Hibs’ manager Terry Butcher today paid tribute to Under 20s player David Paul who sadly passed away in his home over the weekend.
Speaking to Hibernian TV, Butcher said: “Everybody is in total shock and disbelief; David was such a popular member of the under-20s squad.
“David was at the club since he was 10, so he was part of the Hibs family. When you lose a member of your family, it hurts everybody.
“We are hurting and all of our love and best wishes go to his family – they’ll be hurting even more.
“I can’t quite comprehend the feelings they are going through. We’ve lost a good player and a good team-mate and that certainly hurts us.”
The under-20 squad had staged a Christmas show, a spoof version of ‘X Factor’ with players singing, on Friday afternoon to entertain the first team squad and Butcher reveals it was filled with laughter.
But now there is a sombre mood around the Training Centre in the aftermath of the terrible news; something Butcher says he and the players are trying to come to terms with.
He added: “When I heard the news, I was both devastated and shocked. We’ve gone from such a high on Friday with the Christmas show to such a devastating low on Sunday.
“I’ve been back into the same room today and it brought a lump to my throat because that’s where David was up on stage performing as part of ‘Jedward’.
“It was horrible to be back in that room and to realise he is no longer with us.
“Friday was the under-20s’ last day before the Christmas and New Year break, so they are away, but we will give them counselling and I will speak to them.
“I’ve spoken to the first team squad and a few of them had played alongside David. It’s very hard for them to understand what’s gone on, get a handle on it and get on with their work.
“We have to move on and I’m sure David would’ve wanted us to carry on and win. That’s our mission now – to do it for David.
“Time is a great healer, but it is still very raw at the moment because not much time has lapsed.
“The players will have heavy hearts and it will be fresh in their minds. We will respect his memory and we want to do our very best.
“We will think very fondly of David because he was a special guy. That memory will motivate us now to want to do well for him and his family.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
