Football world remembers Birch

It was standing room only as hundreds of people packed out West Bromwich Crematorium for the funeral of the popular midfielder, who passed away last week at the age of 46 after losing his battle with bone cancer.

Click here to pictures from the funeral.

Crowds of mourners were forced to stand outside the main entrance, with the service relayed over loud speakers.

Supporters wearing Villa scarves also turned out to pay their respects to the man known affectionately as Birchy, who made 219 appearances for Villa (scoring 25 times) after joining as an apprentice in 1980, before switching to Wolves in 1991 where he played 164 times, scoring 19 goals.

Some of the most famous faces from both clubs were in attendance.

These included Wolves heroes Steve Bull, Geoff Thomas and Don Goodman, Baggies legend Cyrille Regis, ex-England winger Tony Daley, Arsenal and Villa stalwart Martin Keown, Villa European Cup winners including Tony Morley and Des Bremner - and legendary Villa and Republic of Ireland defender Paul McGrath.

The 85-year-old Villa president and former chairman Doug Ellis flew in early from Mauritius to attend the funeral of West Bromwich-born Birch, who grew up in Westminster Road, and described him as a "Black Country boy done good."

He said: "I had him for 11 years at Aston Villa and he was one of my favourites. He never missed a blade of grass.

Former team-mate and ex-Villa assistant manager Allan Evans said: "You get players who perhaps don't get the plaudits that others do but Paul was very popular as a player and as a person.

"The fact that he has passed on at such a young age is a tragedy, but it is a great turnout and he deserves it."

Ex-Wolves striker Steve Bull, who played alongside Birch in the early 1990s, paid tribute to a "great lad who had great spirit."

He said: "I saw him the day before he passed away and it is such a shame to lose him at 46, but it shows you have to live every day to the full. It just shows how loved he was by the fact that so many old faces from football have come and supporters as well, young ones and old ones."

Tony Daley, who played with Birch at both Villa and Wolves, told how he was a "comedian and a joker" in the dressing room.

He said: "I was lucky to play with him at both Villa and Wolves and he was a fantastic person as well. Footballers from all over the country have come to pay their respects to him."

During the ceremony, tributes were read out from his friends and his 11-year-old daughter Olivia.

Karl Court of the Aston Villa Former Players' Association read a tribute on behalf of his ex-team-mates, describing Birch as a "true legend" and a real "players' player." He added it was a testament to the man that so many people had turned up.