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September 30, 2024
In a letter to the English Football League, West Bromwich Albion requested that the league look into the circumstances surrounding the death of a fan during Saturday’s Championship match against Sheffield Wednesday.
In the stands, Mark Townsend, 57, suffered a medical emergency and passed away. Many West Brom supporters at the game have expressed disapproval of the incident’s circumstances, especially the length of time it took Townsend to get medical attention.
Albion has written to the league expressing concern. Still, they have also stated that they will collaborate with Sheffield Wednesday, which is carrying out their investigation. It is understood that they think an accurate account of what happened will require a coroner’s inquest.
In a post on X, Townsend’s brother Steve said that his brother’s passing had “truly broken” his heart and that it had taken the paramedics fifteen minutes to get to the top tier of the West Stand, where the away fans are positioned. “My son had to watch my brother pass away and lose an uncle and is left with those memories; I have had to break the news to my parents and his wife,” Townsend wrote.
When on-site medical teams failed to respond promptly, a West Brom supporter, who was also an off-duty paramedic, tried to perform CPR on Townsend. The absence of a readily accessible defibrillator and the officials’ failure to halt the game to expedite treatment were other grievances raised by supporters.
An NHS trust representative for Yorkshire Ambulance Service stated: “Medical cover for spectators at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is provided by a private company and their staff were first on scene at this emergency. Yorkshire ambulance service is contracted by the club to provide medical cover for the players. A critical care paramedic and emergency ambulance were subsequently dispatched to the scene to assist with the incident.”
A Sheffield Wednesday spokesperson said: “The club continue to liaise with West Bromwich Albion and all relevant parties as we collectively establish the full circumstances regarding this tragic loss of life. We echo absolutely the request of West Bromwich Albion that Mr Townsend’s family are allowed to grieve privately.”
The team has confirmed that the West Brom championship game against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night will feature a tribute to Townsend. The team led by Carlos Corberán will wear black armbands, and fans are encouraged to join in on the 57th-minute round of applause.
The EFL announced that it had received the letter from West Brom and would collaborate with both teams to collect data and firsthand accounts. It said this procedure was standard following a tragedy of this nature.
Wednesday have issued a lifetime ban to an individual responsible for an “abhorrent” social media post related to Townsend’s death. “The individual has been charged by the police and will face the full force of the law,” the club said.
Following his team’s contentious 1-1 draw at Swansea, Bristol City manager Liam Manning demanded that VAR be implemented in the Championship.
Ben Cabango gave the Swans the lead with a corner kick in the fifteenth minute, following Ronald’s apparent interference with Robins goalkeeper Max O’Leary. Bristol City earned a point when Jason Knight headed home 14 minutes from time, but Manning insisted Swansea’s goal should not have stood.
Manning said: “It’s quite clear for me when you see it back. I’ve seen it from numerous angles, Max is trying to get free, but it’s hard when somebody has hold of you. I want contact but when it’s that obvious. Block within the laws of the game, but that’s a clear foul.”
“It’s getting to the stage where VAR will probably help it. There’s cons to it, but also a huge amount of pros. When you look at key decisions dictating outcomes of games, it’s a huge part of it.”
Manning expressed extreme annoyance, claiming that Football League officials had concentrated on holding at set-pieces before the Championship ball was kicked. “We had a pre-season meeting with the referees and the EFL, and they said they were going to clamp down on blocking and grabbing people,” he said. “You’re told it’s going to happen and then it’s not, so it’s frustrating.
“I haven’t spoken to the referee. No point. It’s not going to change or do anything. We’ll send in our report and I can guess what the response will be. If you do it, do it, but don’t say in pre-season meetings you’re going to go after it, and then don’t. That’s my point.”
Regarding the match, in which Bristol City emerged victorious, Manning continued: “First half we probably conceded too much territory. We were a little bit too passive. But we put in a really strong performance second half.”
Regarding the game’s main talking point, Swansea manager Luke Williams disagreed with Manning, saying: “If you go down that road then there will be very few goals scored from set-pieces because people are impeded at every one. I haven’t seen the video, but if the complaint is about someone being impeded – please.”
Williams added: “I’ve got a very clear idea about what shifted the momentum, and it’s moments. It’s key moments where we made the wrong choice and, in this way, we’re not such a good team. We suffered, and, in the end, we’re only just about value for a point.”
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and football sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Football News Today, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for football, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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