Courtney Meppen-Walter, Former England Youth Captain, Dies at 32
The former Manchester City academy player and England U18 captain, who had recently become a father for the third time, passed away at the age of 32. The circumstances of his death have not been disclosed.
Courtney Meppen-Walter, a former England youth captain and ex-Manchester City academy player, has died at the age of 32. His current club, Bury FC, announced his passing on Tuesday, stating that the thoughts of the club are with his family and friends during this difficult time. No details regarding the cause of his death have been released.
Meppen-Walter, a defender, became a father for the third time in July, welcoming his second daughter. He leaves behind two daughters and a son.
He was part of Manchester City's youth system and captained England's Under-18 side. Meppen-Walter was released by Manchester City in 2013 after serving a 16-month jail sentence for causing the deaths of two people by careless driving. Kulwant Singh, 32, and his sister Ravel Kaur, 37, died in a high-speed crash in Manchester. Meppen-Walter served half of his sentence.
Following his release from prison, Meppen-Walter joined Carlisle United, where he spent two seasons. His career continued with various non-league clubs, including Ashton United, Stockport County, Glossop North End, Chorley, AFC Telford United, Radcliffe, Guiseley, Nantwich Town, Bury, and Stalybridge Celtic. He was released by Bury in the summer of 2025 after a loan spell at Stalybridge Celtic.
In 2019, while playing for Chorley, Meppen-Walter received a 22-month driving ban after being caught driving under the influence. He was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit when stopped by police in Manchester city center. He registered 85 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 35mcg. At the time, he was also ordered to complete a 12-month community order and 80 hours of unpaid work.
During his court appearance in 2019, Meppen-Walter expressed embarrassment and acknowledged he deserved criticism. The court heard that alcohol was not a factor in the 2013 fatal crash. A probation report noted his drink-driving incident reflected poor judgment, given his previous conviction, and indicated a failure to consider the consequences of his actions.