Kevin Keegan among legends to pay tribute to Roger Hunt at funeral

Liverpool great Kevin Keegan led the tributes to Roger Hunt at the funeral of the club’s record league goalscorer on Thursday.

Hunt, a World Cup winner with England in 1966, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 83 at the end of September.

During the hour-long service at Liverpool Cathedral to celebration the life of ‘Sir’ Roger, Keegan called for a statue of his former team-mate to be erected outside Anfield.

He also recalled how he the Liverpool icon had unexpectedly provided him with his unofficial ‘England’ debut.

It was Hunt’s testimonial at Anfield in 1972, between Liverpool’s 1965 side and an England 1966 XI, which was attended by more than 56,000 people with a further 10,000 locked out.

"I know he wasn’t England manager but Alan Ball pulled out of his testimonial and he came to find me at the training ground, to ask if I would play in his place. I will never forget the night," said Keegan.

However, the former Reds forward said the appreciation shown by the incredible turnout of fans that night - and throughout his career - should have been formally recognised by the club.

"Liverpool was founded in 1892. Only 19 players have scored over 100 league goals. You know them: Kenny Dalglish, Robbie Fowler, John Barnes, Steven Gerrard and Mo Salah joined them just 18 days ago," Keegan added.

"The 200 club is more exclusive. There are only four members: Billy Liddell - 215, Ian Rush - 229, Gordon Hodgson scored 233 goals but Roger Hunt is there at the top.

"He was a World Cup winner in 1966. He was Liverpool’s top scorer for eight years. He scored the first goal on Match of the Day. He scored five hat-tricks in a season. I could go on and on.

"Why isn’t there a statue of Sir Roger Hunt, at the Kop End, where he was knighted, with something like ‘244 goals - catch me if you can’ as an inspiration to everyone passing by, the kids who want to play football?

"If you did that, I think Roger would look down and he would want one of those kids, to come past there and he would want someone to one day play for Liverpool and one day overtake his record."

Hunt’s funeral cortege, with his coffin draped in a red Liverpool flag and adorned with white flowers, was applauded by large groups of fans outside Anfield, where the hearse briefly paused, and on its entry to the cathedral.

Liverpool’s anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was sung as part of the service before Hunt’s coffin departed to the tune ahead of a private ceremony at Anfield Crematorium.