The centre of Melbourne has come to a standstill as thousands gather to farewell football hero and humanitarian Jim Stynes.

Football fans decked out in the red and blue colours of the Melbourne Football Club stood out among members of the Irish community and the people of Melbourne to whom Stynes had become an icon during his fight against cancer.

Stynes, who died last week aged 45, will be sent off at 11am on Tuesday at a state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral where mourners have been assembling all morning.

Among those in the crowd are a number of people who have come from Ireland to say goodbye to a man who was worshipped in both his country of birth and in Australia.

One of them, Jim Brennan from Bray in County Wicklow, said he was amazed that an Irishman could be so revered so far from home.

“Jim gave all Irish people something to cheer for,” Mr Brennan said.

“When we saw him playing at home or on the television, he was a hero.

“He gave us someone to be very proud of.”

Eulogies will be delivered by Stynes’ widow Sam Stynes, brother Brian Stynes, former Melbourne footballer Garry Lyon and Paul Currie, who co-founded the youth charity the Reach Foundation with Stynes.

Stynes came from Ireland as a Gaelic footballer in 1984 to Melbourne to try Australian Rules and ended up one of the game’s greats.

He won the 1991 Brownlow medal, four Melbourne best and fairest awards and was twice named in the All-Australian team.

As well as being named in Melbourne’s team of the century, he saved the ailing club when he took over its presidency in 2008.

Thousands are expected to follow the service on the big screen across the road at Federation Square.

Roads around Flinders and Swanston streets have been closed for what is likely to be one of the biggest funerals Melbourne has seen.

Melbourne’s iconic Young and Jacksons Hotel, which is opposite the cathedral, has laid on “a few extra barrels” for after the funeral, according to staff.

Stynes will be cremated and his ashes spread in Ireland.