Heartbroken Cliftonville players joined in a poignant minute’s silence today as they remembered their team-mate Michael Newberry.

There were emotional scenes at Solitude as tributes were paid by fans and both teams ahead of the Reds’ Irish Cup tie against Banbridge Rangers.

The defender died suddenly on Monday on his 27th birthday.

Today’s cup tie was Cliftonville’s first game since his passing.

Before kick-off, the two teams came together with a minute’s silence to remember the player.

Wreaths were placed on the pitch by both clubs.

Earlier this week, the club’s chaplain spoke of the “shock, disbelief and sadness” following the player’s sudden passing.

Reverend Dario Leal said it has been “a difficult week for all involved in Irish League football”.

“Sometimes life throws you a fireball and you do not know how to handle or stop it,” he wrote on the Cliftonville website.

“What is certain is that whatever we do, we know we are going to get burned and it will leave a mark.

“This is what happened to the Cliftonville family with Michael Newberry’s sudden and untimely loss earlier this week.

“The shock, the disbelief and the sadness of this news has shaken us, and now we are grieving a beautiful life that left us too early.”

The defender, originally from Newcastle in England, joined his hometown club’s academy at the age of 11.

He went on to represent Northern Ireland’s under-21 squad and signed for Icelandic side Vikingur Olafsvik in 2018 and, following a three-year stint at Linfield, joined Cliftonville last July.

Rev Leal said now is the time to unite in grief, embrace one another and to celebrate Michael’s legacy.

He added: “Michael, you will live in our hearts.”