Fans call for Sir Tom Finney museum at mothballed site
Civic funeral date set for Preston's Sir Tom Finney
(about 1 hour later)
Preston North End fans have called for the former National Football Museum in the city to be re-dedicated to former player Sir Tom Finney.
A civic funeral will be held for football legend Sir Tom Finney at Preston Minster, it has been announced.
Finney, 91, died on Friday and a Facebook campaign for the new museum has attracted more than 9,000 'likes'.
The 91-year-old, who played 76 times for England and spent his whole career with Preston North End, died on Friday.
The National Football Museum was housed in the Tom Finney stand at the club's Deepdale ground, until it closed in May 2010.
Preston City Council confirmed the funeral will be held at 13:00 GMT on 27 February. It will then be followed by a private service for his family.
It said there were other collections dedicated to Finney across England.
Two books of condolence have been opened in Preston, along with another online, where tributes have been paid.
The museum relocated to the Urbis Centre in Manchester but still owns the site, even though it is inside the club's ground.
'Wonderful life'
"We don't even have a key for it," said a Preston spokesman.
Councillor Peter Rankin, the leader of Preston City Council, said: "[Sir Tom] is probably the most important Prestonian that has ever lived and we are all deeply saddened at the news of his death.
Lifelong fan Nick Linehan, 37, said he got the idea while viewing the tributes left at Finney's memorial statue outside Deepdale.
"A true gentleman and an ambassador, not just for football, but for the city of Preston and indeed England as a whole".
"I was thinking 'Where are they going to put those scarves afterwards?' and it seemed to me that the museum was the best place and then I thought 'Why don't they turn it into a museum for Sir Tom?" said Mr Linehan.
He added: "Whilst the people of Preston are in mourning now, we must give thanks for the wonderful life of Sir Tom Finney and the legacy that he leaves."
"There used to be a section on Sir Tom in the old museum.
Preston North End fans have called for the former National Football Museum in the city to be rededicated to Sir Tom.
"I just floated it as an idea and I am amazed to see it has been supported by 9,468 people so far."
A Facebook campaign for the move has attracted more than 10,000 'likes'.
A statement from the museum said the former site was used for storage and as an archive and research centre while some of Finney's objects are on display in the Manchester museum.
The National Football Museum was housed in the Tom Finney stand at the club's Deepdale ground, until it closed in May 2010 and relocated to Manchester.
It added that other objects can be seen in Preston at The Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre at Uclan and the Harris Museum.
On Monday, Preston City Council announced it had offered the former England international's family a civic funeral to honour Finney, who spent all of his career at Preston.
Council leader Peter Rankin said the final decision would rest with Finney's family.
