Tributes to Sheffield Wednesday superfan described as 'gentle giant'

Mark Damms was found dead at his home in Longley on Friday. The cause of death is unknown, his brother Steven told The Star. Tributes paid to Mark online attributed his death to coronavirus, but that cannot be confirmed either way until an autopsy “in a few weeks”, Steven said.

Steven, 67, described his younger brother, who was one of nine children, as an “amazing guy”. He leaves behind his girlfriend of 11 years, Cheryl.

Having attending his first match as a 12-year-old, Mark had been a virtual ever-present at Sheffield Wednesday games, both home and away, for many years and was well known among supporters.

He fell in love with the club after watching the likes of Gary Bannister and Terry Curran in the old Division 1 during the early 1980s from the North stand, where he sat on home matchdays.

“That’s all we would talk about when we were out. If you cut our arms we would both bleed blue and white,” Steven said.

Mark, who attended Hinde House school, also ran a minubus to away games for Owls fans for more than half a decade.

“He never missed a game unless he was desperately ill,” Steven added.

Underlying health conditions meant Mark had to give up his business running a car cleaning service.

But his beloved Sheffield Wednesday remained a constant in his life.

“He was a true blue,” said Steven, who met up with his brother once a week for a drink.

“He had his photo with nearly every player. They all knew him because he was that big they couldn’t forget him.”

Mark’s nephew, Adam, added: “He had a Wednesday flag in his window, you couldn’t miss his flat.”

Steven described the tributes to his brother as “awesome” and said he has received well-wishes from football fans as far away as Lincoln.

He described a day out at the 2016 Championship play-off final as a standout memory with his brother and friend.

Steven said: “I want him to know how much I loved him and appreciate every match we went to.”