Club, sport and national figures praise �great professional� and family man

Tributes last night poured in for Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell, who died yesterday during his team's match against Dundee United.

The 35-year-old midfielder is believed to have suffered a seizure at Fir Park, where medical staff from both clubs made efforts to revive him en route to Wishaw General Hospital. O'Donnell did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 5pm.

Motherwell chairman Bill Dickie said: "Unfortunately I can confirm the very, very sad news that Phil O'Donnell has lost his life. We don't know what it was but there will be a post-mortem. This is a tragic happening and that's all I can say."

The father of four and former Celtic player was stretchered off 12 minutes from the end of the Premier League match. He was about to be replaced by Marc Fitzpatrick but collapsed as the change was taking place.

O'Donnell's nephew, David Clarkson, was also playing for Motherwell and was substituted following the shock of seeing the incident.

Motherwell owner John Boyle said: "This is an unspeakable tragedy for Phil's family. Everyone at Motherwell is shocked to the core and we are sure everyone involved in Scottish football will feel the same. Phil was not only an inspirational player but an inspirational person. All of us at Motherwell are thinking of his wife Eileen and their four children."

As news of his death broke last night, former teammates and prominent figures in Scottish football paid tribute.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell expressed the club's sadness at the death of their former player. "When the news came through, everyone at the club was obviously shocked," he said.

"Obviously our thoughts are with his family to whom we offer extreme condolences for a tragic loss of a young life."

Former first minister Jack McConnell, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, said he would be "sadly missed by his family and by football fans, but will be mourned by the whole community. Phil O'Donnell was a great professional who was admired by fellow players and fans alike. As captain he helped transform Motherwell this season".

Gordon Smith, chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, said the news was "absolutely devastating."

"Phil was not just a wonderful footballer, he was a great human being. My thoughts are with his family," he said.

Motherwell have had to deal with tragedy in the past. In 1995 Davie Cooper, the team's winger, died at 39 after suffering a brain haemorrhage. Cooper, a former Rangers and Scotland star, had been a Motherwell team-mate of O'Donnell for several years.

O'Donnell made his Motherwell debut at 17 and went on to score, aged 19, in the 4-3 victory over Dundee United in the 1991 Scottish Cup final. He also won a Scotland cap in 1993 as a substitute in the World Cup qualifier against Switzerland. He returned to Motherwell after being released by Sheffield Wednesday in 2003, and made his second debut for the club in January 2004.

He played for Motherwell in the 2005 Scottish League Cup final and was appointed captain in 2006.