Malcolm Elias, the highly respected academy figure who played a vital role in the early careers of Gareth Bale, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Theo Walcott, has died at the age of 71 following a short illness.
Elias, who served as Fulham's head of academy recruitment for nearly 16 years, was regarded as one of the most influential figures in English youth development.
He worked at Southampton and Liverpool before joining Fulham in 2009, helping to identify and nurture a generation of Premier League and international stars.