YORK City fans have been invited to stand with their heroes and attend the funeral service this week for striking legend Keith Walwyn.

Walwyn died last week after heart trouble at the age of 47, but his widow Liz today invited fans to the service in memory of her husband to be held on Friday, April 25, at St Michael's Church of England parish church in Kirkham, near Preston in Lancashire.

Many of Walwyn's team-mates from City's 1983-84 Division Four championship-winning side are expected to attend, including Derek Hood, Gary Ford, John MacPhail, John Byrne, Dale Banton, Alan Hay and Brian Pollard.

The church service starts at 10.30am after which there will be a private ceremony at a nearby crematorium.

Mrs Walwyn and her two sons, James and Matthew, were expected to attend City's match at home to Kidderminster today when there was a minute's silence in tribute to the man who captured an unforgettable place in the club's memory as City's second all-time record goal-scorer.

A special bond exisits between City and the Walwyn family as Minstermen fans helped them raise money for Killingbeck Hospital, Leeds, where James had a heart operation four days after his birth in 1984.

Updated: 11:11 Monday, April 21, 2003