Tributes after devoted Millers fan dies after falling ill on way home from match

Robert Hudspeth, an 81-year-old fan, fell unwell after leaving The John Smith’s Stadium last Thursday and died on New Year’s Eve.

His daughter Claire Hudspeth said he had been ill for some time and had only recently had flu.

“We had been to the football and got back on the bus and my dad felt unwell,” she said.

“We stopped the bus and they called for an ambulance. Paramedics came and did CPR.

“They took him (my dad) to the hospital but there was no brain activity.”

Claire said Retforth (pictured together) had been following the Millers home and away for years and had enjoyed trips to Wembley.

She said: “He had a heart attack 29 years ago and had the flu recently.

“But he was stubborn: ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m going to the football’.

“He started going about 22 or 23 years ago — we started going together, to home games first and then away games.

“We always loved football.”

Claire said the paramedics had asked everyone to leave the coach so the fans were left outside in the cold, at which point a good Samaritan had come to their assistance.

She said: “While we were sat there, a lady came outside and helped everybody.

“She was an absolute godsend.”

The kind-hearted woman, named in reports as Sue Robinson, is said to have provided drinks, snacks and the use of her bathroom and invited the stranded fans into her home.

Brian Rowbotham, a travel coordinator, said he was shocked by what had happened and was thinking about going back to Huddersfield to show his gratitude to Ms Robinson.