30860-29WHEN Matthew Styles' friends sit down to watch England play France tomorrow in Euro 2004, they know he will be with them in spirit.

The young man, who died in Sunday night's horrific crash on Pinehurst Road, was football mad. So to honour him, his girlfriend Natalie Parker and his best mates have had England shirts embroidered with his name.

It means that he will be with them wherever they go, just as he was in life and they will be wearing them with pride when the team kicks off its campaign tomorrow.

Natalie, 21, said Matthew, known as Styler, was always seen wearing his favourite England shirt. "You would have thought he had it sprayed on. He never took it off," she said. "He loved the beautiful game and often went down to a nearby playing fields to have a knock about with his friends."

And although Natalie isn't a football fan, 19-year-old Matthew and their friends would always head for her house in Chestnut Avenue to watch important games.

The group had already been making plans to follow England's progress through the tournament, and now they are all willing the team on with even more fervour.

"I'm just praying England win," said Natalie. "It is what he would have wanted more than anything."

Labourer Matthew, of Whiteman Street, Gorse Hill, who played for the Olive Branch team as a midfielder, was planning to jet out to Magaluf with his mates on July 10, which would have been his 20th birthday.

"He was excited about being there for his birthday," said his friend Gary Maciezonek.

This was why they came up with the idea of having his name and a tribute put on England shirts.

"He is going with us," explained close friend Stephen Chaloner, adding that it was a lasting memory of Matthew.

The shirt carries his nickname on the back and his age, with "In memory of" on the front.

England flags and a football shirt were among the tributes laid at the scene of the crash in Pinehurst Road, as about 200 people unofficially closed the road in an impromptu tribute.

The crash also left Matthew's friend Michael McCann fighting for his life.

He is stable at the Great Western Hospital. Both men were back seat passengers in a Ford Mondeo estate driven by Gary Huckin, of Naunton Road, Walcot.

He is due to appear at Swindon Crown Court on Monday charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to report and accident and leaving the scene.

Tina Clarke