A record crowd attended a football match last week to remember a player who died at the age of 24. 

People paid tribute to former Abingdon United player Jack Badger in a match against Wantage Town on Friday, October 4. 

A record crowd of 1,567 people attended the Challenge Cup fixture which ended Abingdon United 3-2 Wantage Town. 

The young man was known to the wider footballing community having played for other teams like Shrivenham.

In a Facebook post, Abingdon United said: “To our army of volunteers and staff who dedicated hours to make Friday run seamlessly. 

Abingdon United v Wantage Town (Image: Abingdon United / Facebook) “To Stefan Caira for overseeing and organising the whole build-up and evening. 

“To Phil Rose for providing the surface of dreams to play on. 

“To Alex Armstrong and John Blackmore for making sure the ground was perfect. 

“To Chris Cole for running a superb bar operation. 

“To the team and coaching staff for doing their teammate proud. 

“To Wantage and the officials for creating a great game. 

“To the Yellow Army and Oxford United fans for helping drum up the support and joining us on the night. 

“To the Yellow Division for sorting a brilliant flag at the drop of a hat. 

“And to you the fans, Jack’s friends and family, everybody who came on Friday and broke our attendance record for a special man. 

“Everybody did Badge proud and created what was a special night.”

A Gofundme page was set up to help towards funeral and memorial costs and his daughter. It had an initial target of £1,000, but by Monday, October 7 £31,973 had been raised from 1,000 donations. 

Speaking before the game, club vice-chair Stefan Caira said: “It proves how much Jack was loved by Abingdon United and afar. Jack was such a well-liked and well-loved person around the football club and the community.

“He was very well-respected in the Oxford United community too, and that was proven with the support and singing of his name in the concourses at Ashton Gate, and the minute’s applause in the 24th minute.

“It takes a bit of the burden off his family and supports them. I don’t think Jack’s memory will ever be forgotten, he was a character on and off the pitch.

“As a player, he loved the battle and he would do anything for his side. He was a great wind-up merchant on the pitch.

“He was really cheeky, but after a game, he would always come round and check if people were okay.”