Players in 30 December's English Premier League matches between Derby County and Blackburn Rovers, and Manchester City and Liverpool F.C., wore black bands in his honour. Sheffield Wednesday's matches at Hull City and at home to Preston North End were preceded by a minutes applause as a mark of respect to their former player, with the Hillsborough flags flying at half-mast. All English Premiership ties in the New Year programme were preceded with either a minute of applause or silence in O'Donnell's memory. Everton and Scottish striker James McFadden, who played with O'Donnell at Motherwell, dedicated his goal to O'Donnell in Everton's 2–0 win at Middlesbrough by pointing solemnly to his black armband and then towards the sky.