A FAMOUS footballing son of east Cleveland has died.

Harry Ayres, originally from Warrenby, near Redcar, who played with some of football's greats when he was with Fulham and Gillingham, has died aged 82.

One well-known picture of Mr Ayres shows him unsuccessfully chasing soccer legend Stanley Matthews. Daughter Maureen Brazier recalled that her father said: "I never did catch up with Stanley."

Bill Wright, now of New Marske, grew up with Mr Ayres in Partridge Street, Warrenby. They played football together and never lost touch.

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 past 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 daughter Maureen, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His funeral took place last week.