“I think everything that has been said about Phil is probably right. A lot of people say that when tragedy strikes people always say nice things about them.

“But I think you have to go a long way, or any distance at all and everyone you meet will tell you the same things about Phil.

“He was such a lovely guy, never mind the footballer. He would train hard and had a lot of injuries, but he would fight through everything all the time. He was one of these guys that would just get on with it and say, that’s part of life, deal with it.

“I think it was summed up when it was said he was playing the best football of his life and playing as many games on the bounce, it would have been the happiest period of his footballing career because of the amount of football he was playing.

“And to be cut away in devastating circumstances, I don’t think I can put it into words, you always take a step back when tragedy happens but this will knock a lot of wind from a lot of sails.”

Peter Grant