Former team-mate Andy Hinchcliffe feels the way Phil O’Donnell reacted to his ill-fated spell at Sheffield Wednesday proved what “a fantastic bloke” he really was.

Hinchcliffe was stunned to learn of O’Donnell’s death yesterday, after the 35-year-old collapsed shortly before the end of Motherwell’s Scottish Premier League match with Dundee United at Fir Park.

The pair spent two years together at Hillsborough, most of which was in the gym as they battled to recover from respective long-term injuries.

Brought south from Celtic in 1999 along with Simon Donnelly by then manager Danny Wilson, O’Donnell knew there was a lot of expectancy on his shoulders.

And, despite his failure to meet the demands of the Wednesday faithful, Hinchcliffe confirmed it never affected the way he treated his fellow professionals.

“In that situation, it would be easy to become selfish and put yourself first all the time,” said the former England defender.

“Phil was under a lot of pressure to get himself fit and prove he was capable of doing a job for Wednesday.

“It was a hard slog for him and it hurt him that his injury problems meant he never had a chance to show what talent he had. But at no stage did Phil ever let it affect the way he was with other people.

"He had time for everyone and looking back, some of the younger lads, like Alan Quinn, would have benefited enormously from the advice he gave them.”

Hinchliffe was in his car when he heard of O’Donnell’s tragic passing. “When you hear of things like this, with Marc-Vivien Foe and the Spanish lad at Seville [Antonio Puerta] recently, you regard it as a shock because footballers tend to be so fit,” he said.

“But when it happens to someone you know and like, and someone you played with and trained with, it is horrible. I can honestly say, when I heard the news on the radio, a shiver went down my spine.

“It is desperate news for Motherwell and the whole of Scottish football but more so for Phil’s family. He was just a really lovely lad and dedicated professional.”

Hinchcliffe added: “While I am devastated at this awful news, the words people are using in reference to Phil do not surprise me at all. He was a genuinely lovely lad, a terrific bloke with a dry sense of humour and this is just very, very sad.”