Kath Phipps and David Beckham.Photo:David Beckham/Instagram
David Beckham/Instagram
David Beckhamis paying tribute to someone very special to him.
On Thursday, Dec. 5, Beckham, 49 — who played soccer for Manchester United from 1992 to 2003 — shared several messages on social media after the club’s beloved former receptionist, Kath Phipps, died at age 85. She worked for the team from 1968 until 2023.
Beckham posted a photo of himself holding Phipps' hand onInstagram, writing in the caption, “Forever in our hearts… The first and last face I would always see was Kath sat at reception at Old Trafford waiting to give me my tickets for the game, she was the heartbeat of Manchester United, everyone knew who Kath was and everyone adored her.”
Recalling the promise Phipps made tohis parents, Ted and Sandra, when he started on the soccer team as a teenager, Beckham added, “I moved up to Manchester at 15 and Kath made a promise to my mum and dad ‘I’ll look after your boy for you don’t you worry’ and from that first day till the last day I spent with her that’s exactly what she did ❤️.”
“Old Trafford will never be the same without your smile as we walk through those doors… We love you ❤️,” he wrote.
Beckham shared another sweet photo of Phipps on hisInstagram Stories, writing, “The Heart of Manchester,” alongside a broken heart and a white heart emoji.
“She kept her promise mum,” the soccer star said in another Instagram Stories post, which he shared alongside a throwback photo of himself and Phipps, tagging his mom and adding a white heart and dove emoji.
Phipps also made an appearance on the former sports star’s 2023 Netflix docuseries,Beckham. While speaking about the first fan mail Beckham received at the club, she said, “I can’t obviously remember. He just built up and built up, all these young ladies writing to him.”
David Beckham pays emotional tribute to Kath Phipps after her death.David Beckham/Instagram via Manchester United
David Beckham/Instagram via Manchester United
She added of the athlete receiving underwear through the post, “It’s not nice is it, sending underwear … I’d put them to one side, and didn’t reply,” and replied, “No” when asked if the attention Beckham received ever went to his head.
Manchester United also paid tribute to the beloved late staff member. A message on the club’swebsiteread: “An omnipresent figure at Manchester United since the late 1960s, Kath worked for the club for over 55 years in a variety of roles, but her contribution went beyond any particular job title.”
“For regulars, that greeting would extend to warm hugs and friendly chats as Kath came to embody the familial atmosphere underpinning the club’s culture,” the tribute included.
David Beckham pays emotional tribute to Kath Phipps after her death.David Beckham/Instagram
“If Kath ever had a bad day, she never brought it to work; her positive attitude helped set the mood for everyone entering the training ground, always ready to lend an ear and offer words of encouragement to anyone who needed them – be they megastar footballers, casual staff or occasional visitors,” the post added.
When Phipps' late husband, Richard, died, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson “took his squad along to the funeral to pay their respects and stand in solidarity with Kath as she grieved,” the message stated, adding that the team also visited her during the pandemic in 2020 “to ensure she had company.”
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“She said last year: ‘I can’t imagine doing anything else.’ Well, we can’t imagine the place without her. Rest in peace, Kath,” the tribute concluded.
source: people.com
