Birmingham City to dedicate games to murdered six year old fan Arthur Labinjo-Hughes

The little boy was killed at the hands of his dad and stepmum in Solihull

The Arthur Memorial Matchday will be held every year
Author: Polly BayfieldPublished 7th Jan 2022
Last updated 7th Jan 2022

Birmingham City FC will dedicate their next game as their first annual 'Arthur's Memorial Matchday' in memory of murdered six year old fan Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

Starting with this weekend's match against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, the Blues will wear commemorative shirts with an Arthur 6 kit printed on them.

The shirts will then be auctioned with money raised from them going to the NSPCC, along with a portion of matchday programme sales. Funds will also go to Birmingham Children's Hospital where Arthur was treated before he died.

The memorial matchday will take place each year at the home game closest to what would have been the youngster's birthday, 4th January.

A club statement announced:

"Each year at the Arthur Memorial Matchday, an executive box will also be donated to a local children's care home for the carers and young people to use and enjoy a game in a unique way."

The family zone at the club's St Andrew's ground has been renamed Arthur's Area

Arthur's stepmum, 32 year old Emma Tustin, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years at Coventry Crown Court last month after being found guilty of the six-year-old's murder in Solihull in June 2020. His dad, Thomas Hughes, 29, was sentenced to 21 years for manslaughter.

Their sentences have since been referred to the Court of Appeal after Attorney General Suella Braverman deemed them too lenient.

The family zone at the club's St Andrew's ground has since been renamed Arthur's Area.