Supporters from both Ipswich Town and Everton stood in applause during their Premier League fixture to honour three-year-old Noah Woods, whose body was discovered following a search in Suffolk. A tribute featuring an image of Noah was displayed on the stadium's big screen, and players from both teams wore black armbands throughout the match, which Ipswich won 1-0.
Noah went missing on Tuesday afternoon after becoming separated from a relative at a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham. According to local reporting, he was last seen around 2:37pm. The three-year-old was non-verbal, partially deaf and had been undergoing an assessment for autism, factors that made the search particularly urgent.
The disappearance sparked a major community response, with approximately 1,300 members of the public joining search efforts across the area. The operation involved specialist rescue teams, sniffer dogs, a helicopter and numerous volunteers working across fields and wooded areas near the playground.
Police dive teams recovered a body from Decoy Pond, a lake located locally near the search area, on Wednesday afternoon. The child was found approximately 0.2 miles (320 metres) from where he was last seen. Suffolk Police confirmed on Thursday that the body had been formally identified as Noah, pending confirmation at formal inquest proceedings. The force stated that his death was not being treated as suspicious, with police indicating there was nothing to suggest any element of criminality.
How did the football community respond?
Both sets of supporters demonstrated their respect during the match at Goodison Park. Three minutes into the game, fans from Ipswich and Everton rose to their feet in a coordinated show of remembrance, with the club later sharing details of the tribute on social media.
Ipswich Town players and staff also made personal gestures of respect. Defender Leif Davis donated £2,000 to a fundraising appeal established to support Noah's family, while captain Dara O'Shea and goalkeeper Christian Walton were among the club delegation who laid flowers at the playground where Noah went missing.
What has the family said?
Noah's father, Rhys Woods, released a statement on Thursday through a community Facebook group expressing the family's grief. He wrote:
There are no words to describe the pain of this loss, we are all absolutely heartbroken, Noah was the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give, and we are going to miss him so very much.
How much support has the fundraising appeal received?
A fundraising page established by Good Dads Club, a community organisation for fathers based in nearby Colchester, had accumulated more than £100,000 in donations from over 6,000 supporters by Saturday evening. The rapid response demonstrated widespread sympathy for the family across the region and beyond.
What happens next?
Suffolk Police said on Thursday that officers still have a number of inquiries to complete before submitting a file to the coroner. Formal identification of the body remains subject to confirmation at inquest proceedings, which will establish the circumstances surrounding Noah's death.
