Family and friends have paid tribute to a London footballer who died after an unprovoked assault on a night out, remembering him as a 'shining light' to the young players he mentored.
Ezekiel Williams, 26, died in the early hours of Sunday in Milton Keynes. Two men, aged 21 and 28, from Luton, have been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a third man, 30, was detained on suspicion of assisting an offender.
A Life in Football and Mentoring
Ezekiel, who lived in Ruislip, west London, played for Hendon FC and had also turned out for Kettering Town in recent years. He ran training and mentoring sessions for young players aged eight and upwards, many of whom went on to play for professional football academies.
His brother told Metro: 'His attention to detail for both himself and others around him – whether it be for football or friends and family – is just one of the few key qualities in Ezekiel's arsenal.'
He added: 'It brings me great joy and pride as his brother to see that some of my teachings became some of his core values which led to him evolving into the refined legend that his community's known him [as].'
Mentor Remembered by Friends and Players
Ezekiel's best friend, Tyrique Clarke, set up a training camp for young footballers three years ago called Journey of A Professional (JOAP), which has trained hundreds of boys and girls. He said Ezekiel was a peaceful Christian who had inexplicably been attacked while walking towards an Airbnb he had booked for a night out in Milton Keynes.
Tyrique told Metro: 'Ezekiel was a shining light to all he came across. The kids looked up to him. He was the perfect mentor, he always had wise advice and time for everyone.'
He added: 'We have had hundreds of messages about his death. Some have said their children are so upset they have not been able to go to school. We are all heartbroken.'
Club and Community Response
A parent of one of the junior players Ezekiel trained wrote on social media: 'This young Gentleman has been an inspiration to my two young sons for two or three years. We are devastated and struggling to believe this is real, that we won't see his lovely warm smile twice a week.'
Ezekiel had recently scored his first goal for Hendon FC. In a statement on X, the club – which plays in the Isthmian League South Central Division – described him as a 'humble, unassuming and generous individual with a razor-sharp wit'. The club's planned cup game on Wednesday was postponed in a show of respect to their player. A fundraiser has been set up in memory of Ezekiel.
