TEAMS TURN OUT TO REMEMBER HAMISH
Tribute match for landscape gardener who died aged just 24
FRIENDS staged a football match in memory of a ‘funny and happy’ Stoke City fan who died aged 24.
Landscape gardener Hamish Williamson was found dead at his home in Barlaston Road, Newstead, on September 25. Now money raised from the game is to be donated to his family.
It was organised by Sarah Williams, landlady of the Princess Royal pub, in Dresden, where Hamish was a regular customer.
The 47-year-old has known Hamish’s family for 10 years and was ‘devastated’ by his death.
She said: “I saw him most weeks. He was funny and happy. He had lots of friends. Family was massive to Hamish. He was well-mannered and polite.
“He always had a smile for anybody. He was a lovely boy. He loved doing his gardening.
It was everything to him.
“When I heard the news I was devastated. He called me Mum Number Two.
“He used to come into the pub most weekends with big groups of friends and would be laughing from the minute he walked in to the second he walked out. He’ll be missed an unbelievable amount.”
Sunday’s event at the Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, in Blurton saw a side made up of Hamish’s friends take on a team from the pub.
“Hamish’s nickname was Turks so we named the other side Turkey Time FC,” said Sarah. She hopes the proceeds from the match will pay for Hamish’s mum and seven brothers and sisters to go away somewhere.
“It would mean a lot to them to reconnect and show the love they have for each other in their own environment,” she said.
“They’ve all been hit really hard and they need to hug each other and go out and spend some time together.”
She added: “All the support from the community means the world to the family.
“They know they are not on their own and if they want to talk to someone they have got someone.”