Sir Geoff Hurst leads tributes to Sir Bobby Charlton

Tributes to the late great Sir Bobby Charlton are flooding in, following his passing in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The 1966 World Cup winner died aged 86 after a three-year battle with dementia.

His passing means Sir Geoff Hurst, born in Ashton, is now the only surviving member of the 66' side.

Hurst took to Twitter to honour his former teammate:

"Very sad news today one of the true greats Sir Bobby Charlton has passed away. We will never forget him & nor will all of football, a great colleague & friend he will be sorely missed by all of the country beyond sport alone, condolences to his family & friends from Geoff and Judith."  

Ex-England captain Gary Lineker also spoke in honour of Charlton, hailing Sir Bobby as the greatest English footballer in history.

He tweeted: "Deeply saddened to hear that Sir Bobby Charlton has died. A truly wonderful footballer and genuinely lovely man.

"A World Cup winner, Man Utd great and, for me, England’s greatest ever player. He may no longer be with us but he’ll have footballing immortality. RIP Sir Bobby."

Manchester United also paid tribute to Sir Bobby, in an emotional farewell statement:

"Manchester United are in mourning following the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton, one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of our club.

"Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester, or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world.

"He was admired as much for his sportsmanship and integrity as he was for his outstanding qualities as a footballer; Sir Bobby will always be remembered as a giant of the game.

"A graduate of our youth Academy, Sir Bobby played 758 games and scored 249 goals during 17 years as a Manchester United player, winning the European Cup, three league titles and the FA Cup.

"For England, he won 106 caps and scored 49 goals for England, and won the 1966 World Cup. Following his retirement, he went on to serve the club with distinction as a director for 39 years.

"His unparalleled record of achievement, character and service will be forever etched in the history of Manchester United and English football; and his legacy will live on through the life-changing work of the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation.

"The club’s heartfelt sympathies are with his wife Lady Norma, his daughters and grandchildren, and all who loved him."