He played his part on the pitch in Jack Charlton's record-breaking promotion side in 1973-74.

Murdoch later helped to bring some of the club's emerging talent through to the first team.

Flags were flying at half-mast at the Riverside Stadium as a mark of respect to the Scot, who tasted European Cup glory with Celtic before his free transfer move south of the border in September 1973.

He made 125 appearances for Boro, playing in a midfield which also included Graeme Souness, before taking up the role of juniors' coach.

He had a brief, if ultimately unsuccessful spell as manager between 1981 and 1982, leaving shortly after the club were relegated to Division Two.

Former goalkeeper Jim Platt, now head coach at the club's Football in the Community Centre, said: "As a player, Bobby was outstanding, a fantastic passer of the ball who did a tremendous job for Middlesbrough.

"But he was also a smashing bloke, a gentleman. He did a great job as youth team coach, but I think he took the manager's job too soon.

"With a bit more experience behind him, he could have been a very good manager. It was just the wrong time for him."

Boro's current youth team coach Mark Proctor was one of the youngsters Murdoch helped to develop.

"I'm very shocked and saddened," he said. "Bobby was my first youth team coach on leaving school.

"He took me through the youth system and into the Middlesbrough first team. He was an excellent coach and, more importantly, a lovely man. He will be a great loss to football."