Mike Jones

A young British coach at a top US football club has been killed in a horrendous knife attack in New York.

Mike Jones was stabbed in the head and neck. One of his ears was sliced off in the attack.

Jones, 25, coached the junior players of the New York Red Bulls, a Major League Soccer club. He had held the role for five years.

He was found in the street in Manhattan and was declared dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital.

Former Everton star Tim Cahill, who plays for the club, took to Twitter to speak of his shock at Jones' death.

So sad to hear the news about Mike Jones a coach @newyorkredbulls , my thoughts are with his family and friends

— Tim Cahill (@Tim_Cahill) October 8, 2012

 The club issued a statement, paying tribute to the Lancashire coach.

"He was a tremendous individual, a fantastic coach who loved soccer and a terrific friend for many of us," said the club.

"This is truly a sad day for our soccer community and we will do our utmost to help authorities in their investigation of this case."

A spokesman for the NYPD said a murder investigation had been launched. 

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