Thousands of people lined the streets as leading figures from British football came to Preston for the funeral of England great Tom Finney on Thursday.

Finney, who died two weeks ago aged 91, spent his entire professional career with hometown club Preston North End, making 569 appearances, while for England he scored 30 goals in just 76 matches -- a superb strike-rate for a player who was primarily a winger.

Never booked or sent off, Finney's nickname of the 'Preston Plumber' reflected the fact his father insisted he go into the family business and learn a trade alongside his football career.

Former England midfielder Trevor Brooking, representing the Football Association, was among the packed congregation in Preston Minster church in north-west England.

"He was one of the most genuine individuals you would ever be likely to meet," Brooking said. "Everyone admired and respected him.

"To come to this event today, over 50 years since he played, and see all these people both here in the minster and on the streets, I can't think of many who would get the same reaction."

David Moyes, the Manchester United manager who started his coaching career at Preston, attended the service, as did England's record goalscorer Bobby Charlton.

Earlier the funeral cortege travelled from Preston's Deepdale ground -- Finney was born on a street next to the stadium -- with a local armed forces veterans association in attendance to mark Finney's service as a tank driver during World War II.

Jimmy Armfield, England's former World Cup captain who played against Finney when he was at Blackpool, paid tribute to his sportsmanship as well as his skill.

"Tom didn't dive, he didn't feign injury, that wasn't part of his repertoire. He was the footballers' footballer," Armfield said.

"He was a real all-round athlete and in my opinion one of the real sporting icons that has ever come out of these isles.

"He was world famous but he never won a championship medal or an FA Cup winner's medal -- though he won something much more important: the hearts of his team-mates, the supporters, opposing players even and of the whole country."

England manager Roy Hodgson recalled meeting Finney when he was in charge of Blackburn Rovers, one of Preston's local Lancashire rivals, in the 1990s.

"A more charming, a more humble person than Sir Tom Finney you couldn't wish to meet," Hodgson said.

"For me it was a tremendous experience, because I grew up reading my football annuals and getting my early experience of football when Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews were big names in English football.

"It is a great loss. My condolences to his family."

England plan to hour Finney with a minute's applause before kick-off against Denmark at Wembley in next Wednesday's friendly and Hodgson added: "We will be celebrating the life of a fantastic man and a fantastic footballer on Wednesday night and hopefully he will get even more attention and a bit more credit.

"You can't heap enough praise on a person like Sir Tom Finney."

At Preston Minster, Tommy Docherty, the former Scotland and Manchester United manager who played alongside Finney at North End, gave a eulogy.

"In my opinion he was the greatest player I have ever seen," Docherty said.

"When I see Lionel Messi on the television playing for Barcelona I think 'maybe you could be as good as Tom'.

"He (Finney) was quiet and modest but he was amazing, he had two great feet and made ordinary players on his team look good -- and I should know."