Sir Jack Hayward funeral to be held in Wolverhampton

Thousands of people are likely to line the streets for the service which is tipped to take place at St Peter's Collegiate Church.

Sir Jack's youngest son Jonathan said: "He was so proud to be born here for a start, and from that falling in love with the club. Finding it in dire straits in the 1980s his strength was always building things and now Molineux is a great testament to what he did for the club and generosity for the the town of Wolverhampton.

"Wherever he was living in the world Wolverhampton was close to his heart.

"The funeral will be in Wolverhampton, we can't release the details yet and he has to be repatriated," he said.

Further details are expected to be released later this week.

Speaking exclusively to the Express & Star, Mr Hayward said Wolves fans did his father proud with a pre-match tribute which included a minute's applause, a mass balloon launch, and Sir Jack spelt out across the Steve Bull stand by fans holding up gold and black signs.

Mr Hayward joined his father's long-term partner Patti Bloom on the pitch moments before kick-off with a string of Wolves legends for the emotional celebration of life of the man that saved the football club.

In a tribute in the match programme, Patti said: "He loved Wolves. He loved Wolverhampton. He loved the people of Wolverhampton and anyone who called Wolves 'their team'. He loved the Wolves players and particularly the Academy boys who he knew as youngsters."

In his tribute, Jonathan Hayward told how he though his father would 'go on forever' because his enormous personality had made him believe anything was possible.

He also wrote: "Dad's strength and knowledge was for imaginative building and creating projects, so the emergence of the new Molineux will remain a testament to his deep and genuine love for the club and leave a lasting legacy of his huge generosity to the town of Wolverhampton, his birthplace of which he was so very proud."

Mayor of Wolverhampton Mike Heap said: "It will be a fitting tribute that Sir Jack will be coming back to Wolverhampton. His funeral will almost certainly be at St Peter's. It will not be a sombre occasion but a celebration of his life. He lived a wonderful life and worked wonders not just for the football club but for the people of Wolverhampton with his generosity.

"His heart was always in Wolverhampton. He was one of Wolverhampton's greatest philanthropists and benefactors and a great Wulfrunian."

Sir Jack has connections at both St John's Church – where his parents are buried and where there is a family vault – and at St Peter's where he was friends with previous rector Reverend John Hall-Matthews and paid for the last church organ refurbishment.

Sir Jack, who lived in the Bahamas, died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday last week.

He fell ill and became short of breath while on a round-the-world cruise and was taken ashore in Mexico. He had been receiving treatment for lung cancer for many months, according to sources.