Charity football match to be held in memory of murdered Emsworth man

Taking place at The Drapers Tool Community Stadium, in Havant, the game will see former colleagues of Stephen Harrington face off against a football team from mental health charity Mind Over Matter.

Proceeds from the game’s £3 ticket fee will towards two charities: Mental Health Marathon, and Simon Says, which provides support to bereaved children. Tickets will be available on the door, and kick-off is scheduled for 7.15pm.

Steve Harrington was killed in July 2022, after he was ambushed by three men while asleep in his van on his Marlpit Lane site last year. In a court case held in March, the jury heard how the three men had mistakenly believed there was cannabis to steal from the site, which Mr Harrington had worked long and hard to buy.

Sunday’s football match has been organised by Steven Moss, a former colleague of Mr Harrington’s, who said he plans to make the game a yearly tradition and, by doing so, cement the positive legacy of a much-loved friend.

"Where we used to work, we’d all grown up together, so we were all quite close and everyone knew Stephen,” he said. “So this is about putting a smile on their faces, doing something nice for his family. So far, the response has been unbelievable. We live in quite a small community, so there have been lots of people coming forward to help out. Everyday, we’ve had people come forward to put into the raffle or donate, and things like that.”

Stephen’s family are similarly blown away by the response – and by the fact that colleagues have come forward to organise a football match in the first place. “We’re all overwhelmed by the support – everyone in the family is. Not just from Steve, but from all his workmates and everyone in the community who’s helping out. It’s just so humbling and nice to know that, even a year on, everyone still remembers and cares about Stephen,” said sister Lucy Butlin.

“It’s actually so nice to see, as a family, just how loved my brother was. Everyone tells us how kind-hearted he was.”