Hundreds of fans march through city as Blues pay tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes

Birmingham City has paid tribute to Arthur and revealed a number of plans to permanently honour his life
Birmingham City supporters carry banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at  St Andrew’s (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)Birmingham City supporters carry banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at  St Andrew’s (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
Birmingham City supporters carry banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at St Andrew’s (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Birmingham City paid tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes before the home game against Cardiff City on Saturday (11 December) while hundreds of fans marched through the city centre to pay their respects.

Six-year-old football fan Arthur died at the hands of his cruel step-mother and father.

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His stepmother Emma Tustin has been jailed for life - with a minimum of 29 years - after she was found guilty of murder on 3 December.

His father, Thomas Hughes was jailed for 21 years after being convicted of his son’s manslaughter.

Little Arthur grew up supporting Birmingham City and the club has a number of lasting tributes in place to honour his life which were revealed before the club’s 2-2 draw against Cardiff.

Supporters of Birmingham City walk to St Andrew’s carrying banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)Supporters of Birmingham City walk to St Andrew’s carrying banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
Supporters of Birmingham City walk to St Andrew’s carrying banners and wreaths in tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Fans march for Arthur

Hundreds of Blues fans marched through Digbeth on Saturday before arriving at St Andrew’s where wreaths and flowers were laid in his memory.

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As they marched through the city centre, the fans sang ‘we love you Arthur, we do’, before the club’s first home game since the six-year-old’s killers were jailed.

Birmingham City pay tribute

Two memorial bricks will be cemented into the club’s stadium in a lasting tribute to little Arthur - and a giant flag with his picture on was also unveiled in the lower Kop of St Andrew’s before kick-off.

During the match, a minute’s applause was held in the sixth minute while Arthur’s photo was shown on the big screen.

A giant flag with his picture on was also unveiled in the lower Kop of St AndrewsA giant flag with his picture on was also unveiled in the lower Kop of St Andrews
A giant flag with his picture on was also unveiled in the lower Kop of St Andrews

And in another touching tribute, City has also renamed its family zone to Arthur’s Area.

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Arthur’s Area will be a fun-filled space for young supporters to enjoy prior to kick-off, and planned activities will be arranged on a match-by-match basis with information points installed by local children’s charities to help tackle child abuse.

Blues have also been contacted by local stencil artist Disney, who recently sprayed a touching tribute to Arthur in the city, and he has offered to donate his talent to the area, creating designs in the new Arthur’s Area to ensure his memory lives on.

The club has also renamed the Fridays Family Zone to Arthur’s AreaThe club has also renamed the Fridays Family Zone to Arthur’s Area
The club has also renamed the Fridays Family Zone to Arthur’s Area

Memorial garden in place

Plans are also in place to create a memorial garden in Arthur’s name at St. Andrew’s.

Blues will share the designs with supporters when they have been finalised and the programme for the game against Cardiff also honoured Arthur on the front cover – with £1 from every sale being donated to children’s charities in Birmingham.

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The club also confirmed that further plans to honour Arthur are in place and will be revealed in the coming days.

Birmingham will also be reaching out to Arthur’s family, and work with them to decide which charities the family would like the club to support.

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