Born in Oldham in 1946, Stapleton was a huge Manchester City fan. When asked by the Independent in 2008 what he would do if he did not work in the media, he replied he would "spend even more time travelling the country watching Manchester City".
The seven-time Premier League champions said the team was saddened to learn of his death, adding: "He will be missed."
In his Instagram post following his father's death, Nick Stapleton said after watching the team win the 2023 Champions League final, his father had turned to him and said "he'd die happy. He meant it".