A CHARITY football match organised in memory of a popular Darlington restaurateur looks set to become an annual event.

Friends and family of Peter Turnbull, who ran The Old Yard Tapas Bar on Bondgate, lined up against each other for the match to raise funds for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Football enthusiast Mr Turnbull died last July and the memorial match was played today (Sunday, March 1), two days before what would have been his 59th birthday.

He used to run a junior team for Darlington Grammar School and the teams in the memorial match were made up of his ‘old boy’ peers and the junior players, now adults, along with Mr Turnbull's son, George, and Tapas Bar staff.

The players were asked to dress as famous footballers so the pitch included the likes of Graeme Souness, Terry Butcher and David Beckham, although the windy weather meant that many players’ wigs did not last the full 90 minutes.

Russell Nattress, who had known Mr Turnbull for 30 years and ran the junior team with him, said that the memorial match was a fitting tribute to his friend.

He added: “As you can imagine, some of us haven’t played football for ten years but it has been an incredible turnout.”

Eddie Shutt, who managed the Old Boys team for the day, said: “It has been a wonderful atmosphere; everybody has come back for it, and the atmosphere is pretty much like it was 20 years ago.”

After the match, an afternoon of fundraising was held at the Tapas Bar.

Mr Turnbull’s son George organised the event and said he was delighted with the support it received.