A FOOTBALL-MAD grandfather who died unexpectedly was buried wearing a Blackburn Rovers shirt signed by two of the club’s stars.

The funeral of 65-year-old father-of-four Stephen Howard, from Great Har-wood, took place in the town today.

And, as a tribute to Mr Howard, people were asked to swap their suits for football shirts at the service at St Wulstan’s RC Church.

Son Steven said he had got a Rovers shirt signed by David Dunn and Jordan Rhodes, which his dad will be wearing.

He said: “I know Dunny well because I rent a house from him, so I have his number.

“It was going to be too late to meet him to get the shirt signed, so I rang him and he came and met me at the funeral home.

“It was really good of him to go out of his way for dad as I know how much it would mean to him.

“I queued up at the shirt signing at the Rovers shop to get Jordan to sign it.”

Mr Howard died after the blood stopped flowing to his heart.

He leaves three sons, Steven, 29, Shaun, 41, and Scott, 38, and a daughter, Stacey, 31.

He also has two younger brothers, Martin and John, and grandchildren Olivia, four, Breanna, 13, and Jenson, six.

Son Shaun said: “He was a top bloke and didn’t have a bad word to say about anybody.

“He was a Harwood legend. I didn’t realise how popular he was, but it has been overwhelming.

“I can’t go anywhere in town without someone stopping me to tell me a story about him.”

Mr Howard was a Black-burn End season ticket- holder for many years until recently, when he found he couldn’t afford to go.

Shaun said: “He went to every game, home and away.

“His favourite players were Simon Garner and Alan Shearer.

“He also set up the Great Harwood Rovers fan club and has a brick in the Walkerfame at the ground.”

Mr Howard settled in the town when he was 10 after spending his early years travelling around with his dad, Albert, who was in the Army. He went to St Hubert’s Secondary School, and went on to become a painter and decorator.

The keen photographer and music lover had lived in Bridge Street for 45 years, and retired in February.