Coventry City football club pays tribute to Terry Hall with match banner
Coventry City football club has paid tribute to Terry Hall following The Specials frontman’s death last weekend.
The Specials announced Hall’s death earlier this week, who died of pancreatic cancer last Sunday (December 18), aged 63.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced,” the band wrote in a Twitter thread.
“Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.
“He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him and leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity. Terry often left the stage at the end of The Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words… ‘Love Love Love’.
The late singer’s hometown football club has now paid tribute to the Coventry native with a digital banner at a recent match.
“Hello, I’m Terry and I’m going to enjoy myself first,” the banner read, lyrics from The Specials’ 1980 song ‘Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)’. “Terry Hall 19/03/1959 – 19/12/2022.”
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) December 21, 2022
@Coventry_City @thespecials Well done Coventry City FC.
RIP Terry Hall#pusb #thespecials #TerryHallRIP pic.twitter.com/AD32Krdh0r— Myles Cadden (@Myles_Y) December 21, 2022
A number of other tributes have been paid to Hall in recent days, including from Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn – who shared a video of himself playing a solo piano rendition of the Specials’ 1980 hit ‘Friday Night – along with further messages from Sleaford Mods, Billy Bragg, The Libertines, New Order, Rowetta, Lol Tolhurst of The Cure and more.
On Tuesday (December 20) The Specials‘ Horace Panter shared a statement on Facebook outlining the weeks leading up to Hall‘s death.
In the post, he recalled receiving a phone call from the band’s manager, Steve Blackwell, informing him that Hall had been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas which had spread to his liver.
“The world has lost a unique voice and I have lost a good friend,” he wrote.
Fans have been sharing footage of Hall‘s last gig with The Specials, which you can watch here.
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Hollie Geraghty
NME
