Paul Lagan – born 24 April 1959, died 1 May 2025
Stamford Bridge press box regular Paul Lagan, who has died at 66, was one of the earliest journalists to treat women's football on a par with men's, even at a time when the girls' teams were amateur, crowds numbered dozens and mainstream news outlets barely acknowledged the sport's existence.
Though employed for 25 years as sub-editor on the South London Press titles, he also ran Capital Football, an online match reports and news service covering all London's clubs.
Paul, who passed away after a series of medical complications in hospital, rarely missed a Chelsea men's or women's match, home or away, travelling to games by car, ankle-deep in chocolate bar wrappers and soft drink cans.
A teetotaller and pescatarian, he was also a vociferous campaigner for plant-based alternatives to meat pies and sausage rolls at football grounds, for spectators and media.
He had strong ties with fans and supporters' groups, particularly at Chelsea, his local club and the one he had followed since childhood.
Chelsea FC stalwart
Behind his trademark weary expression and grouchy exterior was a warm, mischievous personality and a dazzlingly witty sense of humour. He could light up a post-match press conference with a penetrating question which would leave everyone – managers included – in fits of laughter, but which got to the heart of why a team had performed well, or badly, on the day.
As a writer he was a fans' fan, reporting on how twists and turns at Chelsea FC would impact supporters. He was first in line to condemn above-inflation season ticket price hikes, or criticise fixture timetable clashes between men and women, arguing that it went against the Blues' 'one family' concept.
He encouraged young wannabe journalists to break into the industry by writing for his website, giving them their first bylines and allowing them freedom to express opinions without restraint; a rarity in the digital era.
Paul lived all his life in Pimlico. One of five children from an Irish Catholic family, Paul was educated at St Vincent de Paul primary, and London Oratory, on the other side of the District line tracks from Stamford Bridge.
He worked part-time on the shopfloor at Selfridges while studying classics and philosophy at North London Poly, where, in 1981, he met fellow student Vicky Gonzalez who was also born in Paddington, to Spanish parents, and a Pimlico resident. They have two sons. One, Danny, is a Blues ultra.
Rain or shine
Through the 1970s and 80s Paul turned out, rain or shine, on Sunday mornings to play non-league football. After graduating with a degree in philosophy, he moved on to study film and journalism, making local newspapers his career from the late 1980s. He also became a leading light in the Football Writers' Association.
He and I made one epic journey to Amsterdam in May 2013, leaving at dawn on the Wednesday morning, taking the ferry and arriving in time for kick-off in the UEFA Europa League final against Benfica. After watching the Blues win 2-1 to lift the cup, we drove all the way home – singing Chelsea songs and chants at the top of our voices to stay awake – and were back at our respective office desks at 9am to work straight through the day.
Outsiders assume sports reporters are competitive creatures, jealously guarding every nugget of news. It couldn't be further from the truth. We share quotes, tips, gossip and opinions all the time. "Yeah, but whose pass was it?" is probably the most frequently asked question of one hack to another.
Paul had a strong bond with his sports writer colleagues. Sitting alongside him, trading comments during a match or trying to make each other laugh with post-match presser questions to managers, was one of life's great pleasures.
