OXFORD United’s record goalscorer Graham Atkinson has died at the age of 73.

The former inside forward had been suffering with cancer and passed away yesterday morning.

Atkinson scored 107 goals over a 15-year period, netting 77 times in the league.

He signed for the U's, then Headington United, in 1959, making his debut against Chelmsford City in the Southern League, becoming the club’s youngest player and goalscorer at 16 years and 108 days.

Atkinson is also the first United player to score against Swindon Town, netting in a 1-1 draw in 1968, and in the Football League, against Barrow in 1962.

His brother, Ron Atkinson, who went on to manage Manchester United, also played for the club and holds the record for the most appearances in a U's shirt with 561 starts.

Born in Birmingham on May 17, 1943, Graham Atkinson started on the ground staff at Aston Villa and played at junior level for the club and Birmingham City.

After his move to Oxford United with older brother Ron, he was selected for Oxfordshire in the County Youth Championship and the Southern League representative side.

He left the U's in 1974 to join Kettering Town, while he also spent time on loan at Cambridge United in 1963.

Atkinson lived in Oxfordshire for most of his life with wife Jenni and moved from Standlake to Pembrokeshire in 2004.