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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ryan Carroll

Hearts fans lead minute's applause in tribute to teen who died playing football at school

Hearts fans lead an emotional minutes applause this afternoon in tribute to a Scots teenager who died while playing football at school. Andrew MacKinnon, 15, collapsed and died at Forrester High School in Edinburgh on March 14.

The youngster was a diehard Hearts fan and, as his team played St Mirren at Tynecastle on Saturday, supporters from both sides joining in a touching moment as the game entered the 15th minute. The emotional scenes were captured in a video posted on Twitter.

In the footage a picture of the schoolboy can be seen on large screens in the stadium alongside the words "Andrew MacKinnon - Forever in our Hearts."

Hearts fans hold a minutes applause in memory of Andrew MacKinnon (Arron Fraser / Twitter)
Andrew MacKinnon died playing football with pals (collect)

The video pans across the stadium, as all four corners of the ground join in on the minutes applause. The end of the clip zooms in on a Hearts flag pinned to the end of one of the stands with Andrew's name written across the middle.

Tributes from friends and family have poured in for the promising young footballer following his death. Andrew's funeral took place on March 31, with the road outside Tynecastle awash with family and friends, as well as a number of Hearts supporters, as they said one final goodbye.

He was buried in a coffin bearing the Hearts FC club crest on it and former player and manager Gary Locke was among those who paid their respects at St David’s Broomhouse Parish Church.

Mourners lined the streets and paid their respects to the youngster, who was described as "a loveable rogue" during the funeral, and colourful smoke bombs were let off on the funeral route. Floral tributes, included a Stone Island badge and a smiling emoji wearing a Hearts hat, were laid along with other football-related wreathes.

Andrew MacKinnon's coffin being carried into St David's Church in Edinburgh (PA)

Following the death of his son, Andrew's dad (also called Andrew) said: "He was a really popular wee boy and a massive Hearts fan. He had so many friends and just loved his friends, family and football.

"He really was such a lovely wee boy and really loved his football. He died doing the thing he loved most and we are all heartbroken."

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