THEY came from all walks of life yesterday to farewell Johnny Warren - the heart and soul of Australian soccer - from politicians to the rich and powerful, to the media and to those associated with sports outside of the world game. While the former Socceroo great, who passed away 10 days ago after a long battle with cancer, deserved the pomp and ceremony associated with his moving state funeral at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, he would have been the first to cringe at all the fuss. And, despite the Who's Who list, few at the ceremony had no doubt where he would have been most comfortable...among the rank and file and especially the kids who turned out in force in their club jerseys to pay homage on behalf of the grass roots of the game. `If he was here now, he'd be over there with the kids and the fans talking about soccer,'' his close mate John Economos said pointing to the large gathering of people outside the specially erected fences.

As in line with the wishes of Warren's family, hundreds turned out displaying banners, scarves and jerseys from all parts of the football world. And what better way to top it off than the troupe of traditional Brazilian drummers, who provided a prolonged, passionate and thunderous rhythm as Warren's casket was carried out of the Cathedral by former Socceroos teammates Harry Williams, George Harris, Doug Utjesenovic, Ray Baartz, Jim Fraser and John Watkiss. The extraordinary scenes outside the church were like a football match - just the way Johnny, a passionate disciple of South American football, would have wanted it.

Not surprisingly, it was impossible to fit everyone into the over-crowded Cathedral for what was a truly moving and inspirational ceremony. Those who stood patiently outside under the sort of magical day only a Sydney Spring can produce, silently hung on every word during the tributes broadcast on outside speakers. Inside, the emotion and feeling was no less palpable as dignitaries including AOC president John Coates, former NSW premier Neville Wran, NSW state government minister Frank Sartor, NRL chief executive David Gallop, rugby league legends Reg Gasnier and John Raper, Australian Soccer Association and Westfields boss Frank Lowy and high profile businessman and ASA board member John Singleton looked on. Naturally, soccer - or, as John always called it, football - people provided the essence of the ceremony with his former teammates at club and international level there in force.

Rale Rasic, the man who took Warren and the 1974 Socceroos to our only ever appearance at the World Cup finals, was still very much the father figure as many of that squad _ Ray Richards, John Watkiss, Ray Baartz, Adrian Alston, Allan Maher, Jim Fraser, Ron Corry, Harry Williams, Col Curran, Manfred Schaefer, Atti Abonyi, Doug Utjesenovic and Jim Rooney - assembled in mourning for a great mate.

> Later, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, they shed more tears, they laughed, they told many, many stories and they remembered long into the night. The tributes, and there were many, were led by Warren's very close mate, Les Murray, head of sport for SBS TV, his nephew Jamie, former teammate George Harris and Singleton.

Struggling to keep his emotions in check, Murray delivered a stirring and heart-felt eulogy. He described Warren as his soul mate and wondered, at first, how the game could carry on without him before promising to carry on the fight.
"John, there are thousands here at your funeral and the whole nation (via live coverage on SBS) is watching,'' Murray said. "We all thought football and the passing of a footballer would never have such an impact in your country. But, we were wrong. And you told us so. We would never have thought that a million would play the beautiful game in a country that jilted you. But we were wrong and you told us so. We all thought that your country, the one that shunned you as a wog and sheila, would never embrace your faith. But we were wrong again and you told us so. So what happens now my friend, my soul mate? What do we do now? How do we do what still has to be done without you? Please John, this is not easy for us. It's hard if you are not here to guide us. Your gift to us in the football brotherhood was a candle of hope, perpetually burning and keeping us warm. But now the candle has gone out and we shiver, we are cold and we are lost. But John, we will pick up the fight. We will pull together and we will win > this thing. We will emerge strengthened by your legacies, empowered by your memories, our heads raised, smiling in the face of the blowing winds of hostility and resistance.''

As the funeral procession left the Cathedral to Warren's final resting place with the Brazilian drummers beating louder and louder, the final word was left to former soccer journalist, Stephen Dettre. "The best legacy John could leave us is if all the people who were here > today, turned up for Sydney FC's first game in the new A-League next year,'' Dettre said. John Warren would love that.