Leeds United fans pay heartfelt tribute to Toby Nye before Norwich City game

A minute’s applause in honour of six-year-old Toby – who died last month after a courageous battle with cancer – was held at Elland Road before United’s game against Norwich City.

His parents, Simon Nye and Stacey Worsley, stood pitchside as fans rose to salute their lion-hearted son, with the sound of the crowd’s applause being movingly swelled by chants of ‘there’s only one Toby Nye’.

United’s players wore black armbands for the game, while the front cover of the matchday programme featured a picture of Toby with Whites captain Liam Cooper.

Fans had earlier been encouraged to lay flowers at Elland Road’s Billy Bremner statue in the youngster’s memory.

Toby, from Osmondthorpe, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma on his fourth birthday.

He had groundbreaking treatment following a £200,000 fundraising campaign backed by United’s players, staff and fans and at one stage last summer was declared cancer free.

Tragically, however, he was then diagnosed with a brain tumour before losing his fight for life on January 12.

Hundreds of people turned out for Toby’s funeral at Cottingley Crematorium on January 25.

Leeds is united in grief for funeral of Toby Nye

The minute’s applause at yesterday evening’s game also gave fans the chance to commemorate the lives of former Leeds player Phil Masinga and young Norwich supporter Sophie Taylor, who both died last month.