Football friends make funeral pledge to 'one in a million' Sheffield man's grieving family

Daz Hill, of Vere Road, Hillsborough, died last month just one week before what would have been his 52nd birthday.

His former teammates at Hillsborough football club Portsea Rangers have already helped pay for the wake - but now want to cover the costs of his funeral as well.

One of them - Steve Brown, 48, of Leader Road, Hillsborough - had been friends with Daz for nearly 40 years.

“He and his wife Melanie had a mortgage and three lads aged 13, 15 and 18. It is such a shame.

“I can’t even sit down with her because we just break down in tears.

"Daz was one in a million.

“Every day he would tell a joke on Facebook - some were terrible don’t get me wrong but we miss them.

“Everybody loved him. He was the life and soul of the party.”

A few weeks before he died, Daz had a minor stroke but had made a good recovery and had gone back to work.

However, on February 20 - just minutes after sending his final Facebook joke - he suddenly died.

“At this stage they don’t know if it was another stroke, a blood clot or a heart attack,” said Steve.

“But because of his health, he couldn’t get life insurance.”

The friends have already clubbed together to pay for Daz’s wake at Sheffield Wednesday’s 1867 lounge.

But they also want to help the family out with the funeral costs - which could be as much as £5,000.

“Melanie originally didn’t want the help,” said Steve.

“But she later agreed that it was exactly the sort of thing Daz would have done for anybody else.

“I don’t know how she is coping - it is gutwrenching."

Daz worked in the building trade for many years - latterly at MKM - and was a passionate supporter of Sheffield Wednesday.

An online fund set up in his name has already raised almost £1,300.

The funeral will take place at 1.15pm on Friday, April 6, at Grenoside North Chapel followed by a wake at SWFC’s 1867 lounge.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/memoryofdazhill.