A 23-year-old man who was stabbed to death on a nightclub dancefloor on Boxing Day has been named as footballer Cody Fisher.
Mr Fisher, who played for Stratford Town FC, had been on a night out with friends at The Crane in Digbeth, Birmingham when he was approached by a group of people and stabbed just before midnight.
Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead around half an hour after officers were called, West Midlands Police said.
His family have now paid tribute to the footballer, who previously played at Bromsgrove Sporting, saying they have lost their “best friend”.
The statement said: “They have broken our hearts; I have lost my best friend. My family and I are asking for privacy and respectfulness at this heartbreaking time.”
A friend of Mr Fisher, who had played alongside him at Bromsgrove, earlier told Sky News: “He was genuinely one of the nicest people you could hope to meet. He’d do anything for you.”
In a flurry of statements posted to Twitter, clubs paid tribute to their former player.
The @SportingFC account posted: “All of us at Bromsgrove Sporting Football Club are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Cody Fisher. Cody was a friend to many at the club and we send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
A second tribute from Stourbridge FC, another club for which Mr Fisher had played, said its members were “devastated” to hear of his death. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this awful time, rest in peace Cody,” the statement read.
The Walsall FC Academy also expressed sadness at the death of Mr Fisher, whom it identified as one of its former scholars. Walsall FC echoed the sentiment, adding: “We are devastated to hear this awful news. Our thoughts are with his family & friends at this difficult time.”
Police said Mr Fisher was approached by a group of people before he was stabbed. No one has been arrested for the murder at this stage, and police are urging anyone who was in the area at the time to get in touch.
Detective inspector Michelle Thurgood, who is leading the investigation, said: “This was a young man enjoying himself with friends on a Boxing Day night out, and our thoughts are with his friends and family today.
“We know there were hundreds of people in the nightclub at the time. While we’ve spoken to a number of them already, we still need to hear from anyone who was there and who witnessed or even filmed what happened.
“We believe the victim was approached by a group of people, and was then stabbed, so we’re working hard to identify all of those involved.”
Detectives are reviewing CCTV from the nightclub in an attempt to identify the culprit.
The Crane cancelled its New Year’s Eve event in light of the incident and said it was working closely with police as they continue to investigate.
A statement posted on the club’s Instagram page said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened that a man lost his life last night as our Boxing Day event came to a close. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family and friends.
“We are working closely with West Midlands Police as they investigate this crime. We encourage anybody who witnessed this incident, or has any information to share which may help West Midlands Police, to contact them directly.
“We do not feel it is right to hold our New Year’s Eve event under these circumstances. All ticket holders will be contacted directly and refunded by the relevant ticket providers.”
The scene remains closed on Tuesday while officers gather evidence, and officers will be patrolling the area over the coming days to offer reassurance.
Anyone with information has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat, quoting log 3792 of 26 December. Alternatively, you can submit information, pictures or video here. Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
