Fans to pay tribute to little Dylan

9:20am Friday 10th October 2008

THOUSANDS of football fans will unite in applause in memory of brave Town fan Dylan O’Neill.

The minute-long tribute will be held at tomorrow’s home match with Huddersfield Town after the six-year-old lost his four-year battle with a brain tumour.

But no one will be clapping louder than the players.

Lee Peacock and Craig Easton attended Dylan’s funeral at Kingsdown Crematorium on Tuesday – just hours before the club’s Johnstone Paint Trophy win at Hereford United.

And Lee and Simon Cox both pointed to the sky after scoring in the 2-1 victory, dedicating their goals to Dylan and his family.

Town’s stand-in skipper Craig said: “Me and Lee went up to see Dylan just before he passed away. I think Coxy and a few of the others heard about it and it was nice to see Coxy and Lee dedicate their goals – all the lads dedicated the win to the wee man.

“Just by speaking to his dad you could see he really brought out the best in people. He was just a normal lad, wanted to do all the things wee boys do and the amount he crammed into his short life was a really nice story to hear.

“I don’t think you can do much as a footballer for what they are going through, but we saw a lot of love in the family and we wish them all the best.”

Dylan’s life will also be celebrated in tomorrow’s match day programme.

The last time the club held a minute’s applause was in March last year in memory of longstanding supporter Andy Fitchett, who lost his long battle with lung cancer.

Lee said tomorrow’s tribute was initiated by the players themselves.

He said: “It will be a fitting tribute to him and it is something the players wanted to do in his memory.”

Dylan, who underwent 22 operations in his short life, touched the hearts of Adver readers in July when heartless thieves broke into his Beech Avenue home as he slept downstairs. The burglary left him with recurring nightmares.

Police arrested someone on suspicion of the break-in earlier this month but could not link them to the crime, leaving them with no suspects.

Officers are still investigating the incident.

As a result of the incident, kind-hearted staff from Starbucks at Borders in the Orbital Shopping Centre helped dig a garden for him to enjoy.

Dylan’s dad Declan said the kindness of the players and the minute’s applause had touched the whole family.

He said: “I’m very grateful for what Lee and Craig have done for my son. But I want to thank everyone, including family and friends, for all their support.”