BRYAN Douglas believes Blackburn Rovers’ tribute to Ronnie Clayton is a fitting memorial to “one of the greatest the club has ever seen” after it was revealed the Blackburn End at Ewood Park would be renamed in his honour.

Owners Venky’s took the decision to remember Clayton’s legacy after a meeting in India with club officials, and best friend and former team-mate Douglas insists the Ronnie Clayton End is the perfect gesture.

Clayton died last year aged 76 having enjoyed almost a lifetime love affair with Blackburn Rovers.

The one-club man, who made 665 appearances for Rovers between 1951 and 1969, will be remembered as one of the club’s greatest ever players and a true gentleman from a different era of football, with his death being marked by emotional scenes around the town.

Douglas said: “It is a great gesture. It is a real feather in the owners’ caps that they have done something like this.

"I can’t wait to see his name up in lights at Ewood Park.

“Ronnie would have been very, very proud. It is just a shame it hadn’t been done earlier because it should have happened a couple of years ago really.

“Football is a different world to how it was when me and Ronnie played.

"The money wasn’t so great so there was not the incentive to move on all the time.

“The loyalty you see from Ronnie Clayton just is not around any more.

"He is undoubtedly the greatest player I have ever seen at Blackburn Rovers.

"I know he was from Preston, and I always gave him stick about this, but he was Blackburn Rovers through and through.

"He deserves his name in lights at Ewood Park.”

Ronnie, a powerhouse right-half, made his debut against Queens Park Rangers in April 1951 and still lies second in the all-time list of leading appearance makers for the club.

He helped the club win promotion to the First Division in 1958 and was captain as Rovers reached the FA Cup final at Wembley in 1960.

He won 35 England caps and became the first Rovers player since Bob Crompton to captain his country and holds an iconic status around Ewood Park.

Ronnie, who lived in Wilpshire, leaves wife Valerie and two sons and a daughter.

Mrs Clayton said: “It is a very, very nice gesture and I just wish it had happened a few years earlier so he would have been here to see it.

“He would have been absolutely thrilled to bits. All the family are over the moon about it, it really is a lovely thing.

“I heard about last Wednesday but I didn’t tell the boys about it until they were told about it at the game on Saturday. It was very emotional.

“Ronnie had his ashes scattered at Ewood Park as well. ”

Rovers will announce the exact details about the ‘Ronnie Clayton End’ today.

Meanwhile the Ronnie Clayton memorial trophy will be presented at the club’s delayed end of season presentation night this evening.