HUNDREDS of mourners paid their respects at the funeral of former Leigh RLFC player Mick Hogan.

On Wednesday afternoon legendary Great Britain scrum-half and former Leigh player and coach Alex Murphy gave those gathered at a packed service in Sacred Heart RC Church, Leigh a personal testimony to the full back star of the 1970s and 80s.

“If you’d cut Mick in half you’d have seen Leigh written all the way through him,” Murphy told the congregation which consisted of Mick’s family and friends including former work and school mates, playing colleagues and the many who’d spent time socialising with the former Lancashire player – a likeable man with an infectious sense of humour spiced with a touch of mischief.

The gathering – as Mick would have wished – continued until closing time and the ‘guest’ list read like a Rugby League who’s who.

Among the many who bid him farewell were international aces like Murphy, Kevin Ashcroft, Tommy Martyn, John Woods and Des Drummond who joined tough-tackling forward Dennis Boyd, livewire half-back John McAtee, record breaker Mick Stacey, evergreen Geoff Fletcher, rugged scrum-half Kenny Green, Welshman Clive Jones and Tommy Davies wearing the visual scars of countless on-field battles.

Local lads Allan Rowley (now Leigh Centurions’ chief executive), Steve Grimshaw, Alan Fairhurst, Terry Bilsbury and Leigh’s championship winning forwards Alf Wilkinson, Derek Pyke and Tony Cooke shared their tales about the lad who on the pitch often laid his body on the line for his team.

Former club chairman Brian Bowman ensured as many past players as possible were there as the ‘clan’ gathered in Bond Street Catholic Club and Leigh Liberal Club to relive memories of some of the best times in Mick Hogan’s 57 years.

His longtime pal John Blackledge summed-up the wake – “the only one missing is Mick”.