Everton chairman Bill Kenwright dies aged 78

Kenwright was Everton's longest-serving chairman

Kenwright was Everton's longest-serving chairman (19 years) during which time they achieved 12 top eight finishes, including a top four finish in 2005, a run to the 2009 FA Cup final and European qualification on six separate occasions.

The Toffees released a statement on Tuesday confirming that the 78-year-old had passed away on Monday night, "surrounded by his family and loved ones."

They added that the "club had lost a chairman, a leader, a friend, and an inspiration."

Earlier this month, Everton announced Kenwright had undergone an operation to remove a cancerous tumour from his liver.

In a statement released at the time, the club said the operation had been "completely successful" but that Kenwright would spend a "prolonged period in an intensive care unit".

Having supported Everton his whole life, Kenwright initially became a board member in October, 1989 before he then bought the club on Boxing Day, 1999 through his True Blue Holdings consortium.

After initially serving as vice-chairman to Sir Philip Carter, he then succeeded his close friend and became chairman in 2004.

Tributes have since poured in from those associated to the Merseyside club with former Everton and current Norwich City defender Shane Duffy saying: "Such sad news for a great man . RIP bill thank you for everything you have ever done for me and my family."

One fan said: "RIP Bill Kenwright. Thoughts and love to his family & friends this evening.

"I know I'm looking in from the outside, but Kenwright always struck me as the kind of chairman who just desperately wanted his club to do well and was there through thick and thin. A really sad loss. RIP."

Away from football, Kenwright forged a name for himself in the arts, at first as an actor with a breakthrough role in Coronation Street - playing the part of Gordon Clegg.

He also became one of Britain's most successful film and theatre producers, working on the likes of Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers, and Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.