Lionesses and Man Utd midfielder Ella Toone pens beautiful farewell after her father passes away aged 59

Toone has announced that her father Nick passed away three days before his 60th birthday. In an emotional post on social media, the England and Manchester United star shared a series of family photographs.

Toone wrote on Instagram: "Dad, Today would have been your 60th bday, just 3 days after we had to watch you leave us 💔 I wish we could have had at least 20 more birthdays together. We will raise a glass for your big one tonight🍻as much as you really didn’t wanna turn the big six 0 ! I don’t have the words right now but all I can say is I will miss you and I will never stop loving you. There’s a big hole in my heart that can never be filled but all I can do now is continue to make you proud. Your the biggest reason I’ve achieved what I have, playing without you sat in the stands shouting COME ON UNITED won’t ever be the same but you got the best seat in the house now dad, just make sure you remember to take your glasses for once🤣❤️ the best dad in the world, best man, my best friend and my best football coach. We will stick together and we will make you proud Dad❤️ ‘Love you cock ❤️’ 07/09/24. 59 forever ❤️.

Toone has spoken previously of how she used to watch Manchester United as a child with her dad and the special story he used to tell about how she decided she wanted to play football.

She told England Football in 2022: "My dad always tells me a story about when I was a newborn baby and he took me to watch the football down at our local team Hindsford Football Club. He said I was dressed in a nice little white dress my Mum had put me in and he was just planning to stand and watch the game but they were a player down, so they shouted over: ‘Nick, can you come and play?’ He was like: ‘I’ve got my newborn baby!’.

"He ended up playing though and then the ball went really high up in the air and landed on me and the pram went over. I was crying and my Mum was going mad because I had a football stain on my dress. So my Dad always says that was the day you decided you wanted to play football."

Many of Toone's team-mates and friends were quick to respond and offer support to the Lionesses midfielder at what is certainly a difficult time.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps wrote: "Sending you all the love in the world, you’ll forever make him proud ❤️❤️❤️"

Lioness Georgia Stanway posted: "He'll always have the best seat in the house."

And United team-mate Ellie Green wrote: "Bloody loved him so much. Thank you Nick for always looking out for me at games, telling me your jokes. Making sure I have the best seats at games, remember when he gave me one of your VIP lanyards families get to wear at Lionesses games, you was such a great man. Made me feel at home straight away at United. You’ll never be forgotten, the Toone family sending all my love."