FRIENDS and family of former Cliftonville player Michael Newberry have taken part in a sponsored walk ahead of his first anniversary.
The former Linfield and Cliftonville defender tragically died on December 30 last year, on his 27th birthday.
An academy player at Newcastle United, the Geordie spent two years in Iceland with Vikingur Olafsik before joining the Blues in January 2021, winning two league titles at Windsor Park.
He then joined the Reds in 2024 and became a cherished figure in the Cliftonville dressing room.
On Sunday, family and friends were joined by supporters of both Cliftonville and Linfield, former team-mates and backroom staff from both clubs for a sponsored walk from Windsor Park to Solitude.
The walk was organised by the Michael Newberry CSC to raise money for two mental health charities, TAMHI and Action Mental Health.
In a statement Cliftonville FC said: "Cliftonville Football Club commends everyone involved in the sponsored walk in memory of Michael Newberry.
"Members of Michael’s family were also a welcome part of the procession, which was the first event in a day of appreciation wonderfully coordinated by the Michael Newberry CSC in conjunction with their colleagues in the Jonny Addis CSC.
"At what is a particularly distressing time of year for those who are missing loved ones, all at Cliftonville hope that the gathering provides Michael’s friends and family with a comforting reminder of his popularity and a further acknowledgment that they are always firmly in our thoughts and indeed those of Linfield FC as well.
"We know that Newcastle United remained his one true footballing love and that he enjoyed great times across the city with the Blues, but the old adage of ‘Once a Red, always a Red’ will forever ring true of a player we were proud to welcome into the Cliftonville family."
