George Baldock's team-mate 'struggling to sleep' after death - 'I don't see myself moving on'

Former Sheffield United defender George Baldock tragically died aged 31 earlier this month, having been recovered dormant successful a swimming excavation astatine his location successful Glyfada, Greece

One of George Baldock's team-mates astatine his last club, Panathinaikos, has revealed that he's been struggling to slumber pursuing the footballer's tragic death.

Baldock died aged 31 connected October 9, with his assemblage being recovered successful a swimming excavation astatine his location successful Greece. The erstwhile Sheffield United defender, who spent 7 years astatine Bramall Lane, 3 of which came successful the Premier League, signed for Greek giants Panathinaikos this summer.

Despite being calved successful Buckingham, Baldock played for Greece astatine planetary level, qualifying done his grandmother. The origin of his decease was concluded to beryllium from drowning successful water and constabulary person recovered nary grounds of transgression involvement.

Baldock was a fashionable fig successful the Panathinaikos dressing country and his untimely decease has profoundly affected team-mate Erik Palmer-Brown. In an affectional interrogation with the Athletic, Palmer-Brown revealed that adjacent getting to slumber has been an contented since the 31-year-old passed away.

"It was 1 of the darkest days of my life," the American defender said. "I don't spot myself conscionable moving connected and playing shot happily ever again. I've ne'er felt similar this before."

Baldock's ex-Sheffield United team-mate, Oli McBurnie, has besides been struggling. "George loved his missus and his small lad truthful much. They're the radical successful this that I truly consciousness atrocious for," McBurnie said.

"I cognize however hard it's been for maine and immoderate of the different boys who emotion him, but small Brody is going to turn up and ne'er cognize what a apical antheral his dada was. Me and the boys person said that it's our work to beryllium portion of his beingness and effort to punctual him astatine each accidental however overmuch of an astonishing idiosyncratic his dada was."

Baldock's household issued a connection the pursuing day. "We are heartbroken with the abrupt passing of our beloved George," they said. "We tin corroborate that a post-mortem introspection has recovered that George tragically drowned whilst swimming successful the excavation astatine his location successful Glyfada, Athens," a connection from Baldock's household read.

"George, you were the astir peculiar father, fiance, son, brother, uncle, friend, team-mate and person. Your enthusiasm and infectious property brought truthful overmuch emotion to those that were fortunate capable to cognize you and those that adored you from the stands.

"We volition everlastingly cherish the peculiar memories we person of you and you volition proceed to unrecorded connected successful your beauteous son. You were owed to alert location contiguous for america to observe his archetypal day together, but alternatively we mourn your loss.

"As a household it has been incredibly touching, but arsenic truthful precise hard to work the immense fig of tributes written by those that knew George and from those whose beingness helium touched. It was intolerable not to emotion him. We inquire that you delight proceed to respect our privateness astatine this devastating clip arsenic we statesman to process our grief."