AN Ellesmere Port school will unveil a special plaque in June celebrating one of its former pupils – footballing great Stan Cullis.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) has been working with Cambridge Road Primary School for several months to honour the late Wolves and England legend.

Now they have confirmed that the plaque will be unveiled on the school building at 1.30pm on June 17, which is the day before the Three Lions face Scotland in this summer's European Championships – a fixture Cullis played in on two occasions.

Special guests on the day are Cullis' son, the Reverend Andrew Cullis, PFA chief Gordon Taylor OBE, Wolves director John Gough, former Wolves and England player John Richards, and the mayoress of Ellesmere Port, councillor Lisa Denson.

It has also now been confirmed that another Ellesmere Port footballing hero – former Everton, Arsenal and England great Joe Mercer – will also be honoured with a plaque at the town's Civic Hall later this year.

Chester and District Standard: Cambridge Road Primary School, Ellesmere Port (Google Street View)Cambridge Road Primary School, Ellesmere Port (Google Street View)

Cullis' son, Reverend Andrew Cullis said: "I was delighted when I heard that Cambridge Road School in Ellesmere Port, where my dad was a pupil, was planning to put up a plaque in his memory.

"Some years ago I saw the house where my dad lived, and it will be very special to visit the area again and see his old school – and enjoy such a wonderful occasion."

Darryl Pickering, Cambridge Road Primary School headteacher, added: "The school is delighted to play its small part in honouring one of its former pupils.

"We are working with the children, some of whom will assist with the unveiling, on a series of arts projects associated with Stan Cullis and these will be on display on the day and permanently thereafter.

"Thanks to some local sponsorship we are buying a football trophy and we intend organising a local annual Stan Cullis football tournament.

"Stan Cullis was an outstanding professional and a credit to Cambridge Road Primary School and Ellesmere Port."

Born in 1916, Cullis started his career playing at school level.

He captained both England and Wolves before becoming the club's greatest ever manager, winning the Football League three times and the FA Cup twice.

Cullis, who has a statue outside Molineux, passed away in 2001 at the age of 84.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor OBE said: "In order to inspire the next generation of male and female footballers and to encourage all pupils to do their best at sport the PFA is keen to take the stories of former pupils who became great football stars back into the schools they attended.

“It will be the third time the PFA has unveiled plaques to footballing legends at the schools they attended. In 2018, Harry Gregg and Alex Williams performed the joint ceremony to Frank Swift and Jimmy Armfield at Revoe School, Blackpool.

"In 2019 Brian Kidd and John Aston junior did the honours for John Aston senior at Ravensbury Community School, Manchester. They were both great events in which pupils at the schools played major roles.”

John Richards, who won the League Cup with Wolves in 1974 and 1980, added: "Stan Cullis created a Wolverhampton Wanderers team that was the most successful in the club’s history.

"Stan was idolised in Wolverhampton, and quite rightly so. Not only did Wolves win three League titles and two FA Cups, he also created a team which could compete at the highest level with the then European giants such as Honved, Moscow Dynamo and Real Madrid.

"His teams set the standard. Our seventies side, and every other since, is compared to and measured against the successes of the Stan Cullis era.

"He set a high bar which no other team or manager has come close to reaching. His accolade as Wolves greatest ever manager is richly deserved."