PARIS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Louis Nicollin, the founding father and president of Ligue 1 club Montpellier, on Thursday died on his 74th birthday.

"It is with immense sadness that we have learnt the death of our president Louis Nicollin on June 29," tweeted the Montpellier club at 6:52 p.m. on Thursday.

It was reported that Nicollin fell down during a family dinner in a restaurant, before he died in a hospital.

Nicollin suffered a heart attack when he was in a restaurant in Garons to celebrate his 74th birthday, and died around 6 p.m. in a hospital in Nimes, Le Parisien reported.

Nicollin, who started from scratch on household and industrial waste collection and reprocessing, set up Montpellier Paillade Sport Club in 1974. The club was later officially named Montpellier Herault Sport Club, and Nicollin became the sole shareholder.

The club won the French second division in 1987, and the French Cup three years later.

The spotlight moment in the franchise history arrived in the year of 2012, when they were crowned in Ligue 1. Forward Olivier Giroud, who tallied 21 league goals, left for Premier League side Arsenal.

The French Football Federation (FFF), the French professional football league (LFP), many clubs and players expressed their condolences after learning Nicollin's death.

"A great French gentleman left us today," tweeted the FFF.