Patrick Barclay, the hugely talented and widely respected football journalist, has died at the age of 77.

Barclay began his reporting career at the Guardian and went on to work for a host of this country’s other broadsheet titles – the Observer, the Independent, the Sunday Telegraph and the Times. Barclay was also a prolific writer of football books as well as an engaging and charismatic voice on the sport for various radio and television shows, most notably Sky Sports’ Sunday Supplement.

“It is with the greatest sadness that we must announce the death of our dear Patrick Barclay,” read a statement from Barclay’s family. “A celebration of Patrick’s life will be held at a later date. Meanwhile, we hope that the family’s wish for privacy is respected.”

Born and raised in Dundee and a fan of Dundee FC, Barclay joined the Guardian as a subeditor from the city’s Evening Telegraph newspaper in the 1970s, before becoming a football writer. He worked alongside the Guardian’s football correspondent, David Lacey. When the Independent launched in 1986, Barclay became the paper’s first football correspondent . He moved to the Observer in 1991 and five years later became football correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph, a post he held until 2008.

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A year later Barclay became the Times’s chief football commentator and remained in that role until December 2011. A year later he began writing for the Evening Standard, the last newspaper he worked for. Overall, Barclay covered seven World Cups, eight European Championships and four Africa Cup of Nations, as well as serving as chairman of the Football Writers’ Association.

Barclay’s most acclaimed book was probably his 2005 profile of José Mourinho, Anatomy of a Winner. His other titles include Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson, The Life and Times of Herbert Chapman and Sir Matt Busby: The Man Who Made a Football Club. The latter was shortlisted for the Cross Football Book of the Year at the Sports Book of the Year awards in 2017.

“Such awful news. Paddy Barclay has died,” wrote the football journalist Philippe Auclair on Bluesky. “A super writer, a magnificent man, a friend of 30 years. How we will miss that smile.” Paying his own tribute, the Guardian’s chief sports writer, Barney Ronay, wrote: “So sad. He was very nice to me as a new person on the beat many years ago. Always remembered that. And always just so funny.”

Manchester United also paid tribute to Barclay. “Paddy will always be held in great esteem by everyone at Manchester United and we send our sympathies to his loved ones at this time,” read a statement by the club. Everton and Fulham were among the other clubs to pay tribute to Barclay.

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