Blackpool fans paid tribute to club favourite Jimmy Armfield on Thursday as his funeral cortege passed through Bloomfield Road in front of the stand bearing his name.

Former England captain Armfield, who made a club-record 627 appearances for Blackpool, died from cancer at the age of 82 on January 22.

Tributes were left at the Jimmy Armfield statue
Tributes were left at the Jimmy Armfield statue (Martin Rickett/PA)

People began arriving outside the ground in the morning, many gathering at Armfield’s statue on Bloomfield Road to lay tributes.

At 12pm, the funeral procession entered the ground, travelling down one touchline before pausing briefly in front of the Armfield Stand.

After a period of silence, there was a round of applause before the procession moved on.

The funeral service itself, at 12.30pm at St Peter’s Church, was private but a live audio broadcast was arranged for those remaining at Bloomfield Road.

Those present included members of the current Blackpool squad and they, along with a number of the public, stayed to listen to the service.

Blackpool manager Gary Bowyer looks emotional as Jimmy Armfield's funeral cortege  passes through Bloomfield Road
Blackpool manager Gary Bowyer looks emotional as Jimmy Armfield’s funeral cortege passes through Bloomfield Road (Martin Rickett/PA)

They heard moving tributes paid to Armfield by his sons John and Duncan, and a eulogy read by Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association.