Les Ferdinand had 'ultimate respect' for Ray Wilkins

By Richard Cooke

Les Ferdinand pays tribute to his former Queens Park Rangers team-mate and manager Ray Wilkins

The football world is continuing to mourn Ray Wilkins, the former England captain who died on Wednesday at the age of 61.

Wilkins' former Queens Park Rangers team-mate Les Ferdinand led the tributes on Thursday.

Ferdinand, who is now director of football at QPR, told Sky Sports News: "Ray had a massive influence on me as an individual, as a player and as a person.

"I have ultimate respect for him. Coming back to this football club [as manager] he changed what was going on here.

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock reflects on his late-night conversations with Ray Wilkins.

"His professionalism, the way he was, he was a superstar in our changing room but you would never have known it because he was so humble and so respectful of others.

"I've just got the ultimate respect for him."

Neil Warnock also spoke of his memories of Wilkins ahead of Cardiff's game against Wolves on Friday:

"He had that burning desire to win things and yet he never had a bad word to say about anybody, obviously it is not in my vocabulary, but we had many a laugh over issues in football.

Ian Holloway has paid tribute to his former Queens Park Rangers team-mate

"Hopefully we will have a minute's applause tomorrow, I've asked if we can, but I won't be clapping I will just be quietly thinking about my times with him.

"We've had social times as well. The conversations at 11 o'clock at night sometimes stick in your mind more than anything else and I'm looking forward to thinking back to those times.

"He will be sadly missed."

A minute's applause will he held before all Premier League games this weekend, as well as at the EFL Trophy final at Wembley on Sunday between Lincoln and Shrewsbury.