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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Ellena Cruse

Joe Finnis death: Minute of applause planned at Brentford FC game in memory of BA worker killed in crash

Fans at Brentford FC are planning a tribute to a British Airways (BA) cabin crew member who was killed in a car crash on New Year's Eve.

Joe Finnis, 25, a lifelong Brentford FC supporter, was one of three BA employees killed after a lorry collided with a Toyota Yaris shortly before midnight near Heathrow Airport in Surrey.

Dominic Fell, 23, and Rachel Clark, 20, were also killed. A 25-year-old who was travelling in the same car as the three victims remains in a serious condition in hospital.

Brentford FC is encouraging fans to remember Mr Finnis by joining in with 60 seconds of applause in the 25th minute of the game at a match against Stoke City on Saturday.

The scene of the crash in Stanwell, Surrey (PA)

The BA attendant will also be featured in a club memorial matchbook alongside other supporters who have died.

A spokesman for the club said: "Brentford FC will be using social media to share the request of Joe Finnis’ friends and family to have a minute of applause in the 25th minute of our game against Stoke City tomorrow to mark his tragic, untimely, death.

"We hope all fans of Brentford and Stoke join in."

British Airways stewardess Rachel Clark who died in a car crash at Heathrow (centre) alongside Joe Finnis (L) and Dominic Fell (Facebook)

He added that for many years the club has used the first home league Saturday game of a new year to "mark the passing of all Bees fans in the previous year".

"On Saturday 11 January we will hold a minute of applause prior to our game against Queens Park Rangers (QPR)," he told the Standard.

"This will commemorate all those involved with the club who died in 2019.

Fans will clap in memory of Joe Finnis during the 25th minute of the game on Saturday (PA Archive/PA Images)

"We will also invite QPR fans to remember all those they have lost on the same day. Joe will be remembered on that day as well and his name will feature in our memorial lists, which will be included in our matchday programme for the QPR game and on our website."

A GoFundMe fundraising page in memory of the victims of the crash has been set up by fellow cabin crew member Stephen Paul Crook.

More than 5,000 donors have raised almost £80,000.

The money will be split between the victims' families and pay for floral tributes, the organiser said.

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