Tragedy as Sheffield United fan who set up football team in memory of teenage son dies

Three of Neil Hubbard's sons Daniel,Jack and Callum who tragically died of meningitis aged 14.

Callum Blade Hubbard died of meningitis in 2014. In September Chesterfield Royal Hospital's board of directors issued a public apology after an Ombudsman's report found the hospital trust made a number of failings in an investigation it carried out after he passed away.

His father Neil Hubbard had been calling for an investigation into the death of his son 14-year-old Callum, who died after suffering a heart attack.

Mr Hubbard, a Sheffield United fan, said at the time: "I can't process what's happened and grieve for my child in the way that I need to in order to be able to live with this loss if I don't understand why he's dead.

"I will never move on or get over it.”

Mr Hubbard, of Dronfield, died on November 12 and his funeral will be held tomorrow at Brimington crematorium at 1.40pm.

Neil and his wife Anne had celebrated their silver wedding anniversary just two weeks before he died.

Dad-of-five Neil started the Imperial League team Dronfield United up with his wife last year in memory of Callum.

Anne said: “Neil always put his kids first. He would take them all over the country to football matches and if he didn’t have a ticket for himself he would sit outside the ground for them. Neil and I started the team up last year so that our sons had a team to be involved with and also in memory of Callum.

“He has struggled to get justice for him for years. His sons Jack and Danny, along with the rest of the team, want to keep going for this season at least and they have given us their full support, both on and off the pitch.”

She added: “Neil never ever wanted to be the centre of attention and he wouldn’t have his photo taken. He loved walking the dogs with his mum in Graves Park.”

Former engineer Neil and the family were left devastated after Callum died, nearly three months after undergoing an ear operation at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

A string of failings were identified in a investigation carried out after he passed away. Neil is survived by his five children, his mother and father and sister.