Premier League Fans and Players Honor Young Noah Woods
Tributes paid to three-year-old Noah Woods, who died this week, with fans and players from Everton and Ipswich Town showing their respect.
Premier League fans and players observed a moment of silence and displayed tributes in memory of three-year-old Noah Woods, who died earlier this week. The tribute occurred ahead of the Everton vs. Ipswich Town match, where players wore black armbands.
Noah Woods went missing on Tuesday afternoon from a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham. Suffolk Police were alerted, and a large-scale search involving approximately 1,300 members of the public was initiated. Police divers recovered Noah's body from a local lake, known as Decoy Pond, on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities have stated that his death is not being treated as suspicious.
During the match, a picture of Noah was displayed on the big screen, prompting supporters from both Everton and Ipswich to stand and applaud in his memory, according to a post from Everton on X. Ipswich Town defender Leif Davis made a personal contribution of £2,000 to a fundraising appeal established to support Noah's family. Club captain Dara O'Shea and goalkeeper Christian Walton were among those who laid flowers at the playground where Noah was last seen.
Noah's father, Rhys Woods, shared a heartfelt message on a community Facebook group, expressing the profound grief and loss felt by his family. He described Noah as "the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give." The fundraising page, organized by the Good Dads Club, a father's community based in Colchester, had garnered over £100,000 from more than 6,000 donors by Saturday evening.
Suffolk Police confirmed that the body recovered from the lake had been formally identified as Noah Woods, pending inquest proceedings. The force indicated that several inquiries remain ongoing before a file is submitted to the coroner.