Boy, 11, finds his dad dead in car at football match
A DOTING dad was found dead in his car by his 11-year-old son during a football tournament.
Joe, who plays in a juniors team for Wrexham AFC, tragically found his dad, Tony O’Neil, dead in his car on Wednesday during a kids football match.
The incident occurred at a halfterm tournament being hosted by Birkenhead School on the afternoon of February 19.
Mr O’Neil had returned to his car for a cup of tea after spending the afternoon cheering Joe on from the sidelines.
It is not known what caused the 44-year-old dad-of-two’s sudden death.
Mr O’Neil, who lived in Bootle, Merseyside, was one of a small group of footy-mad dads who watched their sons play for the Welsh side.
Mark Swann, who had known Mr O’Neil since they were at school together, told the Liverpool Echo: “He was just a loving father who doted on his son.
“Joe is a talented footballer who’s had trials at clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United.
“It’s come as a great shock. We would speak every day about football. There was no indication that anything like this was going to happen, which makes it even more of a shock in the circumstances.”
Adam Raby, another of his friends, posted: “Tony passed away in his car doing what he loved most, watching his son play football.
“Sadly it was his son Joe who found him, despite the best efforts of everyone around we couldn’t help him.
“Tony was a character, known right across the football community. He championed his kids, and with a heart of gold, he’d get Joe anywhere for a game of football.
“You’d often hear the whistle on the side, come on Joseph and his ‘woohoo’ when a goal went in.
“There wasn’t many days we didn’t get a phone call to discuss the weekend’s footy. He would talk to so many of us. Dissecting his sons performance, the service he got, the goals he scored. He loved it.”
A Gofundme page has been set up to raise money for the costs of the funeral and ongoing costs for the family, as well as to keep Joe’s promising football career on track.