THE grieving children of Alan Ball face a massive tax bill for the sale of the football legend's World Cup winner's medal, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Jimmy, 31, Keely, 35, and Mandy, 39, must pay £83,200 in inheritance tax for the 1966 hero's World Cup honours.

Back in 2005 Alan, who died two weeks ago of a heart attack while tackling a bonfire at his Warsash home, sold his medal and England cap for £208,000 to provide for a better life for his children.

Now it has emerged the proceeds, part of Alan's £1m-plus estate, will be subject to a 40 per cent inheritance tax bill.

Alan's son Jimmy said his father had already paid capital gains tax and now the family would be forced to pay again.

"I know that I'm going to get a whopping bill from the tax man and I think that the system needs looking at," he said.

"That he was forced to sell the items that were very dear to him was bad enough but to have to pay tax on them was difficult for him to accept."

Jimmy added: "He worked very hard to secure our futures - they've taken their tax once already, it's difficult to accept that they are going to do it again."

Inheritance tax is payable at 40 per cent on estates over the value of £300,000.

Alan's winner's medal fetched a record £164,800 at Christie's in May 2005 while his cap went for £43,200.

At the time he said: "I have three children and three grandchildren, and the most important thing for me is to make sure they are looked after as well as possible.

"My wife passed away a year ago and my priorities have changed."

Thousands turned out to Alan's funeral at Winchester Cathedral last Thursday to pay their respects to the 61-year-old whose football career saw him play for Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton.

He also managed seven clubs including Southampton and Portsmouth winning universal respect across the South Coast.

His wife Lesley died of cancer in 2004.