Police given more time to question two suspects after footballer Cody Fisher stabbed to death

Police have been given more time to question two men who were arrested on suspicion of the murder of footballer Cody Fisher.

Officers were granted permission by magistrates to extend their custody.

A further suspect arrested on suspicion of murder also remains in custody, West Midlands Police said.

Two people arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender in connection with Mr Fisher’s death have been released on bail, the force added.

Two further people, also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, remain in custody.

Mr Fisher, 23, was stabbed shortly before 11.45pm at the Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham.

The nightclub where the footballer was stabbed to death on Boxing Day has had its licence suspended.

The club’s licence has now been suspended by Birmingham City Council pending a full hearing – slated for 24 January – to take place in the next four weeks.

The city council held a meeting of its licensing sub-committee on Friday and said: “The sub-committee determined that the cause of the serious crime was likely to have originated from a style of management which had failed to uphold the licensing objectives.”

The suspension notice described ‘chaotic’ scenes witnessed by police officers with regard to “inadequate” security arrangements and “evidence of drug use inside the premises”.

West Midlands Police said in the wake of Mr Fisher’s death that there had been “serious management failings” at the venue.

Lawyers representing the licence holder did not contest the suspension and said it would use the 28 days to “reflect and assist the police with the criminal investigation”.

Duncan Craig, representing Crane nightclub’s licence-holder, Digital Arts Media Ltd, said: “It seems wholly appropriate that we then have a 28-day period to reflect on what’s happened and to assist West Midlands Police with their inquiries into this horrific crime.”

He added: “There are one or two issues that my client takes with some of the matters that were asserted in the review application.

“And it’s hoped that that 28-day period will also provide an opportunity to develop a better understanding of what happened on that dreadful night.”

The Stratford Town player’s teammates are said to be heartbroken over his death.

The club’s chairman, Jed McCrory, told Sky News it had requested that their next match, scheduled for Monday away at Bromsgrove Sporting, be cancelled.

He said the club was waiting for a decision from the league “to support the fact the club is grieving”.

He added: “The players that were with Cody on the night do not feel they can play football in the near future, which is fully understandable.

“The players and club met last night and feel it is only right the first game in respect for Cody will be at the next home game and therefore the players and staff are aiming to play a week Saturday at home to Kings Langley.

“We will have a minute’s applause before the game (and) a further minute’s applause in the 23rd minute.

“We will be retiring the number 23 from the football club squad numbers.”

He also revealed that the club was arranging a memorial game, with the money raised going to his family, alongside the creation of a charity.

“We will be setting up a Cody Fisher Community Fund associated to our academy.

“This fund will be used for young adults to get a coaching license to be able to coach kids in schools like Cody did.”