THE doctor who looked after England players during the 1966 World Cup has died.

Tributes have been made to Dr Neil Phillips who was also vice-chairman and director of football at Middlesbrough FC.

The 83-year-old, who was instrumental in bringing Jack Charlton to Middlesbrough FC, passed away on March 21 aged 83 after a battle with cancer.

Dr Phillips came to Redcar with his wife Margaret in the late 1950s.

As well as running a general practice, he went on to be appointed as the club doctor at Boro.

And it was through this that he became known to Alf Ramsey, who had just been appointed manager of the England national team.

While at his surgery in Redcar, Dr Phillips received an unexpected call from Mr Ramsey who invited him to become medical officer for the England under-23 team.

That brief call changed his life forever and eventually led to him becoming England’s doctor for World Cup finals in 1966 and 1970.

Dr Phillips was also instrumental in bringing legendary footballer Jack Charlton to Middlesbrough.

“Through his work as a doctor for England, he came to know Jack Charlton and in 1973, he got him to agree to meet him at a service station on the A1 to persuade him to become manager of Middlesbrough,” said his daughter Annie.

In the late 1970s, Dr Phillips left Redcar for Malvern in Worcestershire where he continued to practice.

He also went on to become chief executive of the former South Worcestershire Community NHS Trust.

“Dad was a very busy man,” said Annie, who has two siblings, Shelagh and Michael.

“There was a running joke that he didn’t see a banana until he was 12.

"Our standing joke was that we didn’t see him until we were 12 because he was away so much with the England football team.

“As well as this and his work at Middlesbrough, he also worked alongside the police and ICI, and ran a general practice.”

After retiring, Dr Phillips enjoyed playing golf and spending time with wife Margaret, 84, who he met while studying medicine in Sheffield where she was a midwife.

He was also a granddad of four, step-grandad of one, a great-grandad of one and step-great-grandad of two.

“Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer 15 years ago,” said Annie, who lives in Worcestershire.

“He was having treatment for it but then at the beginning of this year he saw his oncologist who said it had spread and that he had a few months left.

“We knew it was coming but it has still been horrible for us all.”

After his death, a thanksgiving service was held in Malvern, where Annie said his popularity was visible by the amount of people who attended.

“Dad was an absolute charmer and had a wicked sense of humour,” she said.

Tributes have also been paid by the FA. A spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with Neil’s family and friends at this sad time.”