Matthew ‘brought best out of everyone’

TRIBUTES have been paid to a “football mad” man who “wore his heart on his sleeve”.

Matthew Mutch, from Maghull, was 25 years old when he lost his battle with cancer in June.

His close friend Adam Edwards paid tribute to Matthew ahead of a charity football match dedicated to his life.

The match will take place at Matthew’s former club Maghull FC where he undertook roles as both a player and a coach. Adam described Matthew as the “guy you wanted next to you on the pitch”.

Matthew was diagnosed with osteosarcoma the day after his 20th birthday in 2017. In April of that year, he underwent an above-knee amputation on his right leg.

Adam said: “At first it was heartbreaking to see someone you have grown up with go through that, it knocks you. It knocked me, he was my teammate, a leader, and to see him go through something so terrible was gutting.

“But how he pulled through his operation and how he fought even after losing his leg to get back to the club and get back involved with football as a coach was amazing. And he was the exact same person after his operation.

Nothing knocked him down, we need more people to be like Matthew.”

During the 18 months he was cancer-free Matthew went on seven different holidays around the world with his girlfriend Chloe who said they “lived a life full of adventure”.

Adam, 25, said: “He loved the bones off his girlfriend and she brought out such a romantic side in him.

“It was the strongest relationship you could ever see and they shared some amazing memories together.

“Matthew got the best out of everyone anyone around him.

“He pulled everyone through it and he always had your back on and off the pitch.”

The football match dedicated to Matthew’s life will take on July 17 against two of his former teams.