Viola Beach: Manchester City fans 'clap for Craig' and pay tribute to crash victim against Tottenham

Gemma Hepworth asked for a tribute to be made to her former partner Craig Tarry in a post on Instagram

Genna Hepworth with her former partner Craig Tarry (Instagram / @gemmahep)

Manchester City fans paid tribute to a supporter who died in a car crash in Sweden during the fifth minute of their Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Craig Tarry, the manager of British band Viola Beach, died alongside the band’s four members when a car they were travelling in plunged into a canal in Stockholm.

Tarry’s ex-girlfriend, Gemma Hepworth, posted a tribute to her former partner on Instagram this morning which asked supporters attending today’s match at the Etihad to ‘clap for Craig’ in the game’s fifth minute.

 

Yesterday we tragically lost a very dear friend @craigtarry in a road traffic accident over in Sweden. Tragic circumstances doesn't even cover it. He was on tour with the band he managed, @violabeach four lads, who also sadly died. Craig and I spent most of our university days together, we were in a relationship for over two years. He introduced me to some superb music, a great football team and a wonderful family. He spoke about all of the above with a sparkle in his eye. He never gave up on his dream, he sure knew his stuff on musicians and bands, and he managed to create his dream job from that very talent. I feel sick to the stomach typing this out, many beautiful memories. Thinking of you and your family, and the band's families, at this heartbreaking time. Fans and friends of the band and Craig have joined together on Twitter, Craig was a lifelong @mcfcofficial fan, so please join us clapping for Craig in the fifth minute of the #manchestercityfc match today. I'm going to be at the match and I'll be clapping for you, my lovely Thanks for the music, Craig. Live foreverx

A photo posted by Gemma Hepworth (@gemmahep) on Feb 14, 2016 at 1:06am PST

“Tragic circumstances doesn't even cover it. He was on tour with the band he managed, @violabeach four lads, who also sadly died,” Ms Hepworth wrote.

“Craig and I spent most of our university days together, we were in a relationship for over two years. He introduced me to some superb music, a great football team and a wonderful family.

“Craig was a lifelong @mcfcofficial fan, so please join us clapping for Craig in the fifth minute of the #manchestercityfc match today,” she added.

“I'm going to be at the match and I'll be clapping for you, my lovely.”

The club's supporters duly paid their respects to Tarry with a round of commemorative applause after five minutes had elapsed.

Viola Beach were in Sweden to perform at the Where’s the Music? festival in Norrköping.

The cause of the accident, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, is as yet unknown but Swedish police are investigating the matter.

Local reports suggest the car veered off a bridge, smashed into a road barrier and plunged into the water.

The Warrington-based band’s members were Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin.