CLUBS MOURN TRAGIC CODY!
Tributes follow death of Bards favourite
FOOTBALL clubs across the country have paid tribute to Stratford Town defender Cody Fisher who died on Boxing Day after being stabbed on the dancefloor of a Birmingham nightclub.
The 23-year-old was at The Crane in Digbeth with friends including several of his Stratford teammates when the attack happened just before midnight.
At least seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Stratford chairman Jed McCrory said everyone at the club was devastated by the loss of such a popular player who always had a smile on his face and that they were heartbroken for his family.
“Cody has been part of the fabric of the club in the four years that I’ve been involved here,” he said. “Even when he was injured he was often in the stands watching the game and on training nights he’d be in the bar waiting for the lads to finish.
“He was a lovely lad, always with a smile on his face. I can’t remember ever seeing him sad. He created a great atmosphere around the club, a top boy and so funny.”
Heartbroken
Cody signed for Stratford in 2018 following his release from Walsall and was part of the side that won the Southern League Challenge Cup as well as making the Southern Premier Central playoffs. He also had spells with Stourbridge and Bromsgrove Sporting and taught football and PE at a number of schools around Redditch.
McCrory added: “There were a lot of our lads there that night and they are struggling at the moment, saying that they don’t know how they’ll get over it.
“I had one of my best friends die in my arms and I’ve tried to talk them through what happened to me, how I had to focus on something else to help me through it. I’ve told them they are going to have bad moments, dark moments, and they will just have to come through them.
“I stopped playing music and stopped playing football when my mate died and so I know what they will be going through and we need to come together as a club to help each other.
Mindless
“This is a tight group of lads and they are heartbroken at the moment. Football is the last thing on their minds.” Stratford MP and Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi tweeted: “My thoughts and prayers are with Cody’s family and the team in Stratford. Those committing such mindless violence/crimes must be brought to justice.”
Walsall FC held a minute’s silence before youth-team training on Wednesday and Birmingham City tweeted: “The thoughts of everyone at Blues are with Cody Fisher’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time.”
But it has been the support of other clubs that have resonated with the Bards chairman who said: “We have had messages from clubs right across the country.
“The whole of Non-League has responded, sending the club and Cody’s family their best wishes. It has been really heart-warming and those are in addition to the hundreds of messages on social media.”
Stratford’s game at Bromsgrove Sporting on Monday has been postponed as a mark of respect to his family and friends, while the Bards plan to hold a minute’s silence before their game with Kings Langley on Saturday,.
They are also encouraging supporters to have a minute’s applause in the 23rd minute of the game – Cody’s age – to pay their own tribute.