Hugh McIlvanney, legendary Scottish sports reporter, dies aged 84

Legendary Scottish sports reporter Hugh McIlvanney has passed away at the age of 84.
Hugh McIlvanney celebrates after being inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Picture: SNSHugh McIlvanney celebrates after being inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Picture: SNS
Hugh McIlvanney celebrates after being inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Picture: SNS

The Ayrshire-born journalist is regarded as one of the greatest authors to ever grace the industry and was named British sports writer of the year seven years.

He covered some of the most famous sporting moments of the last 60 years, including Muhammad Ali’s stunning ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ upset over George Foreman and England’s 1966 World Cup triumph.

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A former reporter for The Scotsman - for whom he reported on the famous 1960 European Cup final at Hampden as Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3- he also worked for The Kilmarnock Standard, Scottish Daily Express, The Observer and The Sunday Times before his retirement in 2016.

His brother was novelist and crime fiction writer William McIlvanney, who died in 2015.