Proud Geordie, impromptu Pavarotti and ahead of Pep Guardiola - inside life of Steve Black

Lee Clark says that Steve Black's sad passing has left a "gaping hole" in the world of sport - and that Newcastle United have lost one of their greatest ever employees.

Black left us at the weekend with tributes flooding in after he worked with the biggest names in sport such as Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, Joey Barton, Terry McDermott, Danny Cipriani and Jonny Wilkinson - who said he turned him into the best fly-half in the world.

Black is credited with helping turn Newcastle from Second Division relegation material into Premier League title contenders in the 1990s under Keegan thanks to his fitness and motivational techniques.

But Clark himself admits he was indebted to him for working with him as a player and manager after setting an unbeaten record of 43 matches when they almost went the full calendar year without defeat.

Clark told Chronicle Live: "He was a very close friend of mine and I knew him from as far back as 1990.

"Over 30 years ago. I met him and became very close to him. He was my performance director at Huddersfield and it's no coincidence that was my best spell in management. He had everything organised and sorted in line with the way I wanted the team to play. I tried to get him on other jobs with me but logistically or financially the clubs couldn't afford what Blackie was worth at that time.

"But I had him helping part-time and whenever I was back in the North-East we met up and he always said he was my little brother and I felt he was my big brother. So it was very, very sad. I've had lots of sad conversations over the phone with me being abroad. What has made me feel really happy are the great stories I've heard from the sporting world, football, rugby and boxing.

"People in the business world too.