READING FC has paid tribute to one of their young fans following the news of his death.
The club confirmed Ryan Duval's passing on Wednesday afternoon, describing him as a "Royals hero".
Ryan, a former pupil at the Avenue School in Tilehurst, had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative condition which meant he relied upon the use of an electric wheelchair in recent years to go about all his daily activities.
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At age 14, he met the Reading FC team and went on to design a one off football shirt which players wore during a match in 2015.
Ryan was the VIP guest that afternoon enjoying matchday hospitality, featuring on the front cover of the matchday programme and being interviewed by Sky Sports News.
Following the news of his death, Reading FC released a tweet which said: "We are deeply saddened to learn that young Royals fan Ryan Duval has passed away.
"Ryan was the inspiration behind #RyansRoyals - a project that garnered the love and support of all connected to our club in 2015.
"Our thoughts are with Ryan’s family, friends and all @AvenueSchool."
Ryan was awarded with the Child of Courage trophy at the Pride of Reading awards almost three years ago.
The club described Ryan as a "Royals hero" and "a brave young man who inspired so many".
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