LONDON: British sports journalism lost one of its greatest stalwarts with the death in north London on Wednesday, at 85, of Dennis Signy OBE.

A statement from the Football Writers Association – of which he was a former chairman – referred to him as “one of the finest football reporters of the past 50 years.” Signy had been a life member of the association, along with his wife Pat, who was its executive secretary for many years.

For 17 years he was editor of the Hendon Times, before undertaking a long and illustrious career in Fleet Street with Hayters, the News of the World, The Times and Sunday Express, influencing a generation of football writers along the way.

He also worked in football, as general manager for Brentford and then chief executive of QPR, as well as a stint as the Football League’s media consultant before his final posting as PR consultant and vice-president of Barnet.

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