Stenhousemuir have paid tribute to the midfielder Kyle Doherty, who was found dead on New Year’s Day, aged 19, following a night out in Manchester.
Doherty’s body was found approximately 20 hours after he was reported missing from Suede bar, off Deansgate, where he had been celebrating the new year with friends.
“I am extremely saddened to have to report that one of our under-20s team players, Kyle Doherty, has been found dead following a night out in Manchester,” said the Stenhousemuir chairman, Bill Darroch, in a club statement.
“We are all devastated by this news and our immediate thoughts are with Kyle’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time. Kyle was a talented footballer and had been a part of Stenhousemuir since signing for us in July 2013. He had become a regular in our under-20s team and was starting to break through in to the first-team squad. He was liked and valued by his team-mates and coaches alike. He will be missed by all who knew him.
“The entire club is in shock at this most terrible of news and we offer our deepest condolences to Kyle’s family and friends.”
Doherty was last seen by friends at 12.30am reported missing at 1.45am on New Year’s Day and it is believed he fell into a courtyard, where his body was found at approximately 10pm, inside the historic Milton Hall building at the junction of St John Street and Deansgate.
The Stenhousemuir midfielder Sean Dickson joined Darroch in paying tribute Doherty, writing on his Twitter account: “RIP Kyle. Was a pleasure to play along side him. A great player and an even better lad will be greatly missed.”
