The two sons of PC Matthew Blades led out the Manchester United team as mascots for their Premier League match against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died alongside five young men when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way collided with their police vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday, August 22.
His widow, Sarah Blades, attended the game as their eldest child walked onto the pitch alongside Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, while their youngest was led out by goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
The club paid tribute to PC Blades, describing him as a regular at Old Trafford and a proud Red who dedicated his life to helping others.
In a matchday programme tribute, Manchester United wrote: "Matthew was a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others."
The tribute added: "It is with great sadness that Manchester United learned of the death of PC Matthew Blades and his colleague PC Tom Clough in an accident near Middlesbrough last weekend. For Matt, some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys. His wife Sarah and two children will be at today's game, with his sons leading out the Reds as mascots."
A colleague and friend of PC Blades also shared a tribute printed by the club: "For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family. Since Matt's tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support."
The colleague added: "That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness. Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero."
Tributes across regional football
The mascot appearance followed a minute's applause held yesterday before Middlesbrough's Championship match against West Bromwich Albion at the Riverside Stadium.
Mourners also gathered to pay their respects at a match between Seaton Carew FC and FC Hartlepool, two grassroots clubs where PC Blades previously served as a junior football coach.
A66 collision details and investigation
The fatal crash occurred approximately 10 seconds after officers called off a pursuit of the Volkswagen Passat on the A66 dual carriageway.
All five occupants of the Volkswagen lost their lives in the collision: Theo Rae, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
Theo Rae and Cole Robert Worthy were close friends, while Michael Robert Cahill was also among the five inside the vehicle.
Makai Saddington had previously posted videos on TikTok showing him being chased by police, and was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting police officers.
Jakub Matusiak had also posted videos online showing himself driving recklessly.
Four of the five youths in the car had previous criminal convictions, and investigators believe they were associated with another vehicle seen ramming properties earlier on the morning of the crash.
Police are investigating whether the fatal collision and the wider spate of violence in the area are linked to organised crime.
Wave of violence in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough and County Durham have been gripped by an outbreak of violence following the crash, leaving some local residents too intimidated to leave their homes.
Middlesbrough currently records the highest crime rate in England outside central London.
The area suffered further tragedy when seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt, Natalie McDonald, 34, died in a house fire, leading to the arrest of two men on suspicion of murder.
Although police have not formally linked the fatal arson to the A66 crash, officers have not ruled out a connection to broader organised crime networks.
Barely 24 hours after the fatal fire, armed police responded to another serious incident in Middlesbrough following reports of a machete attack that left a man with stab wounds.
Officers later arrested seven additional men during operations to disrupt organised crime, bringing the total number of arrests in the crackdown to 24.
Unanswered pleas for government support
The surge in gang violence comes after local police leaders had five separate pleas for government assistance ignored prior to the fatal crash.
Matt Storey, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Police, wrote at least seven letters to the Government since July 2024 warning that local forces were woefully underfunded and struggling to protect the public.
According to his office, only two of those letters received a response, while requests for additional support were ignored.
In his most recent letter sent to Andy Burnham last month, Storey warned that shrinking recruitment was causing growing concern about whether help will be there when it is needed most.
Following the fatal A66 crash, Cleveland Police were forced to draft in 200 officers from neighboring regional forces to help restore order.
