Football match organised by brother in memory of much-loved Banbury player raises £3,000

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A football tournament, organised by the brother of a much loved man who died last year, has raised £3,000 for good causes.

The tournament attracted 15 teams included Hashim United – a team named after Mohammed Hashim Asadullah Ijazuddin, who died in a car crash last February.

Organiser Asad Hussain, brother of Hashim, or ‘Haycha’ as he was known, said the Boxing Day match was a result of a pledge he made to carry on his brother’s legacy forever.

The video on this page is his tribute to his brother.

Mohammed Hashim Asadullah Ijazuddin, in whose memory the Boxing Day football tournament was held

"My brother was a very bubbly and charismatic character who all the community loved. He was friends with everyone and in 2018 we created a six-a-side football team.

"We lost him, sadly, last year and I made a pledge to myself that I’d carry his legacy on forever. So on Boxing Day we planned a charity football tournament in his memor. The organising team were Hashim United players and we named it Hashim United Charity Tournament.”

The event raised £3,000 for a number of projects, including the establishment of a new mosque and water filtration plants for the poor.

“All we can do now is pray and carry his legacy on,” said Mr Hussain. “Over 300 people came to the tournament and we raised £3,000. We are still selling Hashim United tops for charity.

Mohammed Hashim Asadullah Ijazuddin who died last February

“We lived in Grimsbury all our lives. Hashim (Haycha) played club football for SWIS FC also which is a local Saturday team.“Haycha’s energy was electric and everyone loved him. One of the first ever games we played was at ABC Park - a court on our road - where we played our whole lives.

“He was the most caring and loving brother, not a single person could dim his light and for that reason we made a promise we would carry his legacy on when he departed from this temporary abode. Mohammed Hashim was our captain, our leader and forever a legend.”

Mr Hussaid said the club, created through joy and laughter, bonded all its players. He described his brother as the ‘people’s champion’.

"Our Haycha is loved today, tomorrow and forever. Everyone at Hashim United will carry on his legacy and pray for him to make it easy for his next journey and inshallah meet him in Jannah.”