A 'passionate young footballer' who died aged 16 of meningitis, will be remembered this weekend in a Banbury charity match

Danny Rowe of Banbury was a ‘bright, funny and intelligent’ teenager who died less than 48 hours after being suddenly taken ill. Saturday’s match will raise money for Meningitis Now (formerly the Meningitis Trust) 30 years after he died.

The match will be held at the Broughton and North Newington (B&NN) Sports and Social Club starting at 3pm. Fighting it out for the trophy will be the B&NN current team and the B&NN veterans.

Danny was born in Banbury in 1978 and went to school at St Mary’s Primary then on to Banbury School.

Match organiser Glen Staite-Loveridge said: “Dan was 16 years old when he died from Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia on July 29, 1994.

“He was a bright, caring, funny and intelligent boy - very fit and active before he was suddenly taken ill. When the disease struck it took less than 48 hours before he passed away despite the dedicated team at the John Radcliffe hospital doing all they could to save him.

“Dan’s absolute passion was football - if he wasn’t playing in the People’s Park with his friends he was playing for Broughton & North Newington under 17s where he was named Player of the Year for the 1992/93 season.

“He was an ardent Liverpool fan from a very early age and a piece of the Anfield Kop is buried with him, thanks to one of his dearest friends contacting the appeal fund selling pieces of the famous terrace at the time.”

Danny died after just completing his GCSEs. His plan had been to complete his A Levels and go on to study sports journalism. He had done work experience at both Swindon Town FC and 90 Minutes magazine in London, placements that inspired his decision.

“To keep Danny's memory alive a number of his friends would do an annual football match which was held annually at Broughton and North Newington Football Club,” said Mr Staite-Loveridge.

“Then 25 years ago I got invited to play in the game. My Mum had been extremely poorly with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia, so raising money for this good cause was something very close to my heart, Raising awareness as well as keeping Danny’s memory alive was the important thing.

“Several years later I took over as Manager of Broughton and North Newington First Team and I continued to arrange the game annually in Danny's memory. I left Broughton in 2016 in the capable hands of Allan Malcolm who is now the club's chairman.

"Despite a couple of Covid hit years myself and Allan have continued with the Danny Rowe Memorial trophy.”

Mr Staite-Loveridge offered huge thanks go to Broughton and North Newington Football Club for their ongoing support and special thanks to Allan Malcom.

“Remembering Danny is important to so many people and we will continue to keep his memory alive playing the game we all love,” he said.

The event will include a barbecue, music and a bar and all proceeds will be donated to the Meningitis Trust.