Football club make touching gesture to ex-England Schoolboys star who died aged 46

Lenny Piper passed distant successful January aft a agelong illness, with 1 of his erstwhile clubs present dedicating a basal successful his honour and his member helping to unfastened it

An amateur shot nine person touchingly named their caller basal aft erstwhile England Schoolboys prima Lenny Piper, who sadly died successful January.

Piper was conscionable 46 erstwhile helium passed distant from a agelong illness. The erstwhile midfielder began his vocation astatine Wimbledon having travel done the team's academy earlier joining Gillingham successful 1996 successful a woody worthy £40,000.

After a limb interruption disrupted his career, Piper moved to non-league St Albans, wherever helium became a fans' favourite. He made 98 appearances during his two-year spell successful Hertfordshire, scoring 28 times.

He past brought his vocation to an extremity with spells astatine Farnborough, Dagenham & Redbridge and Margate. After retirement, Piper joined veteran's broadside Charcoal FC, who are present stepping backmost into unfastened property football.

Charcoal present play successful the Bromley & South London Premier Division, with laminitis and manager James Farrell commissioning the gathering of a stand. Farrell decided to sanction it successful Piper's honour, with his member Chrissy opening it connected Saturday.

Chrissy Piper posted connected Instagram : "Opened a beauteous basal yesterday for maine and my household to sojourn successful honour of my brother. All made imaginable by the large antheral James Farrell, wanna convey him personally from maine and each the household for everything he's done for america passim this pugnacious time."

Hundreds attended Piper's funeral, including Manchester United and England fable Rio Ferdinand. While coming done the ranks astatine Wimbledon, Piper earned 5 caps for England's Under 18s, scoring 3 goals.

His erstwhile clubs lined up to connection their ain tributes to him astatine the clip of his death. Gillingham looked backmost connected his vocation astatine the nine and sent his household their condolences.

"Lenny joined the Gills from Wimbledon and made his debut for the nine connected erstwhile helium came connected arsenic an 83rd infinitesimal substitute successful the location lucifer against Bristol City. The people was 2-2 astatine the clip and Lenny scored the decider successful a 3-2 win, heavy into stoppage time," a connection read.

"He started 4 league games successful 1996-97 and came connected arsenic a substitute connected 15 occasions. Our thoughts and condolences are with Lenny's friends, household and loved ones astatine this precise hard time."

In their tribute, Farnborough said: "Lenny Piper joined Farnborough Town successful July 2000 from St Albans City and helium went connected to play implicit 80 games successful 3 years astatine the Boro. He became a instrumentality favourite and was affectionately nicknamed Sir Lenny Piper.

"Lenny was besides portion of the squad to scope the Fourth Round Proper of the FA Cup successful 2003, coming connected arsenic substitute astatine Highbury successful the decision to Arsenal. Lenny near the Club astatine the extremity of that season, but ever received a hero’s invited erstwhile returning with absorption clubs.

"A talented footballer who had the quality to excite a assemblage with his skills and oculus for goal. Sadly, taken acold excessively young. May you Rest successful Peace."

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