The man who covered the junior careers of football stars including Joe Royle, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, has died,
aged 71.

Paul O’Brien, who worked at the Liverpool Echo for 49 years, died before Christmas. His funeral will be held on Friday.

He will be especially remembered for his stories on schoolboy football and athletics. He was held in such high esteem for publicising schoolboy soccer that he was honoured with life membership of both the Merseyside County and Liverpool Schools’ football associations.

Former Anfield hero Robbie Fowler led the tributes, saying: “He was a lovely man and made an outstanding contribution to youth sport. I am very sorry to hear the sad news and send my condolences to his family.”

Deputy sports editor David Jones added: “Paul was a champion of local sport. He had a tremendous enthusiasm in highlighting the achievements of thousands of Merseyside youngsters and so many of them, and the many clubs he featured, owe a great debt to him.”

Paul retired in January 1998 after 49 years’ service.

He enjoyed a distinguished career on the Echo, playing a key part in the paper’s developing coverage of junior and school sport.

And during his coverage of the junior football scene, he wrote many stories on the progress of top youngsters who went on to achieve fame at Everton or Liverpool.

In his early years, he was a fine athlete himself – and he maintained his love for the sport when he became the Echo’s athletics correspondent.

Ernie Gallagher, secretary of Liverpool Harriers, said: “In our teens, we ran together and he was a good runner for the Harriers.

“We always thought of him as Mr Echo and he attended our meetings and he was very fair when he reported our events. He had a lot of respect and he helped to promote athletics on Merseyside. He will be missed by all clubs.”

The funeral will be held at 10am on Friday, January 7, when a requiem mass will be held at St Matthew’s Church, Clubmoor, followed by cremation at Anfield Crematorium.

Friends are invited to join the family after the funeral at St Francis de Sales Social Club.