Football comes together to mourn

By Saturday night more than £3,000 had already been donated online to The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation, set-up by the Ducks with the blessing of his family to raise funds to screen more players for heart problems and equip more clubs with defibrillators while training their staff in life-saving CPR.

A former Hull City youth team star, who also turned out for North Ferriby United, Scarborough Athletic, Harrogate Town, Goole Town and Rushall Olympic, the 24-year-old passed away on Monday night after collapsing on the pitch just under an hour into his side's Integro League Cup clash at Brighouse Town.

Despite the best efforts of medics from both clubs and the emergency services to treat him using Town's own stadium defibrillator and administering CPR, the defender was later found to have died from an underlying heart condition called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (AVRC), the same disease that caused former Bolton star Fabrice Muamba to retire in 2012 after collapsing during an FA Cup tie at Spurs.

The Ducks only decided to go ahead with Saturday's EVO-STIK NPL's First Division South fixture with Romulus to "celebrate" their late player's life after speaking with his grieving parents and holding a get together at the club instead of training on Thursday night.

After postponing their fixture against Colne FC, Brighouse Town's players, management and officials were also at Shaw Lane to pay their respects, clapping every Ducks player off the pitch after they'd embraced their late team-mate's parents at full-time following the 2-0 home win.

Earlier, in front of his mum Jill and dad Barry, Brighouse Town came out with the players of both sides to 'You’ll Never Walk Alone' before a stand was renamed in Daniel's memory and his number five shirt was officially retired by the club and the EVO-STIK NPL for the rest of the season.

In scenes mirroring those before kick-off at Shaw Lane, fans, players and officials from all levels of the game paid their respects on Saturday. After also speaking with the player's family, Premier League supporters at Hull City versus Arsenal were asked to hold a minute's applause for the former Tigers player, the tribute at the KCOM stadium later featuring on Saturday's Match of the Day.

As fans continued to fill a book of condolences at the ground, Shaw Lane secretary Dave Exley said everybody at the club had been overwhelmed by the support they've received.

He said: "The help and support we have had from nationwide and are still receiving has been so welcome, a godsend that has touched everybody at this club and everyone who knew Danny I'm sure.

"Now we want to make sure that his death is not in vain and that no more young footballers lose their lives. The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation has been set up to do that, to raise funds that will ultimately safe lives."

EVO-STIK NPL secretary Angie Firth attended the match to offer the league's condolences and support. Afterwards, she said: "Everybody came together today and Shaw Lane ensured it was a very fitting tribute in front of his parents and others like Brighouse Town who have been sadly touched by this tragedy.

"The thoughts and prayers of the Northern Premier League have been with them all week and we all offer our prayers, thoughts and condolences again today."

ARVC is an inherited condition that can be found in one in every 2,000-5,000 adults - if it is looked for. Mainly affecting young adults, it often blamed for sudden unexplained deaths in young athletes.

Along with other leagues, the EVO-STIK NPL successfully lobbied for the FA to take action after Muamba's escape highlighted the dangers young players are facing by ARVC and other conditions, the game's governing body later teaming up with the British Heart Foundation to heavily subsidise the cost of defibrillators for Non-League clubs playing at Steps 1 to 5. More than half of the league's clubs used the scheme while many others have since purchased their own 'defibs' independently.

For more information on The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation or to donate click here: http://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/danwilkinsonfoundation?utm_id=60&utm_term=JYd733EEw.

Images courtesy of Ian Parker, James Grayson/nonleagueyorkshire.com, Facebook & Twitter

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