Two men have been arrested after a Matlock Town footballer died following an assault in Nottinghamshire.
Jordan Sinnott was found unconscious with a suspected fractured skull following two disturbances in Retford on Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Nottinghamshire Police launched a murder investigation after the 25-year-old died in hospital shortly before 6pm on Saturday.
Three men have now been arrested in connection with the incident, including two men both aged 21 who were arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday, police said.
A 27-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm shortly after the incident remains in police custody, the force added.
Officers initially responded to reports of up to eight men and women being involved in a disturbance in the Dominie Cross pub car park in Grove Street shortly after 11.25pm on Friday.
They were later called to assist ambulance crews attempting to treat Mr Sinnott after he was discovered unconscious with a suspected fractured skull following a subsequent incident at around 2am in Market Place.
Mr Sinnott remained in hospital after the incident while receiving treatment for his injuries, where he died surrounded by his friends and family.
He is the son of former professional footballer Lee Sinnott – who played for Crystal Palace, Watford and Bradford City during his career.
Two other men were also injured during the incidents. A 27-year-old man sustained a suspected broken nose while a 44-year-old man suffered a suspected broken jaw.
Detective Inspector Justine Wilson, leading the investigation, said Mr Sinnott’s family “deserve answers” as she appealed to members of the community to come forward with any information.
In a statement, she said: “We are making progress in the investigation, but we have unanswered questions.
“I know there are people out there who saw what happened and can answer those questions for us, so I would like to appeal to you directly – please do the right thing, not just for us but for Jordan’s family.”
Matlock Town said on Sunday that their fixture against Grantham Town on Tuesday had been postponed due to the “tragic events”, after they had previously cancelled Saturday’s game against Mickleover Sports.
In a tribute to Mr Sinnott on twitter, the non-league club wrote: “You weren’t just a footballer, you were our friend and brother.
“You gave us incredible memories and scored your first career hat-trick in your final game for the club.
“Rest easy Jordan, we love, miss and will never forget you.”
He started his football career as a youth player at Huddersfield Town, whose under-18 team he captained in 2012, before joining Altrincham on loan.
He also played for Halifax Town and Chesterfield ahead of a move to Alfreton Town, who also called off their Saturday fixture following the incident.
A statement from Alfreton Town following Mr Sinnott’s death said the club is “saddened and heartbroken”.
It added: “Jordan was a model footballer and an exceptional talent during his time at the Impact Arena and had a close affinity with both the manager, assistant and the players he took the field with.
“Rest easy Sinbad, we will never forget you.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article