Tribute match remembers crash victim Natasha Whale
An emotional tribute was paid to a much missed teammate when footballers from crash victim Natasha Whale's old club came together to play a tournament in her name.
The 13-year-old was killed in a horror smash on her way to school in Walsall last February.
Days later her friends in Burntwood Phoenix FC launched balloons and held a minute's silence before their match against Norton United.
Yesterday, a year on from her death, the north Staffordshire club returned to take part in the Natasha Whale Tournament at Burntwood's ground in Rugeley Road.
Natasha's teammates wore T-shirts featuring her No 2 shirt number and the letter T for Tasha, as she was known.
They ended up sharing the honours after atrocious weather led organisers to call off the final match. Phoenix under 15s manager and girls' mentor Luke Machen said: "We retired Tasha's number after she died and now the girls love wearing the special tribute kit. We're very grateful to Norton United for coming all the way from Stoke to take party, bringing a lot of parents with them as well. Their manager has been golden."
The sides played in sleet, rain and sub-zero temperatures in front of an admiring crowd, including Natasha's mother Shelley who was injured in the collision but has made a full recovery.
The crash happened at the junction of Valley Road and Ryle Street in Blakenall on February 24. Natasha, of St Paul's Crescent, Pelsall, died at the scene.
