Former Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United player Derek Dooley has died at the age of 78.

Dooley was hugely popular in Sheffield with Owls and Blades fans alike, and former sports minister Richard Caborn said: "Derek epitomised everything that was good about sport.

"He was the only person I know who brought both Sheffield clubs together. He was respected by both sets of fans."

Wednesday chief executive Kaven Walker said: "He will always be remembered with a great fondness by Sheffield football fans and he commanded a massive amount of respect both within the city and across the country."

United chairman Kevin McCabe paid tribute to "a great, great man" and said: "He was a big man in every respect - in physical stature, in the way he treated others and also in terms of his standing in Sheffield which bestowed on him the greatest honour of all - the freedom of the city."

Born in December 1929 in Sheffield, Dooley began his career at Lincoln City, before being transferred to Wednesday in 1947.

The centre forward enjoyed a prolific goal-scoring spell at Hillsborough, scoring 62 goals in 61 games, and appeared set for an England call-up before sustaining a broken leg in a game at Preston in 1953.

Complications with gangrene meant that the leg had to be amputated, bringing his burgeoning career to an abrupt end.

He returned to football in 1971 when he was named manager of Wednesday.

He was sacked on Christmas Eve 1973 and promptly moved across the city to United, initially becoming commercial manager and later being installed as chairman.

Dooley retired after overseeing the Blades' promotion to the Premier League in 2006.

After being awarded an MBE in 2003 he said: "I never believed I would get this honour. I am fiercely proud of being a Sheffield lad. This honour is a bit special for me."

Dooley is survived by his wife, Sylvia, son Martin and daughter Suzanne.

Tom Williams / Eurosport