The World of Football Mourns Together

Different clubs, competitions, banter between fans, commitment to one team. All of these separate one set of fans to another set of fans and what makes football what it is. But in times of need the world of football pulls together to become a family.

Football fans recently learnt the tragic death of former Bradford, Southampton, Wolves and Tottenham defender Dean Richards. Deano unfortunately passed away on the 26^th February aged 36 and a deeply moving tribute was made to him at the beginning of the Wolves vs Tottenham game yesterday. The game did not disappoint when the two teams locked horns as a thrilling 3-3 draw seemed a fitting tribute to the man who was described as not just a good footballer but a good man as well.

Deano isn’t the only one that football has so cruelly lost at such young ages. Recent tragedies include the loss of 22 year old Swansea striker Besian Idrizaj in 2010 and overseas Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta who sustained a number of cardiac arrests at 22 in 2007 along with former West Ham and Manchester City midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe who collapsed while on the pitch playing for Cameroon in the Confederations Cup in 2003 aged 28.

As well as these and so many more, football has become tearful losing legends as well, the passings of former cup winning Manchester City player Neil Young and manager Malcolm Allison along with the late greats Sir Bobby Robson, Nat Lofthouse and of course Bobby Moore and Brian Clough to add to the unfortunate losses.

Feel free for anyone to add comments with any tributes for any players, managers, anyone associated with football they wish to pay tribute to, it could even be just someone you knew that loved football so much. Football may be competitive but at times like these football comes together, we are a football family.

Rachel Gee