Ian Ross, a sports journalist for regional and national titles and former Communications Director at Everton FC, has died, aged 70.
The Yorkshireman, who became an ‘adopted Scouser’ spent most of his professional career in Liverpool. A highly respected journalist, he wrote for Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, plus The Times, Guardian and Daily Telegraph.
In 2000, he joined Everton FC as its Director of Communications, spending 10 years at the club.
Later he turned author, penning 3 sports non-fiction novels and a time travel book in 2021. According the Liverpool Echo, he had no memory of writing that book – he found it on his laptop after returning from hospital, where he’d been in a coma following complications from heart surgery.
PR consultant and former journalist, Neil Mckeown wrote of Ross’ writing style:
“… he wrote for the reader. It’s football, not war, and his tone was great. It was effortlessly funny and at its best when getting to the meat of what it is to be a miserable football supporter. Covering Everton, he had plenty of material.”
Roy Hayes, former Night News Editor at The Telegraph wrote:
“Devastated to learn that Ian Ross, my former colleague on the Liverpool Daily Post sport desk in the 1980s and later the Telegraph, has died aged 70.
“Ian was such a witty and talented writer on football and music. As well as covering Everton and Liverpool he wrote a weekly rock column in the Post. Like me, he was of the blue persuasion, something we had to keep hidden in our reports. Ian later went on to become head of media for a while at Everton. My condolences to his family.”
Ross, who had suffered from ill-health for a time, died in hospital. He leaves 2 daughters and 2 grand-children.
