Manchester United paid a touching tribute to PC Matthew Blades, one of two police officers killed in the A66 crash earlier this month, by having his two young sons lead out the team before their opening home match of the season.
PC Matthew Blades was one of two officers killed in a head-on collision with five "joyriders" on the A66 near Middlesbrough. Blades and his sons were regulars at Old Trafford and frequently pictured at the stadium.
Sons lead out the Red Devils
Blades' two sons, Max, eight, and Lucas, six, led out the Red Devils ahead of the match. A statement from United said it learned of the deaths of the two officers "with great sadness".
Fans reacted warmly to the tribute on social media. "Great that they can be mascots; their dad would be so proud," one fan shared. "Great touch by my club but I’m sure they’d rather not be doing it in those circumstances. Let’s give those boys a massive cheer," a second said. A third posted: "The club gets things bang on with things like this!" And another added: "Wonderful gesture from the club. Hopefully there will also be a minute silence observed to pay our respect to such positive members of society. A tragic loss."
Widow due at Old Trafford
Blades' widow, Sarah, is also due to be at Old Trafford for the match. A close friend of Blades said: "For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family. Since Matt’s tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support.
"That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness. Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero!"
Crash details
Blades and PC Tom Clough were killed last Saturday after colliding with the VW Passat on the A66. Michael Cahill, Jakub Matusiak, both 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and 17-year-olds Cole Worthy and Theo Rae were also killed.
