Keeping Everton in Our City

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/11/30/friends-and-family-lay-wreath-outside-goodison-park-to-mark-second-anniversary-of-anthony-clarke-murder-100252-25284018/

Friends and family lay wreath outside Goodison Park to mark second anniversary of Anthony Clarke murder

FAMILY and friends of murdered dad-of-two Anthony Clarke laid a wreath outside Goodison Park to mark the second anniversary of his death.

The Evertonian and founder member of Keep Everton in our City (KEIOC) died after being punched and left unconscious on Paradise Street.

Known as AJ the 45-year-old from Anfield had spent the night celebrating his wife Janet’s birthday on Saturday, November 24, 2007.

Friends and a crowd of supporters gathered at the Dixie Dean statue on Saturday to remember him.

They also hope to jog the memories of anyone who may have seen him that night.

KEIOC chair Dave Kelly said: “AJ was a founder member of KEIOC. He was extremely well liked and respected in the community.

“It’s astonishing that the perpetrators of this horrendous crime are still walking the streets.

“We hope it will lead to people coming forward and thinking hard about that night.

“Those who carried out this attack are still at large. We would urge anyone who remembers anything to come forward.”

Friends said Anthony was in “good spirits” after watching his team hammer Sunderland 7-1 at Goodison. He spent part of the time in the Grapes, in Mathew Street.

His wife went home with two friends leaving her husband at 1.30am.

AJ’s head hit the floor in the Paradise Street attack. He was discovered bleeding near McDonalds in Church Street and died three days later when his distraught family agreed to let doctors turn off his life support machine.

Now one of Merseyside Police’s most long-standing inquiries it was featured recently on the BBC Crimewatch programme.

The reconstruction resulted in 33 calls about the assault.

And officers revealed some 15 names had been put in the frame for AJ’s murder.

Two suspects were arrested in September in connection with his death.

Two men, both 23, one from Wavertree and another from Garston, were detained on suspicion of murder.

They were questioned by police before being bailed.

The arrests were understood to be “significant”.

The two have not previously been detained in connection with the Anthony Clarke murder investigation.