74-year-old Derek Reynolds died after suffering a medical emergency during Tuesday evening’s League One fixture against Lincoln City
The man who died after suffering a medical emergency during a Leyton Orient match on Tuesday has been named as life-long supporter and former stadium announcer Derek Reynolds.
In a statement on its website, Leyton Orient FC said it was “devastated to confirm that supporter Derek Reynolds has passed away.”
The 74-year-old was a life-long supporter of the club and lived in Osbourne Road, a stone throw away from the home stadium. In the 1990’s he worked as an announcer on the club’s tannoy system.
The Brisbane Road football club will play a tribute to Derek at Saturday’s upcoming home game against Reading FC. His family has been invited to the game as guests of the club.
Leyton Orient FC’s statement continued: “Despite the best efforts of Derek’s fellow supporters and medical professionals from the club’s on-site paramedics and doctors, Lincoln City and the London Ambulance Service, he sadly lost his life.
“We would, once again, like to thank Derek’s fellow supporters for the way in which they conducted themselves on Tuesday night and acted to try and help the situation.”
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During the Saturday game, a book of condolences will be available for supporters to sign in the East Stand, where Derek had been watching the game before suffering a suspected heart attack. The book of condolence will then be made available for fans in the West Stand reception “thereafter”, Leyton Orient said.
Fellow Orient fans took to social media to express their condolences.
According to fans on social media, game officials, including the referee, had wanted to restart the League One game while medics were on the scene treating Derek.
One Twitter user described the response from English Football League (EFL) officials at the match as “shameful” and “disgusting” for “making the response team run around the pitch and then trying to force the restart”.
The slow response led to about 20 fans running onto the pitch and sitting in the penalty area in a bid to force a halt to the match.
Leyton Orient did not respond to a request for comment about the response of stewards.
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