WORTHING UNITED are expecting a bumper crowd for their FA Vase this weekend to honour players Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, who were tragically killed in the Shoreham air crash.
Keeper Grimstone and midfielder Schilt were travelling to the Mavericks' Southern Combination Premier game against Loxwood on Saturday, August 22 when their car was hit as a Hawker Hunter jet crashed into the A27.
Tragic
The match was called off and the club have announced their first game back will be the Vase first round qualifying tie against East Preston at Lyons Way.
The clash has been moved to Sunday, September 6 and will kick off at 5pm with 1,000 tickets being made available for people to pay their respects. Only 60 currently remain.
All proceeds will be used to fund a permanent tribute in honour of Matt and Jacob, in consultation with both families.
The pair were key to the club's successes last season as they won the Sussex County League Division Two title and League Cup.
“Grimbles and Jacob weren't your typical footballers,” said Worthing vice-chairman Mark Sanderson. “They were very quiet and very nice guys which makes it all the more tragic.
“They were both part of our most successful season ever when we won the league and cup double last year.
“The lads' last game was Tuesday two weeks ago in the FA Cup down at Deal Town in Kent and unfortunately we got battered 7-1.
“It wasn't a fitting last game for them but we struggled to get a team together and it just showed you their dedication.
“Brighton have been a massive help and are assisting us with staging the Vase game. They recommended we made it all-ticket and I just hope we can do Grimbles and Jacob justice.
“We've capped it at around 1,000 and are expecting those tickets to go. In my 20 years at the club I've not seen more than a few hundred at a game so it's going to be a massive event.”
When not playing for Worthing, Grimstone served as a groundsman for Championship club Brighton and Schilt was a Seagulls supporter who had played in the fans' team in charity matches.
Sanderson praised the football family for their messages while fellow Non-League clubs have shown their support.
Moving
Horley Town and Shoreham agreed the winner of their FA Cup last weekend would donate £500 of their winnings to a fund set up in memory of Grimstone and Schilt and they urged other clubs to follow suit.
“Every night I'm dealing with hundreds of e-mails from the public and other clubs from around the country and internationally as well,” Sanderson added.
“What Horley and Shoreham have done shows you what other clubs have felt about the news too. It's a cliché but the football family has really come together over this and it's been very moving.”
*This article first appeared in The NLP on Sunday, August 30
