'He was caring, loyal and fiercely protective'

The sister of a Midlothian man who died at the age of 33 after a long illness has described him as having a ‘heart of gold.’

Hibs daft Daniel Phillips, grew up in Bonnyrigg before later living in Danderhall, ‘meant everything to those closest to him’ prior to his death on Monday October 12.

His sister Amie Philips said the entire family has been left heartbroken, and she has struggled to come to terms with losing her best friend and a brother who was a devoted uncle to her children.

Family was at the centre of Dan’s world, but his other love in life was football, with him proudly supporting both Hibs and Liverpool.

His family have requested both sets of supporters at this weekend’s derby join together on the 33rd minute in applause to pay tribute to his life.

Speaking about the impact of his death, Amie said: “No words can explain how broken we are. He was our world and more.

“He had a heart of gold. He was caring, loyal and fiercely protective over his mum and sister.

“He was quick-witted, and he had a sense of humour that could never be replicated.

“We were a very close family, with endless memories and far too many to mention. But he loved winding me up.

“He left a note on top of a Domino’s box when I was heavily pregnant, telling me he had left the pizza on a plate in the microwave for me. When I went into the microwave, there was a note on the plate saying ‘haha, nae joy’.

“We were the best of friends, with a bond that could never be put into words. He absolutely adored his two nieces.

“They were the apple of his eye, and he would have done anything for us.”

Amie hopes people will remember Dan for his humour and cheeky personality and his at times ‘painful’ dedicated support of Hibs.

She said: “Supporting Hibs brought a lot of heartache at times but he took the good with the bad and loved Hibs from the bottom of his heart.

“Our dad is a Jambo, so derby day was always an experience in our family home. He loved to banter with my dad about the derbies.

“He loved to banter with my dad about the derbies.”

Amie said they hope supporters from both sides of Edinburgh’s football divide will come together to pay tribute to the much-loved 33-year-old during Sunday’s Premier League Cup semi-final at Hampden.