I am a long time member of this message board but rarely post.
I hope you all don’t mind but a friend of mines young nephew has sadly passed away and asked to share a post from Facebook.
Thanks.

I am trying to get this to as many Clarets as I can, but because a lot of the fan pages are private, it can not be shared. Please could you share this far and wide, and if my Liverpool supporting friends could please put this out in the Liverpool groups, that would be amazing.

Morning Fellow Clarets, i hope everyone is well. I need to orgainse something and need the BFC community to help make it happen for me.
My 21 Year old Nephew was involved in a motorbike accident on Monday 25th August, and sadly passed away. Alex Birnie, was one amazing young man, Son to Dave and Corrie and big brother to Izzy, he was a successful business owner and lifelong claret, having a season ticket in the jimmy mac upper, where he attended games with his dad, as well as enjoying lots of away games. I am in the process of trying to get a tribute on the big screen for the Liverpool game, ideally on the 21st minute, but would also love everyone in the ground to help me celebrate the life of an absolute diamond of a lad by joining me in a minutes applause for him. I know his mum, dad and sister and the rest of his family and friends would find that amazing. If we could also share this around all the fans pages please.
Thank you. UTC. Forever 21 Buddy, always in hearts, until we meet again. xx

I’m so sorry to hear of your Nephew losing his life, such a young age. I’m sure if everyone in the ground is made aware of this on the big screen they’ll have no hesitation in joining in with a 1 minute applause. My sincere condolences all his family and friends.

Link below for a minutes applause at Colne for Alex. Need to get this out there so this happens at the Turf.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HvkpWhgU9/

Tragic.

RIP, young man and condolences to his family and friends.

Really sorry to hear of this but I'm not for all this applause during a game - there was a match not long ago when there were five of them. Sorry if that makes me feel harsh.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 9:33 am

Really sorry to hear of this but I'm not for all this applause during a game - there was a match not long ago when there were five of them. Sorry if that makes me feel harsh.

I agree Tony. It doesn't make you seem harsh to me.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 9:33 am

Really sorry to hear of this but I'm not for all this applause during a game - there was a match not long ago when there were five of them. Sorry if that makes me feel harsh.

You don't need to be "all for an applause". You can just sit there being miserable while those who join in the applause and celebrate Alex's life

BurnleyHeff wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 04, 2025 9:52 am

You don't need to be "all for an applause". You can just sit there being miserable while those who join in the applause and celebrate Alex's life

Sorry, but I'm not being accused of being miserable just because I choose to go and watch football. There's an In Memoriam in January.

It's easier not to post anything at all on this topic, and I probably shouldn't. Obviously this is a tragedy and must be a horrendous time for the young man's family.

However, I'm with CT on this. I've never really understood the link between an afternoon at football and this constant remembrance stuff. You wouldn't put it on the screen at the local cinema, or arrange a silence at Tesco. I don't see why football is the chosen medium for these things.

When there's two or three during a match - and you can't just ignore it - then it becomes a bit daft as opposed to any sort of moving tribute.

Without wishing to come across as insensitive or lacking in sympathy I agree with Tony and Notts on this. People go to watch a football match, not attend a memorial service. The club offers an opportunity to collectively remember those we have lost each year and it would be far better if everybody just engaged with that event.

It's always a tragedy when anyone dies, especially someone with so much life ahead of them. For that, you have my deepest sympathies.

However, I must echo Tony, Notts and Bacchus here. We have enough misery in this world, with few places offering temporary relief where we can lose ourselves in the moment. Football, especially at Turf Moor, is that sanctuary, for so many 'happy place, happy place, Turf Moor' afterall.

The annual memorial is far more poignant and allows the collective to remember their loved ones at an appropriate, designated time. It creates a reflective atmosphere in the ground and, for me at least, provides a concentrated moment of remembrance despite being surrounded by 20,000 people, similar to the feeling on Remembrance Sunday.

Having tributes every other match feels like Facebook-inspired grief theatre. Even if unintended, it becomes a competition of mourning. And personally, if I were to pass away (fortunately, for some, I suppose), I wouldn't want a Burnley match to be interrupted like this.

Sorry for your loss.

He's more right to a minutes applause off us than Diogo Jota, atleast being a season ticket holder he put something in to 'our' club.

Caballo wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 04, 2025 9:00 pm

He's more right to a minutes applause off us than Diogo Jota, atleast being a season ticket holder he put something in to 'our' club.

Which of course will be afforded him at the annual In Memoriam - the point I and others are making is doing it during the game.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 9:51 am

Which of course will be afforded him at the annual In Memoriam - the point I and others are making is doing it during the game.

I don't disagree with your position, merely pointing out the double standard.

Caballo wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:04 pm

I don't disagree with your position, merely pointing out the double standard.

Football figures are often given a minutes applause / silence by the wider footballing world. This is a false equivalence. I don't always agree with Tony but he's bang on here.

ŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:06 pm

Football figures are often given a minutes applause / silence by the wider footballing world. This is a false equivalence. I don't always agree with Tony but he's bang on here.

Conversely, I often find myself agreeing with you ZC, and there's probably some mileage in you 'false equivalence' argument. I support Burnley, not football though. Liverpool will be singing on 20 minutes, clap that and let the Bernie family leave a little lighter.