Jlloyd Samuel, who amassed more than 200 appearances in the English Premier League for Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, has died following an early morning road traffic incident in Cheshire, England.
Samuel, who represented Trinidad & Tobago at international level, was involved in a serious collision at 07:55 BST, according to local police. It is understood that the Range Rover in which Samuel was traveling in collided with a van. Reports state that Samuel was returning home from dropping his children to school.
The driver of the van, a 54-year-old man, has also sustained serious injuries and is currently being treated in hospital.
Samuel was a well-known figure in English football throughout a professional career which saw him represent Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers between 1998 and 2011. His career took him to Iran where he played more than 100 times in four seasons before returning as player-manager of non-league side Egerton FC.
RT’s Stan Collymore, a teammate of Samuel’s at Aston Villa, described him as a “fantastic pro” and added that the Villa family will be “distraught”.
Aston Villa said they will wear black armbands in memory of Samuel during their playoff semi-final against Middlesbrough this evening.
The Trinidad & Tobago Football Association also released a statement, saying: “The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and his former national team-mates at this time extends deepest condolences to his family members both in the UK and here in Trinidad and Tobago.”
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Manchester United and England player Ashley Young also paid tribute to his former teammate, saying: “Absolutely gutted to hear the news of the passing of Jlloyd Samuel. Took me under his wing when I joined Villa and helped me settle. Such a good guy on and off the pitch and a truly good friend.”