SPL teams pay tribute to O'Donnell
The players, officials and supporters of Dundee United and Hearts paid tribute to Phil O’Donnell with a minute’s applause before their Clydesdale Bank Premier League match.
Tannadice fell silent as both sets of players stood around the centre circle, before the ground erupted in applause on the signal of referee Alan Freeland.
United had a bid to postpone the match rejected by the Scottish Premier League as their players cope with the trauma of seeing Motherwell captain O’Donnell collapse during their game at Fir Park on Saturday.
O’Donnell, who was 35, suffered heart failure in the match against United and was later pronounced dead at Wishaw General Hospital.
Before this afternoon’s Kilmarnock versus Falkirk game there was a minute’s applause for the former Celtic and Sheffield Wednesday player.
Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies and Falkirk boss John Hughes joined with the players and fans in the show of appreciation at Rugby Park.
Motherwell’s match at Hibernian, the Gretna versus St Mirren match, due to be played at Fir Park, and the Old Firm clash at Parkhead were all postponed out of respect.
The third SPL game to go ahead took place between Aberdeen and Inverness at Pittodrie where there was a touching minute of applause before kick-off.
Just prior to 3pm the players and officials, all wearing black armbands, slowly walked from the tunnel and gathered at the centre circle where referee Mike Tumilty signalled the start of the tribute with a sharp blow of his whistle.
A warm applause rang out around a chilly stadium as everyone involved took time to remember the player whose funeral will take place at noon on Friday in Hamilton.
