HUNDREDS of mourners have paid their last respects to avid Stoke City fan Joe Johnson.
The popular sportsman was carried from the church on his final journey yesterday to the sound of Delilah in a coffin festooned with red and white floral tributes and wreaths in his team's colours.
And earlier friends and family wept as the 1972 Potters anthem We'll Be With You echoed around St Edward's church, in Joe's home village of Cheddleton, which was packed with former school pals and team mates.
Both were songs Joe had sang as he watched his team play in the FA Cup Final at Wembley less than 48 hours before the car crash that claimed his life.
Among the mourners was Stoke City right back Ryan Shotton.
Mourners were told that 20-year-old Joe had been enjoying the best year of his life with the trip to Wembley and with tickets for the V Festival.
So many people wanted to say their finals farewells at the historic church that it was relayed on loudspeakers to mourners outside.
Joe, known as Chops, who lived in Sneyd Close, Cheddleton, played cricket for Leek Moorlands CC and football for Elmo's, a Leek and District Sunday League team.
The former Westwood College student, who worked as a quality inspector at JCB's World Headquarters at Rocester, died after his car struck a tree near the JCB factory on Monday, May 16.
The service opened with prayers and the song Run by Snow Patrol.
Mourners were led by his father Steve, mother Dianne and brother James.
His uncle, John Phipps, paid tribute to Joe, who he described as a 'Dennis The Menace' type of character.
He said Joe had been a perfect and angelic child when he was born, but had frequently got into scrapes.
Mr Phipps said: "His life may have been cruelly torn from him at the age of 20, but he crammed a lot into those years.
"He had a very happy childhood.
"He went to Leek show as a lad of 15 and whereas most lads of that age come back with a coconut, he came back with a cockerel.
"It was not all mischief, he played for Cheddleton Warriors Lads 'n' Dads, CSOB and recently Elmo's.
"He also loved watching sport, especially Stoke City Football Club.
"Standing in the Boothen End, he not only sang at matches, he got everyone else singing too, often raising the roof in the Boothen End with his rendition of Delilah and other not so politically correct chants.
"He had a great skill for making friends and 2011 was turning into the best year of Joe's young life.
"As well as seeing Stoke reach the FA Cup Final, he was also working in a job he loved at JCB, which funded this year's tickets for the V Festival and a holiday."
Joe had also spent many happy hours on his grandfather's farm, where his family are planning to scatter his ashes.
His team mates from Elmo's are dedicating a bench in his memory at Birchall Playing Fields.
They are also having Joe's team shirt framed and mounted in Elmo's, with some phographs of him and a signed Stoke City shirt.
It was his first season with the club having played for Leek CSOB under-18s in goal and as a left winger.
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