Nashon Esbrand: Friend organises Market Road football match to help pay for funeral

A friend of Nashon Esbrand has organised a memorial football match to help pay for his funeral.

Nashon Esbrand, 27, had celebrated the birth of his daughter the week before he was killed. - Credit: Archant

The match, between Nashon’s friends, will take place on October 1 at the Market Road pitches in the Cally. It’s part of a wider fundraising campaign to pay for the funeral: £2,185 had already been raised on a Go Fund Me page as of 11.30am this morning.

Nashon was stabbed to death in Mitchison Road, off Essex Road in Canonbury, on August 24. The 27-year-old had become a dad just a week before. It’s understood his body still hasn’t been released.

Ange Doua, who is organising the match, told the Gazette this morning: “Our whole friendship was based on football. He was a big Manchester United fan, like me, and our last conversation the day before he died was about Zlatan [Ibrahimovic, the legendary striker] staying on for another season.

“The next day, he was dead – I still can’t believe it.

“I wanted to help raise money for his funeral and I thought: ‘What could be a better way to celebrate his life than holding a football match?’ It’s going to be two sides of people who knew him, and I’m going to get shirts with his name on.”

In a tribute to Nashon last month, Mark Maciver, who runs D and L’s Barber Shop in Hornsey Road, Holloway, said: “He would come into the shop boasting about Man United, rubbing people’s faces in it when they won. He’d be like: ‘What you saying, boys!’”

The match will take place at 2pm. Players will make a £20 donation, with admission to watch the game £5. For more information, call Ange Doua on 07722 158862. To make a donation to the Go Fund Me page, follow this link.