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"Obviously we are going to miss a guy who was a fine man, a guy who was a fantastic example to all of his colleagues," McGhee said outside Fir Park.

"He was a man amongst boys, in every sense of the word, in his attitude and professionalism, in his integrity and in his sincerity."

O'Donnell, who was 35, collapsed and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher near the end of the home game which third-placed Motherwell won 5-3.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance but despite efforts by medical staff, who believe he suffered a seizure, to revive him O'Donnell did not regain consciousness.

He leaves a wife and four children.

"He was a great, great player to have worked with and I am honoured to have been his manager and to have worked with him," McGhee added.

The League have postponed three games as a mark of respect including Gretna's clash with St Mirren on Wednesday. Gretna are ground sharing with Motherwell in their first season in the top flight.

"All of us at the Scottish Premier League are devastated at this awful, untimely death," League chairman Lex Gold said in a statement on the SPL website.

"Phil was a first class footballer and a fine young man. We send our condolences to his family and friends. As a mark of respect we have called off Wednesday's [Motherwell] game with Hibernian at East Road.

"It is clear that Fir Park has become a place of homage for many fans to Phil. Sensitive to this, both Gretna and St Mirren have agreed with the SPL that their game on Wednesday should be postponed.

"The four other games will proceed as planned with the clubs being invited to honour Phil's memory before the start of those games.

"We understand from Phil's family they would appreciate it if the Motherwell v Celtic game scheduled for Sunday, January 6 could be postponed. Both clubs are happy to meet this request and we have called the game off."

O'Donnell, who won one Scotland cap in 1993, was in his second spell at Fir Park having made his debut as a 17-year-old in the 1990/91 season and later that campaign scoring in their 4-3 Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United.

He joined Celtic in 1994 for what remains a Motherwell club record fee of 1.75 million pounds ($3.50 million), staying for five years before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday in England where he spent four injury-plagued years.

Celtic announced that their stadium flags were flying at half mast as a mark of respect and Sheffield Wednesday staged a minute's applause before Sunday's game with Hull.

Reuters