A FAMOUS footballing son of east Cleveland has died at the age of 82.

Harry Ayres, originally from Warrenby, near Redcar, took on some of football's greats while playing for Fulham and Gillingham.

One famous picture of Mr Ayres shows him unsuccessfully chasing soccer legend Stanley Matthews. Daughter Maureen Brazier said that her father used to always say 'I never did catch up with Stanley'.

Bill Wright, of New Marske, said he grew up with Mr Ayres. The two friends, who both grew up in Partridge Street in Warrenby, would play football together and never lost touch throughout their lives.

Mr Wright said: "Harry went to Warrenby School then Redcar Central School and was an extremely good amateur footballer for Warrenby before the war.

"He finished up in the army and I joined the RAF but we kept in touch. Harry ended up meeting a girl from Grays in Essex and moved down there. But we stayed friends, he came up and stayed with his family at Liverton every year for the last five years."

Mr Ayres, who played in a number of positions in the 1940s and 1950s, was a member of Fulham's promotion-winning side. He went on to become a successful manager in the amateur leagues.

He is survived by his only child, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His funeral took place last week.