Town fan Phil Coppeard is amongst those missing since the Christchurch earthquake on Tuesday. Phil, 41, had only recently emigrated to New Zealand with his wife Suzanne Craig.
Phil, originally from Newmarket, was travelling to Canterbury University for his second day studying economics there and was probably on a bus in the centre of Christchurch at the time of the quake. Family and friends have unsuccessfully tried to contact Phil via his phone ever since.
Suzanne has been visiting hospitals to try to find out if Phil has been registered by any of the emergency services but also so far without success. Some of those injured have been taken to hospitals elsewhere in New Zealand so it may be possible that Phil has been moved away from the area.
Jon Craig, the Supporters’ Club’s overseas branch co-ordinator, is a friend of Phil’s: "Phil was one of our regular gang and had a ten-year season ticket when the debentures were being sold in 2003.
"He moved from London to work in Dubai around five years ago and donated his season ticket - completely free of charge - to the North of England Branch.
"We sold the season ticket at a discount to our members and the sums raised from its sale were a major contributor towards funds used to sponsor Jordan Rhodes and thereafter Ronan Murray.
"Phil posted on TWTD many times, mainly around the period 1999 to 2006 under the name Cambridge8.”
Prior to moving to New Zealand for a career break, Phil worked as a chartered accountant at KPMG and then in aviation finance for Babcock Brown in London and Dubai for around 10 years. Phil’s wife Suzanne spoke to Radio New Zealand earlier in the week.