Hundreds attend charity match in support of critically injured Mildenhall football fan

Hundreds turned out to a charity football match in Mildenhall to show their support for a father-of-three left in a coma after an attack in Southend.

Simon Dobbin, 41, is in Addenbrooke’s Hospital with probable brain damage after he and a friend were ‘jumped on’ outside the Railway pub at around 7.20pm on March 21.

He has been transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, but father-in-law Jim Faley said the prognosis is still unclear.

“We are just hoping, we don’t know what is going to happen, what the doctors will be able to do or what the damage will be,” he said.

Simon’s family, including wife Nicole and his children, attended the match between Mildenhall and Beck Row at Mildenhall Town Football Club on Sunday.

Mr Faley said: “It was completely overwhelming, I didn’t realise until I got there how many friends he had.

“It was an abolsutely brilliant day and his old team, Beck Row, won the match.”

Daniel Herrera, match organiser, said: “It turned into a wonderful affair.

“Everyone was very emotional, and during the song there were a lot of teary eyes. Nicole was very appreciative of everything.

“There were around 300 people there, and those who couldn’t attend were walking by and dropping off money and cheques. We were just inundated with responses.”

The club kept its doors open through the night to continue the collection of donations, which Mr Herrera said are still being counted.