THOUSANDS of football fans stood in a minute's silence to pay tribute to a Ribble Valley boy.

Tom Smith, 14, of Forrest Beck, Bolton-by-Bowland, died last week after a three-year battle against a brain tumour.

And, after Burnley FC players had attended the youngster's funeral on Monday, his bravery was marked by supporters at the club's Turf Moor stadium last night.

Following Burnley's 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last night, Clarets boss Steve Cotterill said the squad had hoped to pay tribute to the youngster, who joined the club's youth team for a training session earlier in the season, with a win against Wolves.

Despite the defeat, he pledged to dedicate their next three points to Tom.

He said: "We are so very disappointed not to come out of the game with something.

"We desperately wanted to win because we all went to a funeral on Monday for a young boy called Tom Smith and we wanted to dedicate the win to him, so we are pretty sick we haven't to be honest.

"Everyone took a little bit of a reality check the other day and sometimes you can forget football and realise what else is out there in life.

"We got quite fond of the young man and it was quite sad on Monday.

"I was very, very proud of the players how they were and how they acted.

"Some of them showed emotion, which you don't always expect and we were absolutely desperate to beat Wolves so that we could dedicate it to him and his family.

"We'll just have to wait a little bit longer, but the last word goes to Tommy. It's just a pity we couldn't get that win for you.

"He was a young boy who came here earlier in the season.

"He didn't have long and he was a very, very brave boy who fought off lots of problems like brain tumours and bone marrow transplants. Bless him."

After the youngster was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 11 years old, he was visited by his favourite soccer and TV stars.

Manchester United's Dutch superstar striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and Coronation Street actress Samia Smith, who plays hairdresser Maria chatted and signed autographs during the Christmas 2003 visit.

Tom, a keen swimmer and a pupil at Bowland High School, was in Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

He underwent surgery to remove the tumour, and started playing football after completing a course of radiotherapy.

Tom leaves his mum Julie, who owns a children's designer clothes shop in Rawtenstall, dad Chris, younger sister Chloe and brother Lewis.