SIR Bobby Charlton’s sad passing at the age of 86 has triggered many memories of his amazing football career and of his links with Warrington – both the town and the rugby league club.

Sir Bobby, who lived in Lymm for a decade, was the guest of honour at many presentation evenings and played in at least two charity football matches at Wilderspool.

One was held on Sunday, March 31, 1974 between the Warrington Lions Club and a Showbusiness XI and attracted a crowd of 6,000 people.

The Lions Club were captained by the former Liverpool striker Roger Hunt – a team-mate of Charlton’s when England won the World Cup in 1966.

So two of Alf Ramsey’s Wembley winners graced the Wilderspool pitch at the same time.

Warrington Guardian: How Warrington Guardian reported the charity football match at Wilderspool Stadium in WarringtonHow Warrington Guardian reported the charity football match at Wilderspool Stadium in Warrington (Image: Newsquest)

However, on the day, both of them were overshadowed by the pop star and teen idol Rod Stewart.

The event raised £1,000 for local charities and the match ended in a 3-3 draw after it was abandoned six minutes from time.

That was the moment when Rod Stewart went down injured. That injury was the signal for dozens of teenage girls to race onto the pitch to try to help the pop singer – in any way they could.

The story was told in great detail in the following week’s Warrington Guardian on Friday, April 5.

The fun continued after the match with a social evening in the Wilderspool Leisure Centre when Ed “Stewpot” Stewart, the Radio One disc jockey, auctioned two footballs for the princely sum of £60.

Rod Stewart, now Sir Rod Stewart, had been a decent footballer in his youth and had trials with Brentford as a teenager.

Now, aged 78, he has sold more than 120 million records worldwide.