BOURNEMOUTH’S stars paid an emotional tribute to David Brooks during Saturday’s win at Bristol City.
The Welsh midfielder, 24, announced on Wednesday he had been diagnosed with cancer.
And in their first game since the shock news, the Cherries players remembered their stricken team-mate.
Scott Parker’s men came out for the warm-up at Ashton Gate wearing black t-shirts with a message printed on the front and Brooks’ No7 on the back.
The tops said: “Together as one, stay strong Brooksy.”
Then when Jamal Lowe opened the scoring on 21 minutes, the team celebrated by gathering together and holding up a ‘Brooks 7’ green away shirt.
Bournemouth tweeted a picture of the moment, which Brooks shared with love heart and cherry emojis.
All four stands at the home of the Robins applauded the touching gesture.
And fans from both teams continued to show their support with chants and banners having previously risen as one on the seventh minute to honour the 21-cap Dragon.
Jordan Zemura added a second on the stroke of half-time as it finished 2-0 with the Cherries top of the Championship table.
Goalscorer Lowe, who initially could not find the shirt, said: “That was arranged before the game, it was just trying to find it. It took me a while to find the shirt!
“But we found it and obviously everyone’s thoughts and prayers are with Brooksy now.
“Obviously everyone is in contact with him wishing him well, but at the same time we have got to respect his privacy, he’s obviously going through a tough time but he knows he’s got people around him.
“It has been a tough week but to bring some positivity to the club at the minute is great, all the fans that turned up today were very vocal, outsung the home support.
“To be fair I think on the seventh minute as well so fair play to the Bristol City fans.
That performance was for Brooksy
Scott Parker
“I think Brooksy deserves that to be fair and the Bristol fans did it well so good shout to them.
“Ordinarily they might have booed celebrating in front of them but you can’t boo that can you?”
Parker added: “No matter what team you support or colours you wear football has a knack of uniting people in difficult moments.
“Big respect to Brooksy from the Bristol City fans and that was nice, that performance was for him and I know it’s cliché but he’s a loved and liked boy in this team and in that performance today the boys showed exactly what he means to us as a team.
“Again, like I say, you score against an opposition team and that was touching really to clap and cheer that. We’re right behind Brooksy.”
Brooks was told he had stage two Hodgkin Lymphoma but vowed to make a full recovery.
The former Manchester City youngster underwent tests after complaining of fatigue while training with his country last Tuesday before pulling out of the squad for the World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Estonia.
And he praised the Wales medical team’s swift action which led to the quick detection of the illness.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
