Emotional Wolves fans join Ron Flowers' family and ex-players to pay tribute to club legend

People were invited to light a candle after a 20-minute service at St Peter's Collegiate Church on Saturday afternoon, in which tributes were paid by rector Reverend David Wright and Ron's family.

Flowers, who died last week at the age of 87, made 515 appearances for Wolves between 1952 and 1967, making him the club's fifth highest appearance holder and an icon of its most successful era in which he and Wolves won three First Division titles and the FA Cup.

WATCH: Tributes paid to Ron Flowers:

He was also part of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and gained 49 caps between 1958 and 1963, scoring 10 goals during that period.

More than 50 people gathered inside the city centre church, including Ron's family, Wolves legends Steve Bull John Richards, and Wolverhampton Mayor Greg Brackenridge.

Glenn Flowers, Ron's son, thanked those in attendance on behalf of the family.

He said: "My father would have been proud to have eavesdropped on this service today.

"He was blessed with a wonderful talent, one he exercised to its full potential.

"The fame that followed, he carried lightly, he possessed a cool calm judgement.

"He was a man who found his niche, accomplished his tasks and in doing so, won the respect of his fellow man."

Many Wolves fans came to light a candle and take a moment to reflect ahead of Saturday's match.

Terry Owers, who travelled from Essex to attend the service, started supporting the club in 1960 after he saw Flowers play in the FA cup final.

He said: "I was nine at the time, I'm 70 now, Ron Flowers was the reason I supported Wolves.

"He was so commanding, it was unfortunate that he didn't play in the [World Cup] final, of course Jack Charlton recovered from his flu, he was never going to miss it.

"I was so glad Ron got his recognition in the end, he was a true gentleman.

"He has his shop in Wolverhampton where I have met his son Glenn and got a signature for Ron's autobiography.

"It is such a sad loss, but what a wonderful player."

Flowers was awarded an MBE for services to football in 2021 as part of the New Year Honours list.

He was always accessible and friendly to Wolves supporters at his shop in the city centre, acting as if he was any other shopkeeper.

Nothing was too much trouble for Ron, he was always on hand whether it be to open a new academy or to have a kickabout in the North Bank car park followed by a pint in The Feathers.

Reverend David Wright, said at the service: "It cannot be over said that Ron Flowers is an absolute legend for Wolverhampton Wanderers and the city as a whole.

"From what I know of Ron, he is a man of great talents and achievements, yet a man of great humility.

"A man who let his ability do the speaking for him.

"I heard a lovely story of Ron, that in 1966 at the World Cup final, the players were expected by Sir Alf Ramsey to wear a smart blazer.

"Ron found the blazer increasingly uncomfortable, and after the final it never went on his back again.

"As the story goes he sold it to a charity shop, then a certain Ron Flowers later went past the window of the charity shop, liked the look of it, and bought it back.

"Despite all he achieved, he was never carried away, he was an icon and yet modesty always prevailed."

Flowers was the the first to support the Wolves museum and loaned it his World Cup winners medal, which became a massive draw.

He was described as a giant on the pitch and a gentleman off it in a statement by the club.

Thomas Plumb, 70, went to his first Wolves match in 1958 and came to pay his respects to a club legend.

He said: "It is really sad to lose Ron, when you lose any player who has played for the club it is really sad.

"He was a superb player, he played for England, scored 10 goals and thankfully got his medal for the 1966 World Cup win."

The service finished at 2pm when tributes moved to Molineux with flowers being laid out and a minute’s applause held before Wolves' Premier League match with West Ham.

Chants of 'there's only one Ron flowers' rang around the ground for a man who will be sorely missed.