Everton boss Sean Dyche, Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish and Madeleine McCann’s mum Kate pay their respects to former Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright at his memorial service after his death aged 78 in October

• A memorial service for Bill Kenwright was held at Liverpool Cathedral 
• Sean Dyche and Sir Kenny Dalglish were among those paying their respects 
• It’s extraordinary how people behave in football stadiums… champion Ollie Watkins for what he did to dish it out to the fans – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off

Footballing greats paid their respects alongside current professionals and fans at Bill Kenwright’s memorial service at Liverpool Cathedral following his death in October. 

Everton manager Sean Dyche attended alongside first-team players, including Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. 

Liverpool legends Sir Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush turned up, as did former Everton boss Frank Lampard and ex-Goodison Park favourite Tim Cahill. 

Madeleine McCann’s mum, Kate, numbered among the Everton fans who paid tribute to Kenwright at the closed event. 

Coleen Rooney, Andy Burnham, and Tony Bellew also attended.  

Kenwright, Everton’s longest-serving chairman, passed away aged 78 on October 24 after 19 years in his role with the Toffees.

Everton boss Sean Dyche turned up to pay his respects at Bill Kenwright’s memorial service

Former Toffees chairman Kenwright passed away aged 78 in October after 19 years in his post

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He had undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his liver in August.

Complications during surgery led to him spending a prolonged period in intensive care before he returned home in October. 

He was one of the country’s leading theatre producers and helped direct Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber ‘s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar.

But the Scouser was perhaps best known for the long-running West End hit Blood Brothers, which ran for 24 years in the West End before playing for three years at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre.

Actors who were part of Blood Brothers, Con O’Neill and Nick Moran, gave their time at Kenwright’s memorial. 

Kenwright forged a love affair with Everton from an early age, inspired by his idol, the centre forward Dave Hickson. 

He had been on the board at Goodison Park since 1989 and was made deputy chairman after buying a 68 per cent majority share of the club from Peter Johnson in 1999.

In the summer of 2004, he was appointed the chairman in place of Sir Phillip Carter. He was persuaded to stay on in the role earlier this year by Farhad Moshiri, who Kenwright sold his stake to in 2016. 

Kenwright had been in a relationship with the actress Jenny Seagrove since 1994, following a two-year marriage to actress and interior designer Anouska Hempel. 

He was survived by one daughter from a previous relationship with stage and screen star Virginia Stride, as well as two grandchildren.

Madeleine McCann’s mum, Kate, attended. In 2007, Kenwright supported a campaign to distribute Everton shirts emblazoned with Madeleine’s face on them

Coleen Rooney, whose husband, Wayne, made his name at Everton, joined the gathering

Liverpool legends Sir Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush were present at the cathedral memorial

Current Everton stars Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin joined their team-mates

Former Goodison Park favourite Tim Cahill paid his respects to Kenwright, who passed away after a battle with cancer

Ex-Toffees boss Frank Lampard turned up out of respect for the club’s longest-serving chairman

Tony Hibbert (left) and Tony Bellew (right) were seen outside the cathedral 

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, an Everton fan, was part of the event 

Former Toffees player and ex-interim manager Duncan Ferguson arrived to pay tribute 

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Ahead of the service, Everton wrote: ‘The man who lived, breathed and dreamed Everton Football Club, since he stood on the Goodison Park terraces himself as a boy, would have wanted as many football supporters as possible to be present.

‘But venue-logistics mean the service will be a closed event.’

Actors Con O’Neill and Nick Moran, who worked on Blood Brothers, paid their respects

Former Everton players Victor Anichebe and Joleon Lescott marked the passing of Kenwright

After his passing in October, Everton said in a statement: ‘The club has lost a chairman, a leader, a friend, and an inspiration. 

‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Everton are with his partner Jenny Seagrove, his daughter Lucy Kenwright, grandchildren and everybody who knew and loved him. 

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