TRIBUTES TO FORMER CITY YOUTH TEAM PLAYER BILLY
A FORMER Coventry City footballer has died following a crash in his home village.
Tributes have been paid to former Sky Blues youth team player and anti-abuse campaigner Billy Seymour, described as a “brave and lovely friend.”
The 47-year-old former defender was an ambassador for the Offside Trust, a campaigning charity set up by former footballers who had been victims of sexual abuse as children.
He died at the John Radcliffe Hospital after being involved in an accident which saw a van crash into a bus stop and a wall after hitting a parked car at Sonning Common, near Reading.
After his death on Saturday, a tweet from the trust said: “We have lost a brave and lovely friend today.
“He was a former Millwall
and Coventry player and great ambassador for this Trust. We’ll miss you Billy.”
Mr Seymour was also a youth player with Southampton FC.
Mr Seymour gave evidence in the trial last year of former youth football coach Bob Higgins, who faced
charges of indecent assault against teenage boys. Former England winger Trevor Sinclair also paid tribute, Always had saying: a special “Devastated. connection with Billy from our Lilleshall days. Condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Mr Seymour was part of City’s 1988/89 youth team squad that included the likes of goalkeeper Dean Kiely, Lee Hurst, twins Craig and Lee Middleton and Martyn Booty, although he didn’t go on to represent the first team during his time at Highfield Road.