Sheffield United and Leeds pay tribute to George Baldock ahead of Championship clash

Both teams wore black armbands as a mark of respect, whilst a minute's applause was observed by players and fans alike.

Sheffield United supporters held up banners bearing Baldock's image and name.

In a poignant gesture, Ethan Ampadu of Leeds and Jack Robinson of Sheffield United laid white wreaths before the away fans.

The Elland Road big screen displayed a picture of Baldock, honouring his memory.

Former Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic spoke of the difficulty in processing Baldock's passing.

He reminisced about their partnership on the pitch, saying, "He was my partner when he was here. Me and him would dominate on the right side when we would play together."

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Chris Basham, another ex-teammate, added his thoughts: "He was definitely the heartbeat of the dressing room.

"He'd be the first to put the music on and get the boys rallied up ready for the game."

Basham also praised Baldock's footballing abilities: "One-on-one he was probably the best I played with, he was very hard to get past and set his standards very high, playing against the best internationally and for his club."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder expressed the emotional toll on the team. "It's been really difficult," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"It puts everything into perspective, doesn't it?"

Wilder, who signed Baldock in 2017, acknowledged the challenge of focusing on football amidst the tragedy.

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"We're in the industry of football, we're football people, but there's something miles bigger than the game of football on Friday," he said.

The manager emphasised Baldock's significance to the club: "I'm having to talk about the game, and having to talk about the sad passing of a player that meant so much to everybody here at Sheffield United."

James McAtee, another former teammate, shared his struggle: "I've been speaking to some of my old team-mates and it's been hard to talk to them to be honest."

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George Baldock spent seven years at Sheffield United, helping the club achieve promotion to the Premier League twice.

He made over 400 appearances in English football before moving to Greek side Panathinaikos last summer.

Despite being born in Buckinghamshire, Baldock had Greek ancestry and represented Greece internationally, earning 12 caps.

Tragically, Baldock was found dead on 9 October in the pool of his home near Athens. He was 31 years old.

Baldock was affectionately nicknamed 'Furious George' by Sheffield United fans for his uncompromising style. Supporters also called him 'Starman', singing his name to the tune of David Bowie's hit song.

He had been due to fly home to celebrate his son's first birthday before his untimely passing.