It was great to see how folk unable to attend the service could watch the live stream. As someone who was lucky enough to be able to be there in person here is my report.
I am pleased to say that there were half a dozen Leicester fans there beside myself. I had a chat with one of them outside before the service started and thanked him for making the journey. He showed me a clip on his phone showing Frank in the Cup Semi final replay of 1974, displaying outrageous skill to embarrass Tommy Smith. Fantastic.
There was a very good turnout, the Minster was pretty full. There was a screen on all the time showing photos from Frank's career, many of which were related to his five years with us, during which he got his eight England caps. In addition to the pre season poses in the iconic strip with the round Fox emblem, I recall one showing him alongside Weller, Whitworth and Shilton, another showing him celebrating one of the goals when we won at Highbury in 1973; the one I liked best was Frank in our kit shaking hands with Bill Shankly, whose failure to sign him after Huddersfield were relegated in 1972 was his loss and our eternal gain.
Given that it is nearly fifty years since Frank last played for us the demographic at the event was folk like me in their sixties and seventies, but the younger element were well represented too with Frank's many nephews and nieces.
The mood at the service was delightfully upbeat and optimistic. His brother Bob read a lovely poem "You can shed tears that he is gone, or you can smile because he lived...." by David Harkins. The celebrant Rev David Carpenter was also light and positive, even though he must have wondered how to make the link between Christian conduct and Frank's off field activities. Before the service we were treated to wall to wall Elvis recordings, and during the service the excellent Elvis impersonator Darren Lee, in full Elvis gear, finished off with a rendering of "My Way".
A very relaxed Big Sam told us about Frank when he joined Bolton after leaving us in (I think) 1977. He had also met up with Frank again when Frank ended his playing career in the US. A more animated Peter Reid continued with the stories, and you will be pleased to know that Peter referred to the Leicester team Frank played for as "a briliant team", which was dead right of course. There was a video tribute from Gary Lineker, but it lost a bit of it's impact because it was virtual and not very long. Sorry Gary. Maia Worthington, Frank's granddaughter, gave a delighful tribute to her Pop.
After the service ended there was an invitation to go down to the Shay to continue the celebration of Frank's life. I had a prior commitment so could not go but I know some of the other Leicester fans went down. I did not see anyone connected with the club there apart from Steve Walsh (forever associated with 2016) who gave us a smile as he passed.
"Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure"
It was a truly fitting tribute to one of our greatest ever players. Most fans of my age would have him in their best eleven, he and Vardy (an ex Halifax player) would have been irresistible. Thanks for the memories Frank, Elvis is definitely in the building.
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