Footballers gather for touching farewell to well-loved Gosport coach
FOOTBALLERS from across the region have paid their final respects to a well-loved coach who dedicated his life to influencing grassroots football.
Gosport man Ronnie Williamson, most well-known for his role at AFC Dynamo, died on January 1, with no immediate family.
Friends and former players then held a football match to raise money for his funeral.
Yesterday afternoon, footballers gathered at St John the Evangelist Church in Forton Road, to pay their final respects to Ronnie - who coached in the borough for nearly 30 years.
At the funeral, Arron Haggard, who organised the charity match at Privett Park last month, spoke of how popular Ronnie was among footballers in the area.
He said: ‘To see so many people here is amazing and it really goes to show just how big an impact Ronnie had on people’s lives.’
At the funeral, president of AFC Dynamo Gilly Atkinson led a tribute to Ronnie, speaking of his love for football, and how he would always go the extra mile for ‘his boys’.
He said: ‘There was one time when Ronnie was concerned about one boy’s health.
‘When the boy was diagnosed with leukaemia, Ronnie kept in touch during his treatment days.
‘Ronnie didn’t just train his footballers – he cared for them.
‘He was just a big kid himself, and everyone loved him and enjoyed playing for him.
‘Ronnie never did any of the official training courses – but he didn’t need to.
‘He had this magic, an amazing natural ability to coach, and a brilliant rapport with these kids.
‘That was one of the main reasons people enjoyed playing for him.
‘One thing that always stuck in my mind was that smile of his.
‘To see so many people here – I think he would have been very surprised by it.
‘The final whistle has blown but I know he’ll always be in our hearts.’
A life-long Pompey fan, Ronnie was carried out of the church to the tune of The Pompey Chimes, before being laid to rest in Ann’s Hill Cemetery.