Staff from Oxford United Football Club turned out en masse yesterday to pay their respects to groundsman David Wedge.

About 100 people attended the service of thanksgiving at Oxford Crematorium where former head groundsman Mick Moore described Mr Wedge as "a very passionate supporter who was rightly proud of the quality pitches he helped to prepare at both the Manor Ground and Kassam Stadium".

Mr Wedge died suddenly on August 4 at the age of 45, after working for United for 30 years.

Mr Moore, who had been his boss for more than 17 years, said: "David helped to maintain football pitches in all four divisions of the Football League and in the Football Conference and I assume this is unique."

Oxford United chairman Nick Merry gave the reading in a service conducted by Canon Roger Humphreys, the club chaplain.

"There were only two things that mattered in David's life," Mr Moore added, "his family and Oxford United Football Club.

"In 1999 he was as proud as I was when the Manor was voted the best pitch in Division 1, and in 2003 he was again rightly proud when he received a letter commending him for the quality of the pitch at the Kassam Stadium."

Among those in attendance were United manager Jim Smith, general manager Mick Brown, youth development officer Les Taylor, community officer Peter Rhoades-Brown, commercial manager Peter Corbett and former stadium manager and safety officer Tony Ashley, plus all the club's front office staff.

Former United players Mike Ford, now the assistant manager at Oxford City, and Joey Beauchamp, a cousin of Mr Wedge, also attended, along with Alan Ferguson, the head groundsman at Ipswich Town, who was involved with Mr Moore and Mr Wedge in the installation of the new pitch at the Kassam Stadium six years ago.

Jim Magilton, the Ipswich Town manager and former United midfielder, had wanted to attend but was unable to do so, with his team travelling across the country to Plymouth.

However, the Irishman was among many who sent their condolences.

Another was David Langan, former U's and Republic of Ireland right back, who got to know Mr Wedge during his time at the Manor. He described Mr Wedge as "a great guy".