Yahoo News Birmingham City pay heartbreaking tribute to former player of the year Matija Sarkic
Birmingham City have paid tribute to former goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, who has died at the age of 26.
Birmingham fans saw glimpses of Sarkic's potential during a loan spell from Wolves in 2021/22, when he was crowned player of the season despite suffering a bad shoulder injury in January that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
He went on to star on loan for Stoke City the following term before joining Millwall on a permanent deal last summer. His form at the Den helped ensure their safety in the Championship while he was also establishing himself as number one for Montenegro at international level.
Birmingham said in a statement: "Birmingham City Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former player Matija Sarkic.
"The Montenegrin goalkeeper represented Blues during the 2021/22 season, joining on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. He played 23 times for the Club, and despite the last of these appearances coming on New Year’s Day, his performances and character earned him the Men’s Supporters' Player of the Season Award.
"Rest in peace, Matija Sarkic."
Sarkic was born in Grimsby, the son of diplomat Bojan Sarkic and an English mother, Natalie Todd, a former British diplomat who challenges the rise of populism around Europe.
He was on the books of Anderlecht, in Belgium, as a schoolboy before joining Aston Villa under-21s in 2015. He had loans at Wigan and Livingston as part of his development but moved to Wolves in 2020 with an eye on a clearer pathway to the first team. He attracted scouts with an impressive loan spell at Shrewsbury Town and was taken to Birmingham by Lee Bower in 2021 while Neil Etheridge was recovering from the effects of Covid.
He racked up clean sheets and then keeper coach Andy Marshall, who had worked with him at Villa, told BirminghamLive: “From my point of view it became a bit of a no brainer to bring him into the building."
“I got to know him very quickly (at Villa) and the thing with him is he is a very confident person. He comes from a very good background, he is very well-educated. So anything that you told him it was very easy for him to take on board very quickly.
“One of the things I liked was that his development skills and learning was first class. Anything I told him he literally immediately picked up on it. It wasn’t telling, telling, telling, once or twice was enough. He absorbs information very quickly and by doing that you progress yourself very quickly.
“He was a model pro. Once we started to teach him how to look after himself – and what I mean by that is on a Saturday everyone sees all the gloss and glamour of Matija Sarkic playing the ball out, making saves and coming for crosses. But the hard work you do on the training field and the work you do away from the training field is paramount.
“The way you live your life, the way you conduct yourself around the city of Birmingham, the way you go to bed early. As a professional footballer you can’t be going out the evening before a game and then expect to play at an optimum level the next day. Sacrifices have to be made as a professional footballer and Matija brought this onboard very early. That was a part of what I had to educate him in and what I am trying to educate our other young goalkeepers in.”
Fellow clubs have paid their own tributes.
Millwall said in a statement: "Millwall Football Club is completely devastated to announce that Matija Sarkic has passed away at the age of 26. Sarkic, The Lions' number one goalkeeper, made 33 appearances for the club since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023. A Montenegro international, Matija proudly represented his country on numerous occasions.
"Everyone at the club sends their love and condolences to Matija's family and friends at this immensely sad time. The club will make no further comment at this time and asks that the privacy of Matija's family is respected."
Aston Villa, where he had been in their youth team, said: "Everyone at Aston Villa is deeply saddened by news of the passing of our former goalkeeper Matija Šarkić. Matija joined our Academy in 2015 and spent five years with the club, during which time he made his full international debut for Montenegro, before departing in the summer of 2020.
"The thoughts and condolences of all at the club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time."
A statement from Stoke City said: "Stoke City Football Club is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the club’s former goalkeeper Matija Šarkić at the tragically young age of 26.
"The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with Stoke City are with Matija’s family and friends at this sad time. Our support and sympathy is extended to Millwall Football Club and the Montenegrin national team, together with all those in football that have counted Matija as a teammate, colleague and friend."
