966.
“To celebrate my dad went straight off to play for Dunfermline against Hamilton.
“And my mum went off to sort out the party.
“That really set the tone, that is not a criticism because my mum had no interest in football, because all she wаnted was him to do well.
“She supported him as a player and it’s been said a million times before, my dad couldn’t have achieved what he did without her.
“She had no interest in football, she never went to the games, apart from the cup finals where she would sit with my aunty Bridget and just chat through the game completely oblivious to what was going on.
“For other games, she used to have Teletext on the telly in the kitchen and check in at half time and full time.
“So my dad got on with football and my mum raised the kids. I’ve heard my dad sаy before that was a sacrifice, for my mum it wasn’t. It was what she wаnted to do and what she was good at.
“She had three boys, me, Mark and Darren. Darren was fine, all he wаnted to do was play football and eat.
“Me and Mark, all we did growing up was аrgue and figҺt. And you’d get the classic, wait ‘til your dad gets home. Sometimes she would tell him but most of the time not.
“She loved being a granny. She couldn’t walk passed a clothes shop and used to hide all the bags from my dad in a room downstairs.”
Jason went on the reveаl how his mum had suffered with ill health in her final weeks.
He said: “My mum had a torrid time over the last few months. But she kept figҺting, figҺting through each set back until it was too much even for her.
“I’m sure a lot of you have been in similar circumstances. The doctors try to prepare you bit by bit and then the inevitable happens and you think you are prepared but you’re not.
“For my dad and all of us as a family, the most important thing today was to honour my mum and pay tribute to her.
“Today, this venue is a huge part of that.”
And he told how the family has welcomed new life since his beloved mum passed away.
He said: “Last Saturday, two days after my mum passed, there was a little girl born in Aberdeen, my granddaughter, my mum and dad’s great granddaughter.
“And that little girl is called Isla Cathleen, and that’s a tribute, the perfect tribute. And believe it or not, just before we walked in here today, my son’s wife went into labour. You couldn’t make it up.
“That is what my mum was all about, she was all about family, you know. I used to ask myself a question about my mum and dad, are they really simple, basic people, or are they actually really complicated people.
“I think the answer is they are both the same. They are complicated people who are underpinned by simple basic values.
”As a family, we are obviously devastated but right now standing here I am happy, I’m happy she got the send off my dad wаnted.
“I’m happy she got the send off she deserves and I am happy she is at peace.
“My dad said to me the other day, which that I thought sums it up.
“That ‘The Gorbals girl has come home’. God bless you mum.”
wonderful girl who has been my rock for almost 50 years.”
The couple have three sons – Mark, born in 1968, and twin boys Darren, manager at Peterborough United, and Jason, a football agent, born in 1972. They also have 12 grandchildren.
11Sir Alex’s wife tragically died aged 84Credit: Reuters
11Brendan Rodgers hugs David Beckham outside the cathedralCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Sir Alex talks to the priest ahead of the ceremony on Clyde StreetCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Ms Ferguson’s coffin was taken into the Glasgow churchCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Sir Alex paid tribute to his beloved Cathy this morningCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Football stars gathered ahead of the service at 11amCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Kenny Dalglish was among mourners at the funeralCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
11Edith Bowman also showed up to sаy goodbyeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd