Patrick Barclay
British sportswriter (1947–2025)
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Patrick Barclay (15 August 1947 – 12 February 2025) was a British journalist and sportswriter.
- Journalist
- sports writer
Patrick Barclay | |
|---|---|
Barclay in 2025 | |
| Born | 15 August 1947 London, England |
| Died | 12 February 2025 (aged 77) |
| Alma mater | High School of Dundee |
| Occupations |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Guy Deghy |
Early life
Career
Barclay started his reporting career with The Guardian in the early 1970s.[5] When the newspaper The Independent was launched in 1986, he was appointed its first football correspondent.[6] He joined The Observer in 1991, and became football correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph in 1996.[7] He held the post for 12 years.[8]
Barclay joined The Times in February 2009 as its Chief Football Correspondent to replace Martin Samuel, who was joining the Daily Mail.[8] Thus, Barclay became one of the few journalists to be the main writer for his discipline for all four quality newspaper groups in England: Times, Guardian-Observer, Telegraph, and Independent.[citation needed] Barclay left The Times in December 2011 due to cost-cutting measures.[9] In January 2012, he started writing for the London Evening Standard.[10]
Barclay was a regular guest on the Sky Sports programme Sunday Supplement,[11] and LBC 97.3's Saturday sports show "Scores".[citation needed]
Books
Barclay wrote a biography of the Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, entitled Football – Bloody Hell!.[12][13] The book was published in October 2010.[12][13] He also wrote a biography of the former Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman entitled The Life and Times of Herbert Chapman: The Story of One of Football's Most Influential Figures [14] and a biography of José Mourinho.[15]
Personal life and death
Barclay has two children, Duncan and Jennifer, and a granddaughter Charlotte. He died on 12 February 2025 at the age of 77.[1][16]
List of publications
- Mourinho: Anatomy of a Winner (2005) ISBN 9780752873336
- Football-Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson (2010) ISBN 9781407084718
- The Life and Times of Herbert Chapman (2014) ISBN 9780297868507
- Sir Matt Busby: The Definitive Biography (2017) ISBN 9781785032066