ENGLAND manager Sam Allardyce will be returning home to commemorate a footballing legend from Dudley.

Allardyce, who was born and raised in Dudley and began his football career in the town, will unveil a plaque dedicated to Duncan Edwards on Saturday October 1.

Edwards was one of the Manchester United Busby Babes who died as a result of the Munich air disaster in 1958.

The plaque will be at the Pavillion in Priory Park, where the United and England star, who is buried in Dudley, honed his skills near his childhood home on the Priory Estate.

Sam Allardyce said: “On behalf of The FA and England, it is a great honour for me to be asked to take part in such a noteworthy occasion. I look forward to returning home and seeing many familiar faces as we commemorate one of English football’s greatest ever players.”

The creation of the plaque is the culmination of a campaign by Dudley MP Ian Austin and Dudley councillor Dave Tyler.

The pair teamed up with members of the town's community to raise funds for the project.

Cllr Tyler said: “We are grateful to and Sam and the Football Association for their help and for taking time out of their busy schedules to honour Duncan Edwards.

"It will be great to have an official blue plaque to celebrate his local roots in the area where he practiced and polished his skills as a youngster."

Ian Austin added: “For anyone like me, who grew up in Dudley, the name of Duncan Edwards is synonymous with the town and your childhood; your school competed for the Duncan Edwards Cup; you saw the stained glass windows at St Francis’s Church. When you went swimming you’d see the shirts and the caps at the leisure centre.

“We are all so grateful for the generous donations from local people and Manchester United F.C, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion to enable local hero Duncan Edwards to be commemorated with a blue plaque.”

The plaque, which has been designed by Dudley Borough Artist Steve Field, will be unveiled at 3pm.