BLACKBURN Rovers officials rushed to make more books of condolence available to fans as almost 2,000 people signed their names as a mark of respect during a weekend of mourning.

At 3pm on Saturday, while the team was observing a minute's silence before its game at Crewe, hundreds of fans milled around Ewood Park, choosing to say goodbye to Uncle Jack rather than watch football.

Fans continued to pour into the ground all weekend and by Sunday afternoon there were easily 1,500 signatures in the book of condolence.

Hundreds of floral tributes, shirts, teddy bears, poems and messages of support adorned the railings around the ground that Jack built.

And respect for the millionaire working-class supporter crossed even the boundaries of football rivalry with tributes left by fans of both Burnley and Manchester United.

Two claret and blue scarves tied with flowers, from Burnley supporters who respected Jack as a fan, stood out among the railings filled with blue and white.

A Manchester United shirt hung from the railings, printed with the message: "A great man you will be sadly missed by all. A true blue to the end. From Accrington Reds."

Tributes were also laid by supporters of Accrington Stanley and Preston North End.

Steward John Doyle said: "There was a queue to sign the book of condolences. More and more people kept arriving." Even the McDonald's restaurant at Ewood lowered its McDonald's and Union flags to half mast as a mark of respect.

Supporter Keith Hargraves, 19, a life-long Rovers fan, said: "A just felt I had to sign this book. It is out of respect for Jack."

Steward Kevin Makin said: "I work here on match days and it is normally so noisy. Everyone was silent and so respectful, there was no conversation at all coming from the people queuing to sign the book of condolence."

The Blues bar at Ewood Park cancelled its Saturday night disco and coach trip to Utopia as a mark of respect.

The club had to hurry to make more books of condolence available for Sunday as the first ones were almost full by Saturday evening.

Lifelong fans Jean Kitching and Joan Baxendale travelled from their Chorley homes to pay their respects.

Jean said: "We had to come. Jack Walker did so much for this club. We have been fans since the days of Ronnie Clayton.

"We didn't know Jack Walker personally but we really wanted to pay our respects."

James Hine, 28, of Avalon Way, Darwen, has been a Rovers' fan all his life -- and has a lasting memory of Uncle Jack.

He said: "I remember when Rovers had got into the play-offs in 1992 after playing Plymouth Argyle away.

"After the match all us away fans were walking away from the ground and Jack Walker was being chauffeur-driven away.

His car stopped to let the fans past and the look of elation on his face because we had got into the play-offs will stay with me forever."

Picture: Lifelong fan Keith Hargraves of Blackburn signs Rovers' book of remembrance for Jack Walker