Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to Brian Woolnough, the chief sports writer of the Daily Star who died on Tuesday after a long struggle against bowel cancer.

The 63-year-old Woolnough was a leading figure among the country's sports writers and also a well-known face on television, hosting Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement from 2007 after previously being the presenter of Hold the Back Page from 1994.

Manchester United manager Ferguson said: "It is very sad news. He was a good man, a good journalist, with a good personality.

"He asked good questions, sometimes too good! That is the nature of his industry. Our thoughts are with his family at this time."

It is only three months since the death of the Daily Star's chief football writer Danny Fullbrook at the age of 40, also from cancer.