Phil Neville has described Nobby Stiles as a “giant of the game” who “took care of me the way I would want my own son to be treated”.

Stiles, part of the Manchester United team that claimed the European Cup two years after helping England win the 1966 World Cup, died on Friday at the age of 78 after a long illness.

As a coach, the former midfielder worked with the famed ‘Class of 92’ at United, which included taking Neville’s first session with the club, aged 10.

Referring to his time at Preston, Lawrenson said: “We used to play reserve team, we’d all be 17, 18, and he was the reserve team coach/player – he’d play with us, which was fab in itself.

“We were 4-0 down at half-time and I was rank playing on the left wing. At half-time he said ‘Mark, come and play with me at the back’ and I’m like ‘really?’

“He said ‘really’, and that day I just took to it basically. From then on, he was just brilliant with me.”