Former Man City star Ian Mellor dies aged 74

Former Manchester City football star Ian Mellor has passed away at the age of 74 after battling illness.

Mellor, who succumbed to amyloidosis, a rare disease affecting internal organs, died on May 1, 2022.

The sad news was confirmed by his son Neil, a former Liverpool forward turned Sky Sports pundit.

Starting his career with Manchester City in 1970, Mellor made 41 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals. He was part of the Manchester City squad that secured the Charity Shield in 1972.

Following his time at Manchester City, Mellor went on to play for Norwich and Brighton, where he earned the nickname ‘the Spider.’ During his tenure at Brighton, he scored 31 goals in 122 appearances over four years.

Mellor’s football journey also included stints at Chester City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Bradford City, before concluding his career with spells at Workshop Town and the Hong Kong-based Tung Sing.

One of the memorable moments of Mellor’s career was his goal in Sheffield Wednesday’s 4-0 derby win over Sheffield United, famously known as the ‘Boxing Day Massacre.’

His son Neil, who rose through Liverpool’s academy ranks, achieved fame for his volleyed winner against Arsenal in 2004. Neil went on to have spells at Preston, West Ham, and Wigan, scoring a total of 43 goals in 150 appearances for Preston before retiring due to injury at the age of 29.

Following his retirement from playing, Neil Mellor transitioned into a pundit role, regularly featuring on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday.