Derry City Captain Ryan McBride Dies at Age 27

Derry City captain Ryan McBride has died suddenly at the age of 27.

The Irish Football Association confirmed the news on its Twitter feed Sunday evening:

As reported by Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror, McBride was reportedly found dead in his bedroom Sunday morning, with the cause of death unknown.

On Saturday, McBride had helped his team to an impressive 4-0 win over Drogheda United in their League of Ireland contest.

Speaking to BBC Sport, the club’s chairman, Phil O'Doherty, expressed his shock at the news and paid tribute to McBride.

"This news is so hard to take in," he said. "He started the season so well and scored a really important goal against Shamrock Rovers recently. The players and management staff are in shock and it's an extremely tough time for everyone."

O’Doherty added that McBride was from the local area and that "he just walked across the road to his home" at the end of every home match at Brandywell Stadium.

There was an outpouring of grief on social media following the news, with clubs from across Ireland expressing their sympathy:

Former Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane also offered his condolences and revealed a recent meeting with McBride:

McBride joined Derry in 2011 and has established a reputation as one of the most dependable defenders in Irish football’s top flight. Per Mackay, fans of the club were said to have gathered outside his house in tribute upon hearing news of his death.

The news is the latest in a string of tragedies afflicted on those tied to Derry City. In February 2016, the club’s record goalscorer, Mark Farren, died aged 33 after a brain tumour. City player Josh Daniels also lost five family members in a car accident in March last year too.