Loxwood chairman says club is deeply saddened by tragic loss

Loxwood chairman Barry Hunter has said the whole club was deeply sadden by Saturday’s tragic event which claimed the lives of two Worthing United players.
Two shirts and floral tributes outside Worthing United Football Club. Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone, 23, and Jacob Schilt were on their way to play in a match against Loxwood FC when they were caught up in the Shoreham air crash. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 23, 2015. Seven people died when an historic Hawker Hunter fighter jet plummeted on to the A27 at Shoreham in West Sussex after failing to pull out of a loop manoeuvre. See PA story AIR Crash. Photo credit should read: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire AIR_Crash_194942.JPGTwo shirts and floral tributes outside Worthing United Football Club. Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone, 23, and Jacob Schilt were on their way to play in a match against Loxwood FC when they were caught up in the Shoreham air crash. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 23, 2015. Seven people died when an historic Hawker Hunter fighter jet plummeted on to the A27 at Shoreham in West Sussex after failing to pull out of a loop manoeuvre. See PA story AIR Crash. Photo credit should read: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire AIR_Crash_194942.JPG
Two shirts and floral tributes outside Worthing United Football Club. Worthing United footballers Matthew Grimstone, 23, and Jacob Schilt were on their way to play in a match against Loxwood FC when they were caught up in the Shoreham air crash. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 23, 2015. Seven people died when an historic Hawker Hunter fighter jet plummeted on to the A27 at Shoreham in West Sussex after failing to pull out of a loop manoeuvre. See PA story AIR Crash. Photo credit should read: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire AIR_Crash_194942.JPG

The Magpies faced Worthing United at their Lyons Farm ground in a Southern Combination League clash which was postponed after Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt failed to arrive.

Efforts to contact the pair failed as it become apparent they had been caught up in the horror of the Shoreham Airshow - something which was confirmed on Sunday.

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A statement from the chairman read: “The whole of Loxwood Football Club are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life to Matt and Jacob.

“It was an extremely difficult time at the ground on Saturday as both sets of players and club officials waited on news of the two lads.

“It was clear as the afternoon progressed that something was tragically wrong as the club were unable to make contact with either Matt or Jacob. There are no words that can describe the emotions that Steve Taylor and his club must be going through right now.

“I have written to Steve and expressed our deepest sympathies and he knows that his club are in our thoughts and we are here to help in any way we can both now and in the future.”

Read more tributes from local managers in today’s paper.

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