Charlton pay tribute to Keith Palmer at MK Dons tie after policeman died during Westminster attack

Apr 04, 2017

CHARLTON paid tribute to PC Keith Palmer against MK Dons on Tuesday – by inviting 22 of his colleagues onto the pitch to lead the tributes.

PC Palmer, a season-ticket holder at The Valley for many years, was killed in the Westminster attack last month.

The Valley fell silent as Charlton paid tribute to the late PC Keith Palmer

22 of Keith Palmer's former police colleagues joined the players on pitch for a minute's silence — 22 of Keith Palmer’s former police colleagues joined the players on pitch for a minute’s silence

Charlton supporters lay flowers in tribute to Keith Palmer outside The Valley

Twenty-two of his fellow police officers followed the players out of the tunnel before kick-off and then joined them in a minute’s silence.

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The Addicks pledged to donate 50 per cent of all ticket sales to his family, and the home players have volunteered to give the entirety of their match appearance fees.

The players wore black armbands too and the message #WeStandTogether on the back of their shirts, while a special shirt was emblazoned with PC Palmer’s warrant number ‘P204752’ on the sleeve.

Keith Palmer's brother John was a guest at The Valley for Tuesday's game against MK Dons

Keith Palmer was a Charlton season ticket holder, and his seat was turned white with his warrant number emblazoned on it

A message is written on a bouquet of flowers paying tribute to Keith Palmer

That number was also on his seat, which has been changed from red to white so it stands out.

The seat will remain that colour at least until the end of the season while the club arrange a permanent memorial outside the ground to be placed behind the Sam Bartram statue.

Charlton spokesman Olly Groome said this week: “The incident was horrendous which shook the world.

“Then you hear the policeman was a Charlton fan who many of us sat alongside without even knowing who had been coming for the best part of 30 years.

The player's shirts carried a message on the back saying 'We Stand Together'

PC Keith Palmer was unarmed when the knife-wielding suspect charged through the gates and launched the attacklast month — PC Keith Palmer was unarmed when the knife-wielding suspect charged through the gates and launched the attack last month

Keith Palmer was just one of four victims to be killed in the attacks

“When you have that common bond, you take it a little bit more personally. When a member of the Charlton family suffers like that, you feel it a bit more.

“You can’t hide the fact that it’s been a difficult few years at the club and there will be some people who haven’t been coming who will be coming as a one-off.

“That shows the strength of it that people are willing to pay tribute to a fellow Addick, as we put it.

“It will be an emotional night where the football takes a back seat a bit, certainly before the first whistle.

“But if Keith was sat up there in the East Stand, as he was for many years, he would have wanted to see Charlton win so that will be playing on minds of the players to do him proud.

“The supporters will want to do him proud too by singing his name and spurring on the players.”

Tags: EFL London terror attack 2017

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