Keith Eddy dead: 'Fine passer' who captained Sheffield United as well as Pele and Franz Beckenbauer

The midfielder or defender made 136 appearances for the Blades between 1972 and 1976 but it was his skills as a captain which were perhaps his strongest suit, and he would go on to lead a New York Cosmos side featuring Pele and Franz Beckenbauer.

Eddy began his career at hometown club Barrow, making his debut as a 17-year-old but was considering giving the game up to become a milkman when Watford signed him in 1966. He captained the second-division Hornets in the 1969 FA Cup semi-final, having won the Third Division with them the previous season, when he was an every present.

Many Watford fans regard them as their greatest captain.

By moving to Bramall Lane in 1972, Eddy completed the set of having played in all four English divisions, although his debut came in the Watney Cup, where his penalty-taking skills saw his first touch as a Blade come in a shoot-out against Bristol Rovers at Eastville.

When Ken Furphy, Eddy's manager at Watford, followed him to South Yorkshire in 1973, Eddy was put on penalty-taking duties at the expense of Alan Woodward and two years later he replaced the legendary Tony Currie as captain.

In all he scored 21 goals for the club.

"He was excellent in midfield and a fine passer of the ball, but in defence he was outstanding, a great reader of the game," said Currie. "Along with many others at the time, I think he was unlucky not to have been capped for England."

Eddy finished his career in 1976, joining the legendary Pele at New York Cosmos. Beckenbauer would join in 1977.

In the first of his two seasons, Eddy was named in the NASL All-Star team.

He remained on that side of the Atlantic, managing Toronto Blizzard in 1979. They reached the play-offs in his first season, beaten by the Cosmos, but he resigned in 1981 with the team bottom.

A successful businessman, he was also involved in promoting the game in Oklahoma.