MORE than 600 friends of a young footballer killed in a car crash will gather for a match in his memory.

The memorial match for Callum MacKinnon, 18, will be between Witney United under 18s and Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (OCVC), the two teams he played for.

Mr MacKinnon was the back seat passenger in a blue Citroën C3 when it crashed into a tree on the B4020 Shilton Road, between Burford and Carterton at about 5.30pm on Tuesday, September 7.

The car was travelling towards Carterton.

The match, tomorrow at 7.30pm, has been organised by best friend Sam McNally, who played with Mr MacKinnon for Witney United under 18s.

He said: “We’re trying to get everyone together and do something for Callum as football was what he liked best.

“It’s the thing he loved. There’s nothing more we can do for him. The whole team were his mates so they will all turn out.”

Before the kick-off at Witney United Football Club, in Downs Road, there will be a minute’s applause for Mr MacKinnon, who would have turned 19 on Friday.

Players will also wear black arm bands as a mark of respect.

Admission is £3, which will go to Mr MacKinnon’s family.

Although only organised on Friday, 600 people have already confirmed they will be there.

Mr McNally, 18, of Witney, added: “It just shows the amount of friends he had and the amount of people who want to be there – it shows what he meant to everyone.”

Mr McNally, who now plays for Witney United first team, said Mr MacKinnon, of Pinecroft, Carterton, was planning to go to America next year to coach football.

The former Carterton Community College pupil was studying for a diploma in sport at OCVC and worked at Burford Garden Company. He recently returned to Carterton Community College to help with PE lessons.

Des Buckingham, football development manager at OCVC, has asked 25 footballers who have played with Mr MacKinnon in the past to take part in the memorial match.

He said: “They are coming from all corners to play and everyone will play a part in the match.

“It will be emotional but hopefully a celebratory sort of thing.”

The funeral for Mr MacKinnon takes place today and on Friday friends will celebrate his life at The Aviator pub in Carterton.

Mr MacKinnon took part in his first match with Cirencester Town development side on Saturday, September 4.

He was due to attend a training session at Cirencester Town just an hour after he died.

Assistant coach Andy James said the young footballer had everything going for him.