Teesside Football Community Honors Fallen Police Officers

Football fans and players across Teesside honored Cleveland Police officers PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who tragically lost their lives in a head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of August 22. The crash involved their police car and a vehicle traveling the wrong way, resulting in the deaths of five individuals in the other vehicle.

A minute's applause was observed before Middlesbrough's Championship match against West Bromwich Albion at Riverside Stadium, where images of the officers were displayed. Tributes were also paid at a match between Seaton Carew FC and FC Hartlepool, where PC Blades was known as a junior football coach.

Friends described him as a devoted father and husband. Hartlepool United held a two-minute silence before their National League match against Eastleigh.

The investigation into the crash continues, with 24 arrests made in connection to the incident.