THE funeral of former Leigh, Warrington, England and Great Britain rugby league star Tommy Martyn takes place tomorrow, Friday, November 18.

The service will commence at St Joseph's Church, Chapel Street, Leigh, WN7 2PR, at 10.30am.

A huge gathering of family, friends and former teammates is expected.

Martyn started out with Leigh Miners, turned professional with Batley and had a short stint with his hometown club Leigh before being signed by Alex Murphy for Warrington in January, 1975.

He was a member of the Warrington side defeated by Widnes in the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley four months later.

A tour Down Under followed with England that summer.

The following season Martyn was the Wire’s Player of the Year and was shortlisted on the first of two occasions for the First Division Player of the Year award.

In the summer of 1979 he toured Down Under again, this time with Great Britain, but was forced into heading home with a dislocated shoulder after making five appearances.

He helped Warrington win the Lancashire Cup against Wigan at Knowsley Road, St Helens, in 1980 with a sensational try, storming 60 metres from a kick-off.

And then he was man of the match when The Wire defeated Barrow in the John Player Trophy Final at Central Park, Wigan, in his final campaign with the club.

In the summer of 1981 Murphy took the second-row forward back to Leigh, where they won the Championship together as well as the Lancashire Cup.

Kevin Ashcroft, a former hooker and teammate at Leigh and Warrington, said: “Shy, unobtrusive, unassuming but a genius on the Rugby League field.

"For all he achieved in the game that Championship season at Leigh was his proudest moment, without a doubt.

"Another legend of the game has gone, and I don’t use the word legend lightly.”