Ipswich Town’s Leif Davis Hailed for Hands-On Search Effort and £2,000 Donation to Noah Woods’ Family
Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis has drawn widespread praise across the Premier League community after joining local overnight search parties and contributing £2,000 to the memorial fund for three-year-old Noah Woods.
Speaking in an emotional post-match interview with BBC Radio Suffolk following Ipswich’s 1–0 defeat to Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the 26-year-old defender—who recently became a father—opened up about how deeply the tragedy affected him and the entire football club.
Searching Until 3 AM After the Arsenal Match
Davis’s involvement went far beyond financial aid. Following Ipswich Town’s Tuesday evening cup clash against Arsenal at Portman Road, the defender drove out to Brantham to join the 1,300-strong volunteer search effort, remaining on foot across dark fields and woods until 3:00 a.m.:
“It was tough. It hit me really hard, especially being a new father myself. Even if I wasn’t a new father, I still would’ve been out there. I was out there until 3am after the Arsenal game.“It’s something I’d want someone else to do if it was my girl or boy. I’d love it if people came out to look for them as well. It’s a sad thing. It really hit me. I hope his family and everyone who was close to him are staying strong and safe.”
Addressing his £2,000 donation to the JustGiving fund organized by the Good Dads Club, Davis downplayed the amount, emphasizing it as a personal gesture of solidarity:
“It doesn’t matter how much people make, whatever it is. It’s just a little thing from me to show my respect to the family, who just lost their precious little boy. It really hit home for me.”
Tributes at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Noah’s memory was formally honored during Saturday’s Premier League match between Everton and Ipswich Town:
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Black Armbands & Applause: Both squads wore black armbands, and play paused in the third minute as supporters and players across the stadium joined in a standing ovation while Noah’s photograph was displayed on the stadium’s big screens.
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Dual Grief for the Club: Davis revealed that the squad entered the match under severe emotional strain, motivated to fight both for Noah’s family and for manager Gary O’Neil, who also suffered the loss of his father earlier in the week:“That was the talk before the game, those two things, with Noah’s family. We wanted to try and give everything we could for them. I think we did give everything… but we just couldn’t get that result.”
Club Delegation and Community Solidarity
Davis’s actions were matched by institutional support from Ipswich Town:
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Floral Tributes: Captain Dara O’Shea and goalkeeper Christian Walton (himself a Brantham resident) visited the Merriam Close playground earlier in the week to lay a floral wreath and pay respects on behalf of the club.
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Fundraising Milestone: Spurred by Davis’s donation and national coverage, the Good Dads Club fundraiser has climbed past £100,000 from more than 6,000 donors.
Ipswich Town enter the international break before returning to Premier League action against Fulham at Portman Road on October 10.
