Football star Jordan Henderson sends sympathy to family of ‘murdered’ teenager

England footballer Jordan Henderson has expressed his sympathy to the family of a teenager who was allegedly stabbed to death in his home town.

The Sunderland-born Liverpool midfielder has backed a fundraising page for 18-year-old Connor Brown’s family with a donation of £2,500.

Two men, aged 19 and 20, were due to appear before magistrates on Tuesday, charged with murder.

Mr Brown, a GP’s receptionist and local boxer, was on a night out with friends when he was found with stab injuries behind The Borough pub in Sunderland city centre at around 1.30am on Sunday.

He was taken to hospital, but died a short while later, Northumbria Police said.

Henderson, who is from Sunderland and played for the Black Cats before his move to Liverpool, commented on the RIP Connor Brown gofundme page: “All our thoughts are with the family and friends of Connor at this heart breaking time. RIP Connor.”

By Tuesday morning, the gofundme page had reached almost double the £8,000 target set by well-wishers.

The page was set up by family friend Tracey Robinson, who described the young football fan as “beautiful”.

Beneath a photo of Mr Brown holding a Sunderland flag at a match with friends, she said: “I have known this family on a personal level for approximately 20 years.

“This family does not have one single bad word, bone or hair amongst them.

“They honestly and sincerely are the most loveliest family you could wish to call friends.”

People commenting on the page referred to Mr Brown as “respectable”, “a lovely lad” and a “gentleman”.