Rhys: stars pay their respects in a moving tribute at Rhys’s shrine

Aug 28 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON Football Club’s entire squad paid tribute to Rhys Jones as they visited the scene of the 11-year-old’s murder yesterday.

Led by their captain, Phil Neville, the players stood with their heads bowed and in silence at the makeshift shrine outside the Fir Tree pub, in Croxteth Park.

England striker Andy Johnson, along with international stars James McFadden, Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta, laid a signed Number 8 shirt and a pair of boots.

A wreath in the shape of a blue and white football bore the message: “With deepest sympathy to the family of Rhys from all at Everton Football Club.”

Praising the courage and strength of the Jones family, Neville said: “They have been very strong. It would have been one of the hardest days of their lives.

“We all have families and love our children.

“All our love is with the Jones family at the moment.”

He added: “We all feel very sad.

“We are here today to pay our respects and appeal to anyone to come out and give information about the person who did this terrible thing.

“Rhys was an 11-year-old lad and massive Evertonian. We just hope this thing never happens again.”

Defender Alan Stubbs said the shooting of little Rhys had devastated the city of Liverpool.

In an impassioned appeal for information, he said: “It has affected everyone, it has affected the whole city.

“What’s happened is a tragic, tragic event.

“Anyone with any information to help the police, please come forward.”

Rhys’s father, Stephen Jones, said: “I think it is a really, really nice touch for the guys to take that time out to go down to the site.

“I am just sorry that we could not have been there with them. We were very touched by the way that Everton looked after us on Saturday at Goodison.

“The emotion that flowed out to us was incredible.

“But I would have given anything just to have turned up at that game as normal with my two lads and to have been just faces in the crowd.

“But to walk out on to the edge of the pitch . . . it was just deafening.

“It was overwhelming – a real rollercoaster of emotions.

“We allow ourselves a few stable minutes and then it is back down to the depths and we just cannot believe what’s gone on.”