Derry City's Brandywell Stadium to be renamed in honour of the late Ryan McBride

The Brandywell Stadium is set to be named in honour of the late Ryan McBride following a public consultation by Derry City and Strabane District Council.

The Council held an online vote on the proposal, which carried with 71% of voters in favour and 29% against, and councillors subsequently voted to approve the proposal on Thursday.

The Stadium will be renamed the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in honour of the former Candystripes captain, who tragically passed away in March of 2017.

The 27-year-old was found unresponsive in his home a day after leading the Candystripes to victory over Drogheda United in Derry's temporary home stadium at Maginn Park in Buncrana.

The city of Derry ground to a halt as tens of thousands of mourners took to the street to pay their respects to both McBride and Martin McGuinness, who were buried on the same day.

"Everyone in our city was deeply touched with the untimely death of Ryan," said Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy.

"It had a deep impact on his family, the Brandywell community, the wider city and those connected to Derry City Football Club.

"Ryan's life, on and off the field, has left a great legacy in our city and the club and its players will continue to draw inspiration from him for many years to come.

"It is fitting that Ryan's legacy should live on through the stadium and the club he loved."