The family of a tragic young football fan who lost his life in mysterious circumstances have sponsored a children’s team.
Colin Marr died from a stab wound to his chest at a house in Lochgelly in 2007.
Fife Constabulary concluded that the 23-year-old’s death was a suicide, but Scotland’s top law officers have since asked Strathclyde Police to reinvestigate.
His brother Chris Marr and mother Margaret Graham set up the Colin Marr Memorial Trust last year.
Community football club Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts are the first to benefit, and the team will now wear the trust’s name on their training jackets.
Chris Marr said: “Since Colin’s untimely death in 2007, we felt that as a family we would like to do something positive to remember him in a way that he would like to be remembered.
“We established the Colin Marr Memorial Trust in 2012, which we set up for two main reasons to preserve the memory of Colin and to raise funds for the benefit of youth and children’s charities.
“Colin grew up as a committed Dunfermline Athletic supporter and was a season ticket holder in his later years. He was also very passionate about playing football and did so for many youth teams throughout his whole life.
“The family have personally sponsored a young player at Dunfermline Athletic for a number of years and we attend a lunch at East End Park every year to celebrate Colin’s birthday, which takes place in January. “Colin would have been 29 this year. It, therefore, made perfect sense for the trust’s initial sponsorship to be a young children’s football team in Colin’s home town of Inverkeithing.”
The Colin Marr Memorial Trust has paid out more than £1,000 for the team’s winter training jackets.
Head coach Jamie Kinnear (29) said: “Myself and Colin grew up together, went to nursery, primary and high school together. We played football together.
“It’s really a fantastic gesture from the family and it’s obviously quite emotional to see Colin’s name on the back of the jackets particularly, my own son’s jacket.
“We have just registered Hillfield Swifts as a charity and, without sponsorship from the Marr family, it would be really difficult to provide kit for the children.”
Colin Marr’s mother Margaret Graham said: “As a family, we are very proud of Colin and what he achieved in his short life and to support a local football team in Colin’s name is a heart-warming feeling.”
Chris Marr added: “The family would like to say thanks to Jamie Kinnear and the Hillfield Swifts for giving us this opportunity.”
Colin Marr died on July 10 2007, following an argument with his girlfriend Candice Bonar.
After a three-week fatal accident inquiry, Sheriff Alastair Dunlop said he could not decide if the death was suicide or homicide.
In September last year, Solicitor General Lesley Thomson deputy to the Lord Advocate, who is head of Scotland’s prosecution service asked Strathclyde Police to review the evidence.
A Crown Office spokesperson said: “The circumstances of the death of Colin Marr remain under investigation. The Solicitor General met with the family of Mr Marr on September 10 2012.
“At that meeting, the Solicitor General confirmed that Strathclyde Police have now been requested to investigate the circumstances of the death.
“As the investigation is live, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
pswindon@thecourier.co.uk