Northern Ireland great and Blackpool's former director of football Billy Bingham passes away

Bingham, the most successful manager of Northern Ireland’s football team, was diagnosed with dementia in 2006.

He died peacefully in a nursing home in Southport on Thursday evening.

In a statement, his son David said the family were "very proud of all our dad achieved".

"Dad was diagnosed with dementia back in 2006 and I think it is a tribute to his will that he managed another 16 years from that diagnosis to the time he passed away," he added.

Bingham guided Northern Ireland to the World Cup in both 1982 and 1986, before going on to manage Everton as well as the Greek national team, among others.

As a player, he represented Northern Ireland at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

At club level, Bingham started at Glentoran before moving to Sunderland, Luton Town, Everton and Port Vale, earning 56 caps between 1951 and 1964 and scoring 10 goals.

“Billy holds a unique place in the football hearts of Northern Ireland in that he both played at and managed in World Cup final tournaments with Northern Ireland,” their FA said.

“He was everything that a Northern Ireland manager needs to be – tactically astute, innovative and inspirational.

“The Association would wish to send its condolences to Billy’s wider family circle.”

Bingham served as Blackpool’s director of football during the 1990s, while in 2008 he came out of retirement to become a scout for Burnley in Ireland.

His wife’s Southport-based business Rebecca Jeweller’s also sponsored the shirt.