Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher paid touching tributes to Queen Elizabeth II ahead of what is expected to be an emotional weekend in the Premier League.
Matches in the top-flight are getting underway once more after all football up and down the country took a short break last weekend following the sad news of the former monarch’s death. The state funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday, with Premier League clubs and supporters alike having been handed an opportunity to pay their respects both before and during games.
Both Carragher and Neville were among those to have given their kind words, with the former Liverpool star having shared his experience of meeting The Queen.
Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of Aston Villa ’s home clash with Southampton on Friday evening, he said: “She kindly came down to a children’s hospital in Liverpool, Alder Hay, which is very close to my heart. And she’s everything that you would expect her to be: lovely, very polite, speaking to everyone, giving them her time.
“Obviously you have all the protocol, hopefully I got it right but no it was fantastic for her to do that because as I said Alder Hay is very special to me. A special moment for everyone who was there on the day.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United icon Neville, whilst having not met The Queen in person, was sure that the general public - particularly those who invested in football - will be going out of their way with deserved tributes.
“Yeah there’s a staggering amount of people going to head down to London this weekend, into the millions. Obviously not everybody will be able to go and football stadiums up and down the country will be full, tonight and obviously tomorrow and Sunday,” he said.
“[Fans are] able to pay their respects in a way in which football does very well. Football pays respects well and I think it will do this weekend.”
The kind words from the punditry duo was just the start of what is expected to be an emotional weekend of tributes.
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Minutes’ silences were held at both Villa Park and the City Ground as Aston Villa clashed with Southampton, whilst Nottingham Forest took on Fulham.
That was followed by hugely emotive renditions of the national anthem - fans electing to join in during both matches in the Midlands.
There were yet more airings of the anthem during both matches as a scheduled applause on 70 minutes - signifying the 70 years that The Queen was on the throne - was rounded off with another rendition from supporters, who were clutching their copies of each club's matchday programmes that were adorned with faces of The Queen.
They are all part of the Premier League’s plan to play tribute to the monarch following her sad death.
A statement issued last week read: “All Premier League matches between Friday 16 and Sunday 18 September will provide an opportunity for the League, clubs and fans to come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation and world.
"Fans will be asked to join a minute’s silence, which will be followed by the National Anthem,God Save The King.
"Big screens and LED perimeter boards will display tribute images to Her Majesty and flags at the grounds will be flying at half-mast. When the clock turns to 70 minutes, fans will be invited to applaud The Queen’s 70-year reign."
Despite that lengthy list of tributes having already been put into motion, a few games have already fallen by the wayside - meaning a clutch of supporters might not be able to pay their respects at stadiums at the very least.
Manchester United’s clash with Leeds United at Old Trafford has been called off, with Chelsea 's home game with Liverpool also being postponed. The official reason for those postponements has been policing issues.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s trip to Crystal Palace will also not be played this weekend but that was a decision made in advance, with a rail strike seeing that match postponed originally - but that industrial action will now not take place out of respect for Queen Elizabeth II.
You can now buy Friday's historic Daily Mirror commemorating the death of the Queen here: mirror.co.uk/commemorative
