Watch: Headstone unveiled in Oswestry for former Everton hero Charlie Parry
Scores of people turned out to celebrate the life and career of an Oswestry footballer who is still hailed as a hero on Merseyside.
Charlie Parry, born in Llansilin and went on to become one of the most celebrated footballers of his time at Everton FC, winning the 1890/91 league title.
It was work back in 2018 by EFC Heritage Society that discovered Parry was buried with his wife Ada and granddaughter at Oswestry Cemetery without a headstone, and after private donations and from organisations such as the Football Association of Wales, a headstone was made up and finally unveiled at the cemetery on Friday.
People from all over the country came to represent various organisations, with Everton supporters themselves also attending.
One in attendance was David Parry, Charlie's grandson, who said: "On behalf of the Parry family, I would like to say thank you for everyone involved in this, to remember Charlie his wife and daughter.
"It was 20 years ago when he was first brought to out attention people wanted to remember grandad in Oswestry, and a plaque was unveiled in the market hall.
"Then last year the family were approached with permission to do this.
"When we played he got £2 per week at Everton, which is about £12,500 in today's money, less than minimum wage."
"The Everton crest has the motto Satis Nisi Optimum, which means nothing but the best is good enough.
"The people who have made this happen have surpassed what is the best."
Parry was a fiesty character on the field, who earned a reputation for bashing goalkeepers according to those who wrote about him.
He left Everton, before returning for a second spell, only then to leave again and end up at Newtown in Mid Wales where he ran a pub, and was said to have been taken to court for punching a customer.
He played 13 times for Wales, and played again in Wales for Aberystwyth, where he also appeared as the town's professional cricketer.
He then played as a goalkeeper for Oswestry and worked as a labourer, but fell victim to ill health and died of Tuberculosis age 52 and left his widow Ada and six children.
Many stories were told about him at a ceremony on Friday, which was attended by many people, some fans coming from as far away as Barnsley.
Gwyn Lloyd, from Barnsley who is a season ticket holder said: "I saw it on Twitter and thought why not go along and give my support.
"I didn't know who he was, but it is great to see so many people attending despite him having passed almost 100 years ago."
Another, Michael McCarthy said: "We were told about it at a game and thought why not come down."
Darren Griffiths of Everton FC added: "If you win a league title, you are always a hero at Everton and are never forgotten."
