Tributes to Darlington football coach and dad who died a year after their mother
A Darlington youth football club has paid tribute to a Darlington dad and a team coach who suddenly died aged 38 - leaving behind his two sons less than a year after the death of their mum.
Hurworth Albion FC is hosting the match to fundraise in memory of their under-10s coach Michael Johnson.
Michael and Carrie have left behind two children- Jack and Charlie.
Michael Johnson with sons Charlie, 12, and Jack, 13 (Image: CONTRIBUTOR) The club has now set up a GoFundMe to run alongside the plans for the match to help raise funds for the two boys.
Neil Linfoot, manager of the other under 10s team at Hurworth said: "We as a club have all rallied around the boys and want to make this time a little easier for them.
"We don't want them to have to worry about the future or anything.
"Michael was just great. He was so happy-go-lucky and everyone at the club just loved him."
Michael Johnson with his under 10s football team (Image: CONTRIBUTOR) Neil continued: "He worked so hard out of the goodness of his heart and from his love of the club and would do anything for those children.
"We will all dearly miss him. We will put all our efforts into raising funds to help the two lads find some sense of normality as they move forward.
"While nothing can ease the pain of this loss, we hope to show them just how much love and support surrounds them."
READ MORE:
Tribute to 'selfless' Darlington dad after death aged 38
Ducks help Hurworth junior football club to pay the bills
'The stress has taken its toll': Pub announces closure six months after take over
Michael is being remembered as a 'selfless' dad (Image: CONTRIBUTOR) The friendly match is set to be held on Sunday, April 13 between the two under 10s teams at the Hurworth Albion FC club- one of which was managed by Michael and the other by Neil.
The GoFundMe has already raised over six thousand pounds for the boys with more expected in the coming weeks after the charity match.
Youth football clubs from across the region have been doing their own fundraisers with many donating hundreds of pounds to the page.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
17 hours ago
- USA Today
Oregon Ducks add another 5-star visitor to this weekend's list
The Oregon Ducks were kicking off the month of June with a bang, hosting a long list of top-ranked players on official visits starting on Friday. The list just got a bit more star-studded. On Thursday, it was announced that 5-star safety Jett Washington had reshuffled his visit schedule and will now be coming to Eugene this weekend for his OV at Oregon. Washington was originally scheduled to take his OV to Eugene starting next weekend, but he moved things up to join the group starting on Friday. According to 247Sports, Washington is rated as the No. 18 overall player in the class, and the No. 2 safety. Standing at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Washington is a massive defensive back and would offer a lot of length in the secondary that Oregon has been pursuing over the past couple of recruiting cycles. Washington is reportedly very high on what the Ducks can offer. According to On3's Steve Wiltfong, Oregon should be considered one of the favorites to land Washington this cycle. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle He will join others like 5-star LB Tyler Atkinson, 5-star S Joey O'Brien, 5-star CB Brandon Arrington, 5-star EDGE Richard Wesley, and 5-star WR Calvin Russell in Eugene this weekend, with a long list of other blue-chip recruits in town as well. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
5-Star Oregon Football Target Makes Announcement After Visit With Ducks
5-Star Oregon Football Target Makes Announcement After Visit With Ducks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is up for a pivotal weekend, as he and his staff are hosting a handful of five-star and blue-chip prospects on official visits. Advertisement One name involved with the Ducks this week is five-star safety Joey O'Brien, who would be a massive get for Lanning and co. According to 247Sports, Oregon ranks No. 29 in the nation with their 2026 recruiting class at this time -- which is subpar to Lanning's standard in Eugene. Landing O'Brien, a Pennsylvania native, would be phenomenal for Lanning's class, especially if Oregon can receive commitments from others on the trip this week. Battling Penn State, Clemson and Notre Dame, Oregon will soon know where O'Brien will pledge his services, as the highly-touted safety has announced when he will