"The least we can do is keep his memory alive": Cody Fisher's teammates pay tribute at memorial match
Bromsgrove Sporting FC hosted Stratford Town in last night's tribute game to the former player.
Teammates of Cody Fisher have described him as a "joyful person" and "a great player" as his two former teams met for the first time since his death.
The 23-year-old was stabbed at Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham on Boxing Day last year.
Bromsgrove Sporting FC were beaten by Stratford Town 1-nil in the league fixture at the Victoria Ground last night (Tuesday). The game was postponed in January as a mark of respect to the defender who played for both sides during his career.
Ahead of kick-off, a minute silence was observed and play then paused in the 23rd minute for a round of applause in tribute to Cody.
Speaking ahead of the game, Bromsgrove Sporting captain and friend of Cody's Thomas Taylor said: "Cody was a joyful person. When he was here (at Bromsgrove), we were in a relegation battle and he would just make us all laugh.
"He'd get the players all bubbly and bouncing, and everyone having a laugh even when we weren't getting the results.
"He was always here, always positive. In football, you often meet people that you don't sort of take to, but everyone took to Cody. He was in with everyone, everyone has something good to say about him and he got on with everyone. He was just a fun guy and just a great lad.
"I think the least we can do, the people who played with him and the people who knew him, is to keep his memory alive because he was the sort of guy to keep us alive when we had tough times here."
During the match, Bromsgrove Sporting players wore a special memorial kit which the club said will now be auctioned off online to raise money for Cody's family and their charity of choice.
Last month, Stratford Town dedicated their match against Kings Langley - the first game the team played following Cody's tragic death - to the 23-year-old.
A group of schoolchildren from St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, where he coached, carried his number 23 jersey onto the pitch, ahead of it being retired.
Stratford Town has also launched a community fund, named Cody 23. It will help support young people to gain qualifications in football coaching and refereeing.
Two men, Kami Carpenter, 21, and Remy Gordon, 22, have been charged with Cody's murder. They will stand trial in July.
The Crane nightclub has has its licence permanently suspended.