MANY top soccer officials were expected to be at Worcester Cathedral today for the funeral of the city's finest referee, Gerald Ashby.
Most of the current FA Premiership referees were expected to attend the service, as well as several leading players and managers.
Mr Ashby, who died aged 52, rose from Worcester parks football to become one of the country's foremost referees.
He took charge of many big games in the Premiership and overseas and, in 1995, he refereed the FA Cup final between Everton and Manchester United.
He had been a Premiership referees' assessor since hanging up his whistle in 1998, and was also president of Worcester Referees' Society, having been its chairman for 11 years.
The service was due to start at 2pm, followed by a private cremation.
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