Nobby Stiles: Tributes paid to ‘one of the greatest-ever Mancunians’ after 1966 World Cup winner’s death

Nobby Stiles died after a long illness

Tributes have been paid from the world of football and beyond to Nobby Stiles, the 1966 World Cup winner who has died after a long illness.

Stiles, who had prostate cancer and dementia in his later years, is the seventh member of the England side that started the Wembley final to pass away after captain Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters and Jack Charlton.

“Saddened to hear that Nobby Stiles has passed away,” Gary Lineker tweeted. “Another of our 1966 World Cup winning heroes leaves us. He had a heart that was even bigger than the gap in his teeth. RIP Nobby.”

Sir Geoff Hurst, whose hat-trick helped England to victory over West Germany in the final, paid his own tribute to Stiles.

"Hugely sad to hear Nobby has passed away," he wrote on Twitter. "We were playing together way back for the U17s, U23s, and of course, for England, in fact, it was my first cap when Nobby scored, I think he was wearing No. 9! Great character, and the heart and soul of the team, he will be sorely missed."

Stiles played most of his career for his boyhood club Manchester United, where he won league titles and the 1968 European Cup, and he later returned to coach youngsters coming through the ranks like Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

United said: “We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Nobby Stiles MBE. An integral part of our first-ever European Cup-winning side, Nobby was a titan of the club’s history, cherished for his heart and personality on and off the pitch. He will be sorely missed by us all.”

The former defender Danny Higginbotham was one of those who came through United’s youth setup. “Such sad news to hear that Nobby Stiles has passed away,” he tweeted. “I know he was ill for a while but doesn’t take away the shock. He was my coach as a kid @ManUtd and what an unbelievably humble human being. A massive influence on myself as a youngster. Thoughts and love with his family.”

The mayor Manchester, Andy Burnham, said of Stiles, who was made an MBE in 2000: "Quite simply one of the greatest-ever Mancunians.” 

England’s most capped player, the former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, sad Stiles was “a great person who I admired very much”.