Memorial match for crash footballer

FRIENDS and family of a keen footballer who was killed in a car crash are to join together in a memorial match.

Daniel Girling, was 24 years old when he was involved in an accident on the anti clockwise carriage of the M25 in February this year.

Friends, who knew him as “Danny Gee”, decided to hold the game tomorrow in his memory and asked football clubs to donate prizes for the raffle.

The prize fund includes a shirt and ball signed by Ipswich Town players and signed items from Colchester Utd and Tottenham Hotspur.

There is also a poster, shirt and ball signed by the Newcastle Utd boss and former Ipswich manager, Bobby Robson.

Daniel, who lived in Skelmersdale Road, Clacton, had a girlfriend Heidi and two children, Sonny and Brooklyn, had played for both the sides which will be taking part in the charity game.

The match will see Rosebud line up against Regent's Park in Brightlingsea which will have a special poignancy for Daniel's dad, Dave, manager of the Regent's Park Team.

The money raised from the raffle after the game will go towards a bench in his memory, to be placed in the Rosebud pub's beer garden and in a fund for his children.

Daniel's friend Ian Newman, 24, from Brightlingsea, said he hoped the game could become an annual event.

“It was the idea of all his friends to remember him by. We phoned local clubs and other clubs explaining the situation and we have had a good response.

“He was a happy go lucky guy and was a good laugh. He liked his beer and his football and was an Ipswich Town supporter,” he said.

Another friend, Jade Clark, added: “He was a very outgoing likeable bloke who enjoyed playing football, he was larger than life with his big blue eyes and cheeky grin. It was a great loss to us all but we all have so many great memories of our Danny Gee.”

The charity game will start at 10.30am tomorrow, at the Regent's Park Recreational Ground, Brightlingsea.