Brian Woolnough, the Daily Star's chief sports writer and presenter of Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement, has died aged 63.
One of the most recognisable journalists to English football supporters, Woolnough had been suffering from bowel cancer when he died at his home. He is survived by his wife, Linda and three children.
He joined the Star in 2001 having spent 27 years with The Sun and was also responsible for augmenting the profile of sports journalists via television.
A prominent figure in the infamous England documentary Do I Not Like That - despite emerging as a vocal critic of Graeme Taylor's reign - Woolnough entered the referee's dressing room to question him on why he hadn't sent off Ronald Koeman during England's World Cup qualifier with Holland in Rotterdam in 1993.
Woolnough went on to chair Sky's Hold the Back Page in 1994, a precursor for the now weekly Sunday Supplement, which he went on to front after Jimmy Hill left the programme in 2007.
The Sunday Supplement was conspicuous by his absence this season, with the Daily Mail's Neil Ashton taking up the mantle while Woolnough fought his disease.
Tributes have poured in from Woolnough's peers already...
And Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also hailed Woolnough's journalistic integrity.
"It is very sad news. He was a good man, a good journalist, with a good personality," the Scot said.
"He asked good questions, sometimes too good! That is the nature of his industry. Our thoughts are with his family at this time."