We can only speculate what the great man would have made of it.

As Lord Brian Mawhinney mused, though, William McGregor would most likely have been "chuffed" that a service was being held in his honour a century after his death.

Exactly 100 years after McGregor's passing, we gathered in St Mary's Church, Handsworth, and later beside his refurbished grave, to pay tribute to the founder of the Football League.

It was very much a game of two halves, both of them dominated by the Villa legend.

As former chairman Doug Ellis pointed out in a television interview, McGregor is the most important figure in football history.

At Villa Park, we treasure his immense contribution to the club in various roles, including chairman, treasurer and vice-president, from 1877 until his death on December 20, 1911.

The wider football world, meanwhile, will forever be grateful to the man who, in 1888, launched a "fixity of fixtures" that evolved into the strongest league in the world.

The congregation - many of them sporting claret and blues scarves - were welcomed by Villa's chief executive Paul Faulkner.

Fittingly, the other 11 original Football League members were also represented, all of them no doubt reflecting on their gratitude to the man who set organised football in motion.

The speeches were passionate, too.

Peter Lupson, who spearheaded the project and is a leading authority on McGregor, eulogised for 20 minutes. Lord Mawhinney was on his feet for 15 minutes - and both spoke with an affection which almost suggested they had known the man known as the Father of the Football League.

Lupson described McGregor as someone who "radiated joy" and whose characteristic was the smile on his face and the twinkle in his eye - a man who never sought publicity or notoriety.

While they were saluting someone who has passed on, though, there was no funereal atmosphere about the proceedings.

As the service drew to a close, the Bishop of Aston, the Rt Rev Andrew Watson, amused us with his comment that the first half was drawing to a close and that the second half would take place outside in the graveyard.

McGregor's grave, situated more than a football pitch length away from the church, stands out proudly in sombre surroundings following its painstaking refurbishment.

The re-dedication was performed by Bishop Andrew before the representatives of the dozen founder member clubs lined up for a team photo behind the gravestone.

As the Rev Canon Brian Hall, rector of St. Mary's, observed it was "an unusual but very special occasion."