Everton to pay tribute to Jet2 dad who died flying home from holiday

Everton has confirmed the club plans on paying tribute to Chris Neill who died travelling back from holiday earlier this month. The 40-year-old was flying back to Liverpool John Lennon Airport from Burgas, Bulgaria, on Monday, September 16, when he began to suffer chest pains.

The Jet2 flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Cologne, Germany, where it is believed the dad-of-two suffered a severe heart attack. His dad, Mal Neill, paid tribute to his son a week after his death as he and Chris's mum, Lesley, urgently tried to raise funds to repatriate their son's body from Germany.

Following the ECHO's coverage of the tragedy that took place while Chris travelled back to the UK with his two sons Reece, 19, and Archie, eight, along with Reece's girlfriend, the "staunch Everton fan" will be remembered by those at Goodison Park following the team's warm up ahead of their game against Crystal Palace tomorrow (September 27).

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The club will put a photo of Chris up on the screen inside the stadium with a tribute being read aloud to the fans in the ground. This comes after fans began to organise a minute's applause after 40 minutes into the first half. Everton1878 Facebook page posted: "Calling all Evertonians please could we all take a look at this and share it as much as possible for the family of Everton fan Chris Neill, on the 40th minute can everyone at Goodison v Crystal Palace on Saturday give him a send-off so his family and children will remember forever."

The club confirmed to the ECHO the fan advisory board at the club were aware and supported fans paying tribute to Chris during the match. Since Mal set up the GoFundMe to raise funds to bring Chris' body home, it has raised more than £22,000, with the 68-year-old telling the ECHO ahead of Saturday: "The response has been overwhelming.

"The GoFundMe is over £21k and we have started organising him to be brought home over the next few days. The money raised will pay for his repatriation and his funeral. There will be money left over to put in a trust for the kids. Everton kit room have donated a signed shirt and a pair of Pickfords gloves."

Speaking to the ECHO earlier this week when he paid tribute to his son, he said: "He was a staunch Everton fan and brought his children up as Everton fans. He lived life to the full and he was bubbly. He was 6ft 4in and went to the gym every day, he was massive. He lived for his children and when I was going through photos for the GoFundMe there are so many of him and his sons.

"He was full of fun, bubbly, he would do anything for anybody. I know people say that when someone dies but he would have. He was really liked by everyone."

The ECHO reported how an off-duty paramedic helped the dad-of-two after he began to suffer chest pains. Rach-Victoria Leyland wrote in a public social media post: "Permission given by Christopher's Dad in desperate times!

"As most of you are aware I attended a medical emergency last Monday on the flight home from Bulgaria. I was asked to assist with a 40-year-old male with chest pain, the male being Chris. It was apparent to me Chris was suffering from a massive MI, in simple terms a heart attack.

"I did a few checks and interventions and made the decision to tell the crew that the pilot needed to do an emergency landing. I managed with the help of an off-duty colonoscopy nurse and the crew to get Chris to the front of the plane so I had space in case Chris needed any emergency care. Sadly after a few minutes of being sat at the front of the plane, Chris had a small seizure and went into cardiac arrest.

"Between myself the crew and the nurse we attached the AED and started chest compressions instantly working for over 30 mins. Sadly Chris had his 19-year-old son and son's girlfriend and his eight-year-old son on the plane. I did a medical hand over on the runway to the German medical team.

"Chris Sadly passed away in hospital not so long after. Such a small world I have connected with Chris's dad Mal Neill today as he actually lives in Morecambe and knows two good friends of mine. Mal sent me some flowers to work today bless him."

Also following Chris' death tributes have poured in from ECHO readers, with people who knew him leaving heartfelt comments. Sam Reece commented: "Such a lovely person, thoughts are with his family. Please donate if you can even a little bit will help them all at this sad time x." Kirsty Woods said: "So sorry for your loss he was a top bloke good friend to everyone."

"So sad big man you will be missed god bless yea my thoughts are with his family," Graham Mcintyre commented. Laura-Jane Kent said: "[I] remember when I met you in the lion you were so funny proper winding me up you was full of so much banter we was all laughing are heads off. Rest easy dude please donate if you are able too let's get Chris home so he can be laid to rest thinking of your boys and family at this heartbreaking time." To read more or donate to the family's GoFundMe, click here.