Beckham invited to Finney party

David Beckham will lead the birthday celebrations for England great Sir Tom Finney, who turns 90 later this week.

The League One encounter on Saturday between Finney’s former team Preston North End and MK Dons at Deepdale will be turned into a day of tributes for the club legend.

Preston will host a large-scale party and hope to attract a bumper crowd to honour one of England’s finest players.

Beckham, who had a short loan spell with Preston during the 1994/95 season, will be among those saluting Finney, who netted an impressive 187 goals in 433 games for the club between 1946 and 1960.

Among the other figures due to attend the event are Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, British Prime Minister David Cameron, FIFA president Sepp Blatter and FA chairman David Bernstein.

Preston chairman Peter Ridsdale is hoping the celebrations will boost the crowd for the MK Dons clash.

“Sir Tom Finney was one of the greats, both on and off the pitch,” Ridsdale told The Sunday Mirror.

“He was not only one of the best players the world has ever seen he was also, and remains, a true gentleman.”

Finney won 76 caps and scored 30 goals for England, and was knighted for his services to football in 1998.