PRESENT only in spirit though he was, who else could have packed a church, crematorium and club to overflowing but former Saints hooker Bob Dagnall?

Such was the outpouring of grief - and joy - for the life of 67-year-old Bob on Friday that Vicar Roy Doran, of St John's, Ravenhead, declared that he had never seen anything like it as he gazed around his packed pews.

Oval-ball stars of today and yesterday; those who had felt 'Daggy's' guiding hand in Saints Colts times, such as Bernard Dwyer, Keiron Pickavance, Harry Pinner and Chris Arkwright - they were all there, along with Bob''s 'Siamese twin', Johnny Fishwick.

As was one-time RL chairman Harry Jepson, Saints' director and former Great Britain captain Eric Ashton, club secretary Geoff Sutcliffe, plus representatives from Bob's old club, Rochdale Hornets.

Family man and proud Thatto Heather Bob, who never lost the rich brogue of that Rugby League hot-bed, died after battling with cancer and was carried by Harry Pinner, Austin Rhodes, Frankie Barrow, Glyn Moses, Ray Howard and Brian McGinn.

The one-time Great Britain striker looked on approvingly from the altar where his Hall of Fame portrait lay, and the celebration of a life lived for others continued at his favourite watering hole at Greenall's club.

Robert Chisnall Dagnall would have liked that.

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