"He was Google before Google": that was the tribute paid to Bob Crampsey yesterday as hundreds gathered to mourn the sports historian, writer, broadcaster and teacher famed for his encyclopaedic general knowledge.

Family, friends and colleagues from the media and football worlds paid their last respects to the man who graced television screens and newspaper columns with his seemingly infinite knowledge of sport.

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith and former Celtic, Partick Thistle and Dundee player Jim Duffy were among the 500 people who filled Holy Cross church in Crosshill, Glasgow, for the thanksgiving mass. Mr Crampsey's son-in-law, Steven, delivered a eulogy.

He said: "He spoke to every-one as if he knew them, and you always knew he knew what he was talking about. He was Google before Google, Wikipedia before Wikipedia.

"There was never a time I couldn't talk to him or ask for his advice."

Mr Crampsey, known as Bert to his family, died last week aged 78 after suffering from Parkinson's Disease.

The mass was conducted by John Mone, bishop emeritus of Paisley, a lifelong friend, who also presided over his wedding to wife Ronnie in the same church . They have four daughters, Alison, Fiona, Marion and Siobhan.

Bishop Mone said: "Bert has been remembered as a teacher, broadcaster, writer and historian and after- dinner speaker. He was such a multi-gifted man. His life was graced with many talents. This full church today testifies to the esteem in which Bob was held. Today we say our final farewell to him."

For decades Bob Crampsey, the former headmaster of St Ambrose in Coatbridge, was a regular on Scotsport, Sportscene, Sportsound and Radio Clyde. He wrote books on Jock Stein, Third Lanark and Queen's Park, and he shared his vast knowledge, settling disputes and answering queries in the Now You Know column in the Evening Times, The Herald's sister paper.

The funeral was told Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, sent his condolences.