Shrimpsvoices

Good evening to Shrimps supporters and all football fans around the country. Tomorrow morning, Christian Mbulu's funeral service will take place in London. Although he had only been with us since January, Christian made a positive impression with his peers and throughout the club. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, only twenty mourners will be able to attend the service and my colleague, James Wakefield, will be there to represent and speak for our club. I feel it would be appropriate for as many of us as possible to take a minute out at 10.45am tomorrow morning, which will be mid-way through the service, to reflect and pay tribute to Christian and hold his family in our thoughts and prayers at that time. Thank you for taking the time to read this. RT

Thoughts with the family..... pic from Graham Howse

It was as fitting a send off as anyone could have hoped for, Christian’s family, friends and the whole community did him proud. The words of his younger brother Benjamin were especially powerful; I’ve never heard such brave and sincere words from a young man.

The family really appreciate the love and support of everyone involved with Morecambe FC and they know we will mark his passing properly when things are a little more normal. Until then RIP Christian and love to his whole family.

So glad that our club was represented at Christian's funeral.

Shrimps director James Wakefield represented the club at Christian Mbulu's funeral yesterday. This is the tribute to Christian that James penned and presented at the service.

Christian
On behalf of the board, the team, the staff, the fans and everyone associated with Morecambe Football Club I want to start by saying thank you to Christian’s family for the opportunity to say a few words. Morecambe is a family club, and it has hit us hard to lose one of our own.
No matter that Christian only joined the club in January, he was well on his way to establishing himself as a valued first team player with huge potential for the future. In the words of our manager, Derek Adams, who wishes he could have been here today:
“Christian was a really nice young man and he was good around the dressing room. From the day he walked in, he was always smiling and positive. He wanted to improve and help us achieve as a squad, and he completely bought into the team spirit we have been building at the club. For him to lose his life at 23 has been incredibly difficult for the players and staff to understand as everyone became very close to him in a short space of time. All our thoughts are with his family and close friends today.”
In speaking to everyone at the club about Christian, the same words and phrases come up time and again. Honest, kind, professional, hard-working, optimistic, positive, keen to improve and great to have around. As a player he was young, quick and strong, but it was his personal quality that really endeared him to everyone who he came into contact with.
Our First Team Captain, Sam Lavelle, simply asked me to tell you all that he and the rest of Christian’s team-mates really miss him, both as a talented member of the team and as a friend. Immediately upon hearing the news Alex Kenyon, another leader in the Morecambe dressing room, came to the board on behalf of the team to request that Christian’s number 34 shirt be retired in his memory. That this request came so quickly from those at the club who knew him best says a huge amount about how much he meant to them. No-one will wear the number 34 shirt for Morecambe Football Club again. It is Christian’s number.
At 10:45 this morning the manager, players, club staff, directors and many of our supporters are taking a minute to remember Christian and pay their respects. This is just a small gesture as the current health challenge that affects every aspect of our lives sadly prevents us from being able to properly mark Christian’s passing. However, when things are a little more normal, we will make sure that this is done. For now though, we will simply remember Christian well, with the ready smile and great attitude that everyone at Morecambe knew him for.

It was such sad news. Still is.

Well done MFC to give Christian the send off he deserved. Such a tragedy. Classy touch to retire his shirt number too. Maybe a framed shirt can be kept in JB's in his memory?

Wild Bill wrote:Well done MFC to give Christian the send off he deserved. Such a tragedy. Classy touch to retire his shirt number too. Maybe a framed shirt can be kept in JB's in his memory?

What a wonderful idea and lasting tribute to Christian that would be, never to be forgotten