A non-league footballer died after collapsing on the pitch during a match on Monday, his club has announced.
Shaw Lane defender Daniel Wilkinson, 26, collapsed during a cup game at Brighouse Town’s St Giles Road stadium.
He was treated on the pitch before being taken to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.
“He was such a great lad. I don’t know how we move on,” Craig Elliot, manager of the Barnsley-based club, who play in England’s eighth tier,
“It’s just devastating. Everyone went to the hospital. We all deal with it in different ways, but we just have to support the family as much as we can.
“His mum and dad are such brave people. We signed him in pre-season, he had just finished university at Loughborough and moved in with his girlfriend in Sheffield.”
The Northern Premier League Division One South side led the preliminary-round game 2-0 when Wilkinson collapsed with an hour played. The match was abandoned.
Wilkinson started his career at Hull City, before loan moves to Harrogate Town and North Ferriby United.
He later played for Loughborough University, Scarborough Athletic and Goole, and joined Shaw Lane from Rushall Olympic in the summer.
Shaw Lane chairman Craig Wood said in a statement: “The club would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt messages. There are no more words at this time.”
In their own statement, Brighouse said: “Words are not enough to capture the complete sense of despair and desolation that surrounds the club this morning following last night’s tragic event.
“Our thoughts and support also go out to our footballing friends at Shaw Lane and huge thanks also must be paid to the volunteers and emergency response teams who tried valiantly to save Dan’s life.
“Rest in peace young man – the world is a poorer place without you.”
It happened just a day after former Burkina Faso international Ben Idrissa Derme died while playing for amateur side AJ Biguglia in the French Cup.
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