Brian Woolnough - Telegraph Woolnough was now "public enemy number one" among many Norwich fans, but while he declined to withdraw his comments he did subsequently venture to Carrow Road to face his critics, including the club's owner, Delia Smith. Turning the argument on the Norwich fans themselves, Woolnough urged them to "keep showing the passion that was directed towards me because it's that sort of passion that keeps teams in the Premiership." Brian Christopher Woolnough was born on September 30 1948 at Walton-on-Thames. Leaving Waynefleet Secondary School, Esher, at the age of 16, he began his journalistic career when his mother saw an advertisement for a cub reporter on the Esher News. A keen footballer in his school days, and a useful fast bowler with Claygate Cricket Club, Brian suffered a knee injury which put paid to his sporting ambitions. But his journalistic career blossomed. He moved to the Evening Post at Hemel Hempstead and then worked for United Newspapers before being headhunted by The Sun, working his way up to become chief football writer and remaining with the paper for 27 years. In a line of work that is sometimes derided as attracting "fans with typewriters," Woolnough earned a reputation for breaking hard news stories that lay behind the straight match reports as well as for landing big exclusives. His tough questions, fired from his customary front-row seat at press conferences, earned the admiration of his colleagues. He was one of the few journalists to dare to criticise the formidable Sir Alex Ferguson. Last May, Woolnough turned in a characteristically forthright column which suggested that Manchester United might need a new leader if their arch-rivals Manchester City won the league - which they proceeded to do. None the less, Ferguson paid tribute to Woolnough after his sparring partner's death, noting: "He asked good questions. Sometimes too good! Meanwhile, Woolnough's broadcasting career also flourished. He was a regular pundit on several radio shows as he continued to present Sunday Supplement. He was also the author or co-author of some 14 books, including biographies of Rodney Marsh, Brian Marwood and Glen Hoddle. Brian Woolnough, who had been suffering from cancer, is survived by his wife, Linda, whom he met when she was a fellow trainee reporter on the Esher News, and by their three children. Brian Woolnough, born September 30 1948, died September 18 2012