€2m raised for Sean Cox's recovery following tribute match

"I do think the next phase is preparing for Sean coming out of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire and using the money that has been collected to-date very carefully towards finding the care for Sean that the family are initially planning he will get in England and then building a long-term plan for bringing him home," said Mr Felle.

He said that fundraising efforts will continue.

We really need to help the Cox family and give them space in terms of planning the next stage of Sean's recovery.

"An awful lot of events have taken place over the last six or seven months to push us towards that target of €2 million that we set ourselves.

"We've reached it this week so that's an amazing milestone as well."

Last night, tens of thousands of fans descended on the Aviva Stadium to see the Legends For Sean Cox match, organised by his beloved Anfield side.

The match saw Liverpool FC Legends defeat a Republic of Ireland XI Legends team 2-1.

Kenny Dalglish led a star-studded Liverpool team against Ireland stars of yesteryear, managed by current international boss Mick McCarthy, and featuring Robbie Keane, Sean St Ledger, Ray Houghton and a host of other big names.

President Michael Higgins attended the game and met Mr Cox’s wife and children Jack, Shauna and Emma on the pitch, as thousands of fans sang Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

A statement from Mr Cox’s wife Martina read: “The last 12 months have not been easy for us, but what has helped us get through this difficult journey has been the outpouring of support and genuine concern for Sean.

“For this we will always be thankful. We are filled with gratitude and feel truly blessed.

“A heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this special day, it will stay with us for a very long time.”

To find out more about Mr Cox’s journey, or make a donation, visit www.supportsean.com.