Prior to our match against Dundee HSFP we will observe a minute's silence as a mark of respect for a young Dundee player Yusef Abubaker who died suddenly on Monday. As a club we understand the significance of such losses.

From Dundee HSFP website
Dundee Rugby join Dundee Eagles in mourning over the sudden and tragic death
of Yusef Abubaker, one of the strongest players in the Eagles' S1 group.

Yusef collapsed at an after-school football session on Monday, and died soon
afterwards. He was only 12 years old.

A mainstay of the Dundee Eagles S1 team, Yusef was a talented rugby player,
excellent at carrying the ball forward and possessed of great strength of
spirit. He displayed this often in the many memorable P7 performances last season,
in which he was a leading light. His displays in those matches and throughout
the year led to him being voted Most Improved Player at the end of last
season.

He showed the same committed attitude in training where he was always keen to
get his hands on the ball, and we were all familiar with the sound of coach
Sandro's voice on Sundays at Mayfield shouting 'Go on Yusef, go on Yusef, go
forward Yusef...good lad! Well done!'

Off the field we will fondly remember Yusef as a good-natured and courteous
lad with an easy smile and a mature attitude very much appreciated by the
coaches on occasions such as our trip to Inverness only two weekends ago, during
which he once again starred for his team.

His death has come as a terrible shock to the whole of the club. These few
words are just not adequate to convey the grief that his friends and coaches
feel at this dreadful loss.

Yusef's funeral took place on Tuesday. Simon, Sandro and Colin have
personally conveyed the club's condolences to Yusef's parents. The entire Dundee Eagles
schedule for this weekend, over all age groups, has been called off out of
respect for the family.

Our collective sense of loss is best expressed by the coach who knew him
best, Sandro Paladini, in his tribute to Yusef Abubaker which can be found on
www.dundeeeagles.co.uk

This article was posted on 27-Sep-2007, 07:41 by Hugh Barrow.