Deborah Akinyosoye
A Leeds United supporter is in critical condition after falling from a tree during the club’s Premier League promotion celebrations on Monday.
Ed O’Brien, 23, reportedly fell while celebrating in Millennium Square as over 150,000 fans took to the streets to mark Leeds’ dramatic Championship title win, secured with a stoppage-time goal by Tottenham loanee Manor Solomon against Plymouth.
O’Brien was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary and remains in a coma.
His mother, Stacey Barker, said, “Ed is just a young man who made a mistake and he’s paying for it dearly.”
A JustGiving fundraiser launched by friends has raised over £10,000, with NBA star and Leeds investor Larry Nance Jr donating £2,000, writing: “Thinking of you. Strength and love!”
Barker stressed her son was not heavily intoxicated, saying, “I am confident he wasn’t paralytic… and no other substance was involved.” She added, “Ed and his siblings are incredibly close… we’re holding onto every hope.”
O’Brien recently turned 23 and had undergone surgery, though concerns remain about potential brain damage. The family continues to travel from York to Leeds daily. “Some of the unwarranted comments are compounding our heartache. We urge people to consider what they are writing,” Barker said.