Ex-England defender Ugo Ehiogu dies aged 44

Four-times capped former England defender Ugo Ehiogu has died at the age of 44, the Tottenham Hotspur Under-23 coach having suffered a cardiac arrest at the club's training base yesterday.

In an official statement, the club's head of coaching and player development John McDermott said: "Words cannot express the shock and sadness that we all feel at the club. Ugo's immense presence will be irreplaceable."

Former Middlesbrough team-mate Mark Schwarzer added: "He was always calm and reassuring. He was not too vocal, but spoke when he needed to speak. He was a completely dedicated footabller. He loved the game."

A central defender, Ehiogu's best years were spent at Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. He scored his only goal in four apperances for England in a 3-0 success against Spain at Villa Park in February 2001. Since hanging up his boots in 2009, he had worked with England's Under-20 side and in the academy at Tottenham.