A football club keeps a bereaved family close
April Hitchcock still takes her young son Freddie to watch Barton Town, where his father James played in goal. After James was killed in December 2024, the club kept inviting the family back, making sure they remained part of its life.
The response has continued beyond the first tributes. Players wear James’s nickname on their shirts, a plaque stands by the tunnel, and friends share stories about him in the clubhouse.
His former clubs also meet for a memorial trophy, raising money for support after homicide. League records confirm that Barton and Bridlington played again on 7 July this year, at Goole.
None of this takes away the family’s grief. April told BBC Sport that seeing the goal where her husband once stood remains painful.
But the continued invitations mean she and Freddie have kept those friendships. For a boy growing up without his father, the club offers people who knew him, remember his laugh and can help tell his story.
Sources
React to this story
Keep the useful discoveries coming.
Get stories around your interests, with links to the evidence and context, in a free email on some Fridays.
See an example and sign up
