TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Stratford Town footballer stabbed to death on a nightclub dance floor.
Twenty-three year-old Cody Fisher was fatally injured at The Crane nightclub in the Digbeth area of Birmingham shortly before 11.45pm on Boxing Day.
West Midlands Police said that despite efforts to save Cody, he was pronounced dead around 30 minutes later.
A 22 year-old man has been arrested in Birmingham and a 21-year-old man arrested in London, both on suspicion of murder.
Stratford Town FC posted a tribute on its website which read: “Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of Cody Fisher.
“Our thoughts are with the you at this very difficult time.
“Cody made 54 appearance for The Bards and having started with the club in 2018.”
Keen footballer Mr Fisher also played left-back for Bromsgrove Sporting FC. The club tweeted it was “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Cody Fisher”, adding “Cody, was a friend to many at the club and we send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
And a family statement, issued through police, said: “They have broken our hearts”.
Detectives are studying CCTV from the nightclub and are urging anyone in the area at the time to get in touch.
There have been reports that “groups of lads” who had been “looking to cause trouble” at the event which featured well-known techno DJ Marco Carola.
Det Insp Michelle Thurgood, 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 that the victim was approached by a group of people, and was then stabbed, so we’re working hard to identify all of those involved.”
