Sir Bobby Charlton elegantly glided around Old Trafford one last time: In a poignant farewell, the cortege paused briefly by the statue where the Manchester United legend is immortalised in bronze as fans paid their respect to an all-time great

Sir Bobby Charlton never forgot the first time he set eyes on Old Trafford.

Manchester United’s chief scout Joe Armstrong had taken the 15-year-old to lunch after playing in an England Schoolboys trial at Maine Road in March 1953, and their bus drove past the ground on its way to the station.

‘I craned to take in the scene as the fans flooded down Warwick Road for that afternoon’s United match,’ Charlton later recalled.

‘I wanted to jump off the bus and join in the excitement. However, it did occur to me that I had some time to savour the prospect.