Tributes have been paid to a “much loved” football player who died in hospital after an alleged assault at York railway station.
Married father-of-one James Hitchcock, 32, suffered life-threatening head injuries during the incident, which the British Transport Police described as a “serious assault”, on Sunday night.
The Barton Town FC player, from Cottingham in East Yorkshire, was rushed to hospital where he died on Wednesday with his family at his side, police said.
Mckenzie Dicicco, 22, from Harsley Road, Stockton-on-Tees, has been charged with murder and affray following Mr Hitchcock’s death.
Mr Hitchcock was the first team goalkeeper for Barton Town Football Club, which said in a tribute they were left “devastated” by the news of his death.
His family, who paid tribute to him in a statement released by British Transport Police on Thursday, said: “Our hearts are broken.
“We still cannot comprehend the events that have taken place.
“James was one in a million, the life and soul of the party and did not deserve to be taken from us so soon.
“His memory will live on in the life of his beautiful baby boy.”
Barton Town FC said all the games scheduled for this weekend will be postponed “as a mark of respect.”
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his wife April, their young son Freddie, his parents, family and friends,” the club added in their statement.
The club’s chairman, Mark Gregory, told the BBC on Thursday that Mr Hitchcock was a “popular but quiet” member of the first team, who joined the semi-professional club, which plays in the Northern Counties East League, from Bridlington Town at the start of the season.
He told the BBC: “The news of James’s death has been hard to take in. It’s horrible.
“James was a popular member of the club. We are all devastated. We are a very close-knit club.”
Mr Hitchcock’s former club, Bridlington Town FC, also paid tribute to their former player, saying they were in “disbelief” at the news of his death, and that Mr Hitchcock was “much loved”.
“The word ‘devastated’ does not explain how we as a club feel at this time,” they added.
“‘Hitch’ will always be on our minds and in our hearts and our deepest condolences and thoughts and prayers go to April and Freddie and all the family.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said Dicicco is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
