Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has died at the age of 73, with the Frenchman passing away overnight, days after surgery on his heart.

Houllier led the Reds for six years between 1998 and 2004, having initially arrived as joint-manager alongside Roy Evans, before taking sole charge four months later.The Frenchman can be considered one of the most influential figures in Liverpool’s modern history, bringing the club into a new era in terms of facilities and ethics on and off the pitch.

He was hugely successful, too, leading the Reds to six trophies, including an FA Cup, UEFA Cup and League Cup treble in 2000/01, followed by UEFA Super Cup and Charity Shield triumphs later in 2001 and another League Cup in 2003.

Following his departure in 2004, he managed Lyon and Aston Villa, between those spells serving as a director of football for the French Football Federation – holding a similar position with Red Bull until his sad passing.

Houllier’s death was widely reported in his native France on Monday morning.