Former Chelsea, QPR and Manchester United manager Dave Sexton has died at the age of 82, the English Football Association announced on Sunday.
Sexton won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1970, three years after taking charge, before leading the club to their first European trophy with success in the European Cup Winners’ Cup the following season.
“It is a sad day for English football,” said the FA’s director of football development, Trevor Brooking.
“Anyone who was ever coached by Dave would be able to tell you what a good man he was, but not only that, what a great coach in particular he was.
“In the last 30 to 40 years, Dave’s name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England – the likes of Terry Venables, Don Howe and Ron Greenwood. His coaching was revered.”
As a player, Sexton played for Luton Town, West Ham United, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.
He began his managerial career with Orient before joining Chelsea and went on to enjoy a successful spell at QPR who he guided to a second place finish behind Liverpool in 1976 – the west London club’s highest ever finish.
He then managed United before taking over of the England Under-21s and Coventry City.
Chelsea released a statement paying tribute to their former manager.
“Chelsea Football Club would like to express our enormous sadness and send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dave Sexton, who has died aged 82,” the statement read, adding that Sexton was “without doubt one of the greatest managers in Chelsea history”.
Peter Bonetti, Chelsea’s goalkeeper during the Sexton era, told the club’s website: “He was fantastic, I’ve got nothing but praise for him.
“He passed away peacefully last night (Saturday). I’ve spoken to his wife and it’s come as a complete shock because he was such a lovely man.
“Everybody loved him and everybody respected him here at Chelsea and he will go down in the club’s history as being such a fantastic guy who brought us so much success.”
Chelsea’s Premier League match at home to Manchester City on Sunday was preceded by a minute’s applause in memory of Sexton, while the home side’s players wore black armbands.