Swinton Spartans' heartfelt tribute to late coach: Junior footballers honour memory of "Mini"

Swinton Spartans under-11s wore shirts (below) bearing the name, Mini, their nickname for Steve Beckitt, who died recently after a very short illness.

Steve’s son Matty, who plays for the team, had “Dad” on the back of his shirt.

The team also released football-shaped balloons for Steve, who was 43 when he died, at the end of the match while all the Spartans teams held a minute’s applause as a mark of respect in the weeks following his death.

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Steve’s wife Vicki said: “It was a lovely gesture.

“The other parents arranged it all.

“Steve was known as Mini since primary school.

“Apparently his footballing skills earned him the nickname because he was like a mini Maradona.

“Our Matty played in the game and he was determined he was going to score, which he did.”

Steve took on the team as under-7s four years ago with his friend, Phil Saunders.

They signed off with a 3-1 victory over Spire Rangers.

As well as Matty, Elliot Pearson and Jake Beardsley also scored.

Steve (below) was also a keen runner, competing for Kimberworth Striders and, more latterly, Rotherham Running Club.

He completed the 17-mile Half Tour of Bradwell just a month before he became ill.

A charity football match is planned for Spartans’ home ground at Park View, Swinton, on June 10 and a member of the Spartans team is doing the Rotherham Hospice Midnight Memory Walk in his honour on June 24.