At the age of 32, Paul Mitchell, a fan of Birmingham City who infamously punched an Aston Villa player during a game in 2019, has passed away
Football fans all over the country have expressed their condolences and shared positive memories of Paul Mitchell.
Birmingham City football fan Paul Mitchell who punched Jack Grealish cause of death, obituary, age, family
According to reports, Paul Mitchell, whose friends called him “Mitch,” was found dead at an address in Birmingham. The man was a troubled father of three who had already served four weeks of a 14-week sentence for attacking and getting on the field during the Second City derby.
Rest easy Paul Mitchell, the Birmingham City fan who attacked Grealish back in 2019, sadly passed away at just 32 years old. #kro pic.twitter.com/8OnKjMyCoZ
— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) March 16, 2023
Even though the incident has caused a lot of controversy, fans from both Birmingham City and Aston Villa have come together to honour Paul Mitchell and console his family.
Graham Bowcott, a Villa fan, said, “Doesn’t matter what team he supported he’s still someone’s son, I’m a VILLAN and my thoughts are with his family and friends.”
His mum Debbie Drew spoke following his death, saying: “Our family loved him so much.” He has a cousin named Lucy as well but nothing is known about the mother of his children. No cause of death has been officially revealed.
Mitchell made headlines in March 2019 when he invaded the pitch at St Andrew’s stadium and attacked Grealish during an EFL Championship game between Birmingham and Aston Villa.
Fans pay tribute to Birmingham City supporter Paul Mitchell
The news has saddened fans of the Blues, who have taken to social media to express their condolences. Lisa Michelle said, “RIP ‘mitch’ only met you few times but you were a funny person who’s troubles got the better of you and will sorely be missed KRO SOTV.”
Conflict between players and fans needs seen seriously
Even though Paul Mitchell’s death was a sad time for football fans in the city, the response to it has shown that there is a sense of unity and respect among fans, no matter how different they are. As more and more people say nice things about Mitchell, it’s clear that many people will miss him.
During games, players and fans getting into fights is a big problem in football. Not only can these things stop the game and hurt people, but they can also have serious effects on the people involved. In some cases like Paul Mitchell, fans have attacked players physically, hurting them badly enough to keep them out of the game for weeks or even months. In the same way, fights between fans and players or other fans have hurt or even killed fans.
To stop these things from happening, strict rules are in place, like more security at stadiums and harsh punishments for people who act violently during games.
To know more about Paul Mitchell, do follow The SportsGrail on a regular and frequent basis.
ALSO READ: Who is Shalonda Mixon sister of Joe Mixon, age, boyfriend and profession