FANS' favourite Colin Hendry today echoed the thoughts of Blackburn Rovers supporters everywhere saying: Jack will be sorely, sorely missed.

Former Ewood idol Hendry built up a special relationship with Rovers supremo Jack Walker and the Scot believes his death will have a profound effect.

"He always treated me fantastically," said Hendry.

" I hadn't spoken to him in a while but I know that he felt he was going in the right direction as far as the football was concerned.

"I just hope the team can get Blackburn back into the Premiership.

"And I hope the club and town will be able to recover from something like this -- but I don't know if they will.

"If they are able to, it will take a long, long time.

"Jack will be sorely, sorely missed."

He added: "When I suffered a head injury at Crystal Palace and was stretchered off, my wife Denise was at home listening to the game on the radio.

"Within 10 minutes Jack rang Denise to tell her I was going to be all right. That was typical of him."

The Scotland defender also remembered a time when he and Walker arranged a meeting in a room at Northcote Manor.

Hendry said: "For all his wealth, instead of ordering a pot of tea he preferred to make the tea himself in the room!

Rovers record League appearance holder Derek Fazackerley first met Walker towards the end of his playing days and then saw at first-hand his impact at the club after returning to Ewood to join the coaching staff.

He said: "It's a massive blow. You can't put into words what he's done for the club, not just from a financial point of view but his personality and the enthusiasm he brought to the place.

"He really came into the club just after I had finished playing but when I came back in 1995 just after we had won the championship I saw him on a weekly basis and he was always a welcome visitor to the dressing room.

"There's no doubt that the success the club enjoyed and winning the Premiership wouldn't have happened without Jack's input.

"A lot was down to the management team of Kenny Dalglish and Ray Harford but without Jack's financial input it wouldn't have happened, not only bringing in players but re-building the stadium, which will now be a lasting monument to him.

"I just hope that if the players needed any extra incentive, not that they should, then rightly or wrongly this might be the thing that pushes them to promotion. It would be poignant and fitting."

Simon Garner, Blackburn Rovers all time top scorer, said: "This is so sad, Jack Walker was a great man. He was really one of the lads, he was always in on the team talks and you just got the impression that he wanted to play football.

"I am sure if he could he'd have played for Blackburn Rovers in exchange for all the other great things he did in his life.

"I was commentating for radio after one of the Charity Shield matches which Rovers played in. After the game I went for a drink in the Players' Lounge. Jack was talking to Terry Venables, but as soon as he saw me he ended his conversation and came up to me to have a chat with me.

"He never forgot Blackburn, he was Blackburn through and through and the fact that I had played for the team meant he wanted to speak with me and I think that is some measure of the man, that his home town was always in his heart."

Rovers midfielder Lee Carsley added: " He was the heart and soul of Blackburn, there's no doubt about that.

"He was a fan at heart who was really proud of his home-town club.

"It's just a shame we couldn't get back in the Premier League in time for him to see it."

Gordon Taylor, Blackburn-based chief executive of the Professional Football Association, added his tribute.

Gordon used to sit with Jack at Ewood Park when Jack first got involved with Rovers.

"He was probably the best benefactor football has ever had. It was an honour to know him. I was with him when he achieved his dream of winning the Premiership for Blackburn.

"I very much hope the club can continue to carry on and achieve the success he always wanted for them.

"He was good company and very generous and he has certainly left his mark."

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson revealed that he had seen Walker's generosity at first hand when he spent a day with him in Mauritius.

"I was able to go to Mauritius when I was with PSV for a 10-day holiday with my wife and Jack was there, heard I was on the island and invited me over for a wonderful day. He had a great belief and faith in football and I think that's why he injected a lot of his personal wealth into it. He could afford to, of course, but so can lots of other people, but don't."

"He put his money where his heart was and where his head was, so Blackburn Rovers have lost a great and dear friend."