make his announcement. Advertisement O'Brien will choose between the four programs on June 20, which isn't long after his visit with Oregon. "Almost that time!" O'Brien shared on X after his commitment date was revealed. Given that the Ducks are getting a great chance to sell the safety on landing in Eugene this close to his commitment, Lanning might be able to secure O'Brien over their new Big Ten rival, Penn State. Still, Penn State's proximity to O'Brien, as a Pennsylvania native, might give them a leg up when it comes to decision day. According to 247Sports, O'Brien is the No. 30-ranked prospect in the 2026 class and the No. 4-ranked safety. Advertisement The Ducks won't get the last word in the blue-chip recruitment, as he will be visiting Notre Dame next weekend to round out his trips before his commitment. Oregon would love to land O'Brien's services and bolster their 2026 recruiting class with another five-star talent, as they could be up for a pivotal few weeks. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Oregon Football set to host several 5-Star recruits on official visits this weekend
Oregon Football set to host several 5-Star recruits on official visits this weekend The summer stretch of recruiting has arrived in the world of college football, and the Oregon Ducks are kicking things off with a massive weekend of official visits in Eugene over the weekend. It has been a relatively slow stretch for Dan Lanning in the 2026 recruiting cycle, with Oregon currently holding the No. 28 class in the nation. Still, with the number of high-profile players visiting Eugene over the next two months, things could pick up in a hurry. Tight end Kendre Harrison is the only 5-star player that the Ducks have committed at the moment, but over a dozen 5-star players will be in Eugene this summer checking out Oregon. This incredibly crucial stretch of visits starts this weekend, and the Ducks are going big to open things up, hosting some of the top-ranked players in the nation. Here's a look at who is confirmed to be heading to Eugene this weekend. 5-star LB Tyler Atkinson 247Sports Rating: 98 (5-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9973 (5-star) National Rank: No. 9 Position Rank: No. 1 Commitment: None Atkinson is also considering the Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Clemson Tigers, and Alabama Crimson Tide. 5-star CB Brandon Arrington 247Sports Rating: 98 (5-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9933 (5-star) National Rank: No. 10 Position Rank: No. 1 Commitment: None Arrington is also considering the Washington Huskies, Texas A&M Aggies, USC Trojans, and Alabama Crimson Tide. 5-star WR Calvin Russell 247Sports Rating: 98 (5-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9781 (4-star) National Rank: No. 21 Position Rank: No. 3 Commitment: None Russell is also considering the Florida State Seminoles, LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Florida Gators, and Syracuse Orange. 5-star EDGE Richard Wesley 247Sports Rating: 94 (4-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9909 (5-star) National Rank: No. 14 Position Rank: No. 2 Commitment: None (Oregon Decommit) Wesley, who committed to Oregon in May be recommitted 17 days later, is also considering the Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Texas A&M Aggies. 5-star S Joey O'Brien 247Sports Rating: 98 (5-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9670 (4-star) National Rank: No. 30 Position Rank: No. 4 Commitment: None O'Brien is also considering the Penn State Nittany Lions, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Clemson Tigers, and Tennessee Volunteers. 4-star WR Messiah Hampton 247Sports Rating: 91 (5=4-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.9538 (4-star) National Rank: No. 100 Position Rank: No. 11 Commitment: None (Oregon Prediction) Hampton is also considering the Syracuse Orange, Miami Hurricanes, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Arkansas Razorbacks. 4-star S Xavier Lherisse 247Sports Rating: 89 (3-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.8958 (4-star) National Rank: No. 361 Position Rank: No. 32 Commitment: Oregon Ducks Lherisse announced his commitment to the Oregon Ducks back in February of 2025 3-star IOL Jax Tanner 247Sports Rating: 89 (3-star) 247Sports Composite Rating: 0.8839 (3-star) National Rank: No. 515 Position Rank: No. 46 Commitment: None Tanner is also considering the BYU Cougars, Tennessee Volunteers, Michigan Wolverines, and Auburn Tigers. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
