FRIENDS and family of 17-year-old Nathan Ridler raised more than £2,500 for good causes the way he would have wanted – by playing football.

Nathan, a top student and sportsman, died in 2007 after being punched while trying to stop a fight outside a takeaway.

His father, Alan Ridler, joined Nathan’s friends to organise a charity football tournament at AFC Bournemouth’s Fitness First Stadium.

Nathan had played at Dean Court himself when Winton Boys won a schools cup final there, and had been a Cherries season ticket holder.

Mr Ridler thanked everyone who had supported the event. “It was quite overwhelming for such a small event to raise so much money,” he said.

Mark Redknapp, brother of football star Jamie, provided a Chelsea shirt signed by Frank Lampard for a charity auction, while Mark’s wife Lucy donated a £100 voucher for Zooma beauty salon as a raffle prize. “Without them it wouldn’t have been the way it was and they are going to support anything we do in future,” said Mr Ridler.

Mr Ridler’s doctor, Dr Mafeed Nieman, paid to hire the stadium and Jody Wateridge of Star Soccer Supplies in Moordown provided the shirts.

Half the £2,512 raised went to the Steve Bernard Foundation, which raises money for sporting projects in memory of local teenager Steve Bernard, who died in a car accident aged 18 in 2005. The other half went to AFC Bournemouth Ability Counts Football Club for young people with disabilities.

Steve Bernard’s dad Tony said the 250 spectators had enjoyed the evening. “It was fantastic. It really was a good tribute,” he said.

He told how Mr Ridler had dislocated a shoulder during the football and had it popped back in by some of the doctors present. He played on until another collision dislocated the shoulder again.

“His boy Nathan would be up in heaven laughing at him for doing that,” said Tony.