'He was a very good player and a good man' - Sean O'Neill pays tribute to Leeds United hero Trevor Cherry

ELITE: Trevor Cherry played at the highest level of football for England and represented Leeds United against the very best in Europe. Pic: Getty

O'Neill was a young professional at Leeds United when Cherry joined the club in 1972 and last spoke to the ex England international when they were awarded the Freedom of the City - the highest civic honour in Leeds, on December 4.

Last night's news that Cherry had passed away came as a huge shock to O'Neill, particularly because it followed so closely after the death of another Revie Boy, Norman Hunter.

"To be honest with you I just can't believe it," he told the YEP.

"He looked so well when I saw him at the centenary do before Christmas. It's just really sad.

"I was pottering through the internet looking at the football and saw it, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a mistake.

"He looked ever so well, I thought he looked as if he could still play.

"For two of the lads to go so close together like that is unbelievable. It's really sad."

AWE: Sean O'Neill, who went on to make his name with Chesterfield, looked up to players like Trevor Cherry while a young Leeds United professional

O'Neill recalls Cherry as a down to earth character in a dressing room full of them, which he believes had a lot to do with Don Revie's recruitment policy.

"When he came, him and big Roy [Ellam], they were two good lads," said O'Neill.

"If you asked them anything, if they could help you they would.

"Trevor was such a nice fella. He was quiet, said his piece when he had to, a nice man. You could talk to him.

"He played nearly 500 games for the club which is a lot of games in 10 years. He was a very good player and a good man.

"It sounds really boring but I can't think of one bad apple.

"I don't know whether people believe me, but there wasn't a bad one among them.

"There were no prima donnas.

"Trevor came for £100,000, which was a lot of money in those days, so I would think it probably was by design.

"They used to check up on the character of people they wanted to sign."

Cherry would go on to represent his country 27 times and player-managed Bradford City to a Division Three title.

When the Revie Boys gathered for the club's centenary celebrations in December, O'Neill admits he was still a little star struck by the players who gave Leeds United their greatest ever era, players he looked up to as a young pro and still does.

"You're a kid, you're learning it yourself and it was a good place to be," he said.

"You go in there and you're totally in awe of these people. When I see them now I'm still in awe of them.

"I was talking to one of the lads, we were apprentices together and he was saying the same as me, he's still in awe of them now. And we're 68 now.

"It was lovely [to celebrate the centenary together] - for me, I didn't do anything really except clean boots, but it was lovely to see all the lads again, some of them I'd not seem for a very long time."