But yesterday the pair stood side by side on a bright, cold March morning to pay tribute to Derek Dooley, the only man who had ever been able to bridge the city's sporting divide.

They were just two in a crowd of thousands who gathered outside Sheffield Cathedral for the funeral service of Mr Dooley, whose death earlier this month marked the end of an era in football.

There was only room for 150 members of the public inside the church for the service, with many queueing outside for seats.

The service was also relayed from inside via loudspeakers.

Among the mourners were former England and Manchester United hero Sir Bobby Charlton, ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson and cricket umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird.

Mr Dooley first found fame at Sheffield Wednesday in the 1950s, when he was a prolific goalscorer, but his playing career was curtailed when his leg was amputated after he broke it on the field.

Despite this, his involvement with football continued, and he was manager of Sheffield Wednesday in the early 1970s before moving to Sheffield United in a variety of roles, most recently club chairman.

During the service, eulogies were given by long-serving Sheffield United managers Dave Bassett and Neil Warnock, who both fondly remembered their time working with Mr Dooley at Bramall Lane.

Mr Bassett, who was in charge of the team between 1988 and 1995, said Mr Dooley had been a "man revered and respected by everyone" and one of the country's best "football men".

He added: "Derek was passionate about Sheffield, passionate about football and passionate about his family.

"Derek Dooley was proud of Sheffield and by God, Sheffield is proud of him."

Mr Warnock said it was no coincidence that both he and Mr Bassett had lasted so long as managers at Sheffield United, with both of them owing a lot to the help and guidance of Mr Dooley.

"Today we say goodbye to Mr Sheffield in my eyes," Mr Warnock said.

"Whether you are blue and white or red and white, the city has united to say goodbye.

"They really did break the mould when they made Derek. Whether he was talking to the cleaner or the Queen he was the same.That humility was his strength.

"All the players treated him as a father figure and they all mucked in with him. But what price today for a centre forward who scored all those goals? He would have been worth a fortune.

"Derek didn't have a five-bedroom mansion with electric gates, he didn't have five cars," he added.

"He was not even a millionaire but he had something that money can't buy – integrity and respect."

The funeral cortege was accompanied by a police motorcycle outrider and was applauded both when it arrived at the cathedral and left for a private family service at a city crematorium.

Mr Dooley's wife Sylvia was supported by her son Martin and daughter Suzanne as she followed the coffin into the church along with Mr Dooley's grandchildren and other family members.

The service was led by the Bishop of Sheffield the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, who also paid a moving tribute to the man he described as "extraordinarily ordinary".

Speaking about Mr Dooley's footballing accident he added: "Most people's lives would have been marred, if not destroyed by the tragedy, but not Derek Dooley.

"Somehow, for the next 50 years he was able to live the most selfless, generous and gracious of lives."