A giant on the pitch, a gentleman off it - that is how Bill Green was remembered as tributes flowed from across football for the Carlisle United legend.

The former Blues captain, who made history when he scored United's first goal in their solitary First Division season, died on Monday after a short illness aged 66.

Carlisle will pay tribute to Green at tonight's Carabao Cup tie against Sunderland by staging a minute's applause, while their players will wear black armbands.

United chairman Andrew Jenkins has described the former centre-half as a "solid and dependable" player and a true friend of the club.

A host of other clubs also paid tribute to Green, including Premier League club Southampton, where he had been chief scout.

And some of Green's former Brunton Park team-mates said they could not speak highly enough of the man from Newcastle.

Les O'Neill, who also played in Carlisle's First Division season in 1974/5, said: "He was a great leader on the pitch.

"On the other side, he was an absolute gentleman - a lovely lad with a lovely family.

"My heart goes out to his wife Pauline and their two kids, Paul and Victoria. I've been in touch with them over the last few days and it is very sad.

"I was still in touch with him regularly and I know he'll never be forgotten by the Carlisle people.

"The fact he scored the first goal in the First Division - nobody can ever take that away from him.

"I know, if he was here now, he would say the best three years of his footballing career were at Carlisle.

"He was also a big Newcastle man, like myself, and I'm sure he will be up there smiling if we manage to beat Sunderland."

George McVitie, who played with Green in the 1975/6 season, said: "He was a big, fine bloke who didn't abuse anything. As a player and as a person he was as fair and square as anybody in the game."

Green joined Carlisle from Hartlepool in 1973 and played a key role in helping the Blues win promotion to the top-flight a year later.

He was then an ever-present in the First Division, which started with a famous 2-0 win at Chelsea in which Green scored in the opening minutes.

He made 119 appearances for the club before joining West Ham in 1976. Green also played for Peterborough, Chesterfield and Doncaster, and then went on to manage Scunthorpe and Buxton.

He then established a strong reputation as a scout, which saw senior roles at Wigan, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester and Derby. He was also caretaker manager for one game at Sheffield Wednesday.

Southampton's vice chairman (football) Les Reed highlighted how Green had been such a key figure at the club since he joined for a second spell in 2011.

Reed said: "Bill Green has truly been a hero, and sadly unsung until now.

"Many of our players over the years and several of the current squad were recruited because of Bill, yet not all of them know it. Whether Bill cast the first glance or made the final recommendation, he was not one for claiming credit.

"Many of us at St Mary's have been privileged to have been on Bill’s team, and his presence will always be with us. The fruits of his work are a constant reminder that this club is all the better for having been touched by Bill Green."

Scunthorpe have also announced they will wear black armbands in memory of Green at their Carabao Cup game at Middlesbrough.