Brian Woolnough passes away

Jax Teller

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/272817/Brian-Woolnough-1948-2012/

THE Daily Star is sad to announce the death of chief sports writer Brian Woolnough.

The 63-year-old had been suffering from bowel cancer and died at home. Wooly, as he was affectionately known, joined the Star from the Sun in 2001.

He was one of the country’s best known sports journalists and was constantly in demand by TV and radio for his well-informed and cutting opinions.

He had also hosted Sky Sports' popular Sunday Supplement since 2007, after previously being the presenter of Hold the Back Page from August 1994.

He started his career at The Esher News in Surrey after his mother saw an advert in the paper for a cub reporter.

After working at the Evening Post in Hemel Hempstead and for United Newspapers he was headhunted by The Sun, where he worked his way up to become chief football writer.

He stayed there for 27 years, once nearly joining great rivals the Daily Mirror, before being poached by the Star to become chief sports writer in 2001.

The role suited him perfectly, and he was able to use his expanded brief to display his love, and knowledge, of among other sports rugby union, cricket and boxing.

Regarded as one of the profession’s true gents, that did not stop he going into the referee’s room and confronting the official in Rotterdam in 1993 after a controversial decision looked to have denied England a place in the 1994 World Cup finals.

And he was front page news himself in 2004, when his typically trenchant views after watching a display by Norwich City saw him dominate local newspapers and TV bulletins.

It was all smoothed over during lunch with Delia Smith. And he was right, Norwich were relegated.

He was widely-known and respected inside and outside the profession, and must have been one of the few journalists to have been regularly asked for his autograph.

He leaves a wife, Linda, and three children.

Thought he was a decent journo .

StephenHendry

RIP to him, i spent many a sunday morning listening to him and his fellow journos, brian reade etc. on the sunday supplement programme hosted by Jimmy Hill on Sky Sports

Hank Scorpio

Very sad news, didn't know he was ill, RIP

PhlegmyMoses

Never liked him as a journalist but that's sad news nonetheless.

gimmick

Was wondering why he wasn't presenting the Sunday Supplement this season. I enjoyed him on that. Seemed a pleasant enough chap.

Once again, I would like to give a big fúck you to cancer.

The_Kew_Tour

RIP.

Always the good ones.

Really enjoyed him on show.

Leiva

The only one I liked on the Sunday Supplement.

padd b1975

More than a whiff of the little Englander about him.

RIP all the same.

Luckycharms_74

Was shocked to hear that today. I didn't know he was ill. I enjoyed him on the Sunday Supplement.

R.I.P. Wolly

Corvo

Loved him on Sunday Supplement and he seemed very well respected throughout the business of journalism.

Brain Stroking

RIP, enjoyed his football opinions and his ribbing of the rags he wasnt writing for. **** you Cancer

rednik

He was a very good presenter as well as a good writer. RIP Wooly

tim_holsters

Generally didn't really like his stuff and I certainly didn't like the papers he wrote for but in person (on the telly I mean) he seemed a good guy. RIP. Bit of a shock didn't know he was ill.

Stevecw

RIP, didn't know he was ill either. Sad loss, was very good on Sunday Supplement.

Red Crow

Sad news RIP

NinjaK

watched him on the Sunday Supplement, RIP

Aidric

Not familiar with his writing but enjoyed his work on the sunday supplement. Judging by the tributes on twitter from fellow journalists he was held in high regard.

RIP.

Mr.Nice Guy

Was very saddened to hear this. Like others I watch Sunday Supplement the odd time and thought he was very fair and decent.

Thoughts and best wishes to his family and friends.

grenache

Grew up on a diet of Sky Sports in the mid 90s, always loved him on Hold The Back Page. He had a very tongue-in-cheek and cutting style about him.

Always entertaining.

RIP Wooly.

wonderfullife

True, i remember reading one of his columns in the mid-90s and having the Eureka moment of "thats the bloke off Hold the Back Page".

To this day i always mispronounced his name Always said it like "Wool-nuff" as in Brian Cl-uff, didn't know it was "Wool-no".

RIP Mr Wool-no

J Cheever Loophole

Like others here, I never really read his work in print. However, as someone who watched every episode of Hold the Back Page and The Sunday Supplement, I genuinely felt a sense of loss at hearing about his passing. He came across as a knowledgeable football man, but more importantly than that, as a thoroughly decent individual.

I knew he had been ill but didn't realise quite how serious it was and had really been looking forward to him coming back, as he had indicated at the start of the season (via a message from Neil Ashton) that he hoped to be back in the hot seat.

May Brian Rest In Peace.