‘He will be sadly missed’
A football team has changed its name to Gleeson FC in memory of their friend and player Ryan Gleeson, 21, who died in a car crash at Steyning on Christmas Eve.
Tributes have been paid to a 21-year-old Horsham man killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve.
Ryan Gleeson, of Millthorpe Road, died when his car left the road on the A283 Washington Road in Steyning on the night of December 24.
Ryan’s girlfriend Jade and some of his friends from football, speaking also on behalf of his family, paid tribute to him: “Ryan, also known as Dora, had many hobbies and activities in his spare time. He played football for TCPFC in the BBH 5-a-side league twice a week, a side now renamed Gleeson FC in his memory.
“Ryan was a real pleasure to have on the team. From the first game he played they knew he was golden, from the smile sand the noise she made on and off the pitch which made a huge impact on the team, from always smelling of Deep Heat in which he smothered himself in before and after games.
“We have decided to throw a fundraising football match in Ryan’s name in the new year to help raise money for his family, where all his friends and some of his family will be playing in his memory.
“He loved his cars especially his Saxo that he named Sally, spending many hours with close friends working to make her perfect to the ‘Ryan high standard’ as he used to call it. Money raised by the match will be used to help finish work on Sally. Even when he was at school while he always did his work he also had a good laugh with everyone. Once he went to sit down on a chair and some other kid in the class had taken the bolts out of the chair and he fell on his bottom and just looked so confused but he couldn’t stop laughing after he had worked out why he had fallen.
“Many words have been used to sum up Ryan as a person – happy, funny, selfless, kind, always there when you needed him – descriptions that show how amazing and loved he was by his friends. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.”
Sussex Police has appealed for information on Ryan’s crash. A police spokesman said emergency services were called at 10.40pm on December 24 after a silver BMW, which had been travelling west, left the road and collided with a tree. Ryan sadly died at the scene. No other vehicle or person is known to have been involved. Anyone with information is asked to email collision. appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or ring 101, quoting Operation Finchley.