Friends and family of a young Forfar man who died late last year have planned a memorial football match in his honour to raise money for charity.
Tributes were paid to Forfar 21-year-old Bryce Murray after he died suddenly just two days after Christmas.
The fundraising event, which will raise cash for a charity of the family’s choice, will be held at Station Park in Forfar on Sunday, with kick off at 1pm.
Bryce’s friends Fraser Kemp, 21, and Gary Ellis, 21, came up with the idea because of the bond they forged with Bryce through the sport.
‘It’s what he deserves’
Fraser said: “We were having a conversation about what else we could do other than the funeral and we thought that a sort of charity memorial football match would be a good idea seeing as he loved football as much as he did.
“We organised two teams, one of the teams will be my team of his local friends and a couple of his family members, and Gary’s team will be the boys that Bryce used to play with when he played for Dundee United Social Club.
“He made everybody feel so special so I think it’s what he deserves.
“A lot of people have put loads of thought into how it’s going to go, I know that would have meant the world to him.
“There was heaps of folk at the funeral, which he would have been so shocked by, but he deserved nothing less.”
Gary, who has played football with Bryce since they were eight years old, said the pair shared great memories together through playing football.
He said: “Every time Bryce played football he was happy, it’s one thing he was really good at. I remember when he first started playing, my dad who was a [Royal] Marine at the time, said he’d never seen someone run as fast as Bryce.
“I feel he would absolutely love the fact it’s being held in Forfar at Station Park as it’s his hometown and it’s not just at a wee football ground, it’s a professional team’s football ground as well.”
Hundreds of people are expected to turn out to the event on Sunday, where all money raised will be going towards the Be Kind Movement, a charity which celebrates the power of kindness through education.
35-year-old Rudi Brechin, Bryce’s brother, said the family chose the organisation because it represents everything the 21-year-old believed in.
“It was the most fitting for Bryce,” Rudi said.
“He was always giving people everything even when he had nothing himself.
“That’s just who he is, it’s something Bryce did without needing prompted to do.
“So we thought that was the best way to go; giving to a charity that will help educate children in being kind and being like Bryce so we went for that one.”
‘It’s really amazing to see’
Rudi said the family have been blow away by the support they have received following Bryce’s death and the thought that has gone into the fundraiser event.
“I think it’s amazing, I’ve always known how special my little brother was but to actually witness something being planned like this, it’s unbelievable,” Rudi said.
“The amount of love he’s been shown and my family’s been shown, it’s really amazing to see.”
After his death, a crowdfunder was set up by a close friend to Bryce to help support his family with funeral costs which has since raised over £11,000.
Rudi said: “I want to say a big massive thank you to everyone that donated and for the support for my mum.
“Everything everyone has done for Bryce and for me, my family, my kids, my mum – it’ll never ever be forgotten.
“The support that’s been shown for all of us, it’s been a blessing that everyone’s stepped up for Bryce.”
Tickets to the event are £5 and there will be a number of raffle prizes where people can win Rangers football goodies.
As Bryce’s field position on the pitch was number eight, the family plan to let off fire works and balloons during the eight minute of the match in celebration of his life.
