A former Birmingham Post journalist has died suddenly in South Africa while covering the World Cup.

Robert Millward, 58, was a long-standing sports writer for Associated Press and died on Thursday in Johannesburg after returning from Cape Town – where he had reported on the Netherlands-Uruguay semi-final.

The AP’s chief football writer was found in his hotel room and had apparently died of natural causes.

Robert, from Birmingham, joined the AP in London in 1984, left for a brief period then returned in 1990.

He worked at the Birmingham Post before joining AP and was also news editor of Caters News in his home city in the late 1980s.

AP International sports editor Simon Haydon said: “Robert’s sudden death is a blow to all his colleagues and friends at AP.

“He was a gentleman among British sports writers, always ready to help and always willing and excited to cover new stories.

“Robert’s enthusiasm was legendary and in South Africa he had been at his most versatile, filing impressive footballing stories until hours before his collapse. The Associated Press and sports journalism is a poorer place for Robert’s death.”

Robert had a widespread knowledge of all international sports, especially football, and he supported his local team West Bromwich Albion.