St Helens football star and ex Manchester United player dies aged 74 (From St Helens Star)

Former Manchester United star and World Cup winning squad member John Connelly dies.

11:41am Friday 26th October 2012 in News By Stephen Mather, Senior reporter

JOHN Connelly was a son of St Helens who played alongside some of the greatest players of the time and was a member of the 1966 World Cup winning squad.

The 74-year-old, who died on Wednesday lined up alongside legends of the game including George Best and Bobby Charlton.

We may live in an age of multi-millionaire footballers, who are international superstars, but John Connelly was a talent who held his own on the world stage and made 112 appearances for Manchester United.

But it was at Burnley where he achieved legendary status, with 104 goals in 265 games.

It was while playing for his hometown club that he was spotted by Burnley scouts and signed in November 1956.

He signed for United in 1964 for £60,000 and scored 15 times, including one in the 5-1 demolition of Benfica in 1966.

Connelly helped Matt Busby’s side win the First Division title in 1965. He moved to Blackburn Rovers in 1966, where he played for four seasons, before ending his career at Bury.

Both Manchester United and Burnley FC posted messages of condolence on their websites and Burnley players will wear black arm bands for their game against Cardiff tomorrow (Saturday, October 27).

Hi died at his home in Barrowford in Lancashire on Wednesday (October 24).