Football community shows its respect for Ngaruawahia’s Jared Williams

posted in: News, Obituary

Football clubs throughout the upper North Island have shown their respect for Ngaruawahia United president Jared Williams who died last week, aged 39.

Clubs throughout Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty shared a minute’s silence before weekend matches, and players wore black armbands, to honour the memory of a man credited with having a huge influence on football in the WaiBOP region, as well as at his own club.

A celebration of his life will be held at Vilagrad Winery, 702 Rukuhia Rd, Ohaupo, at 2pm on Thursday July 29, 2021.

Friends of Football extends our condolences to his wife Lisa, and their four children, Isla, Olivia, Max and Henry.

The Williams family have asked that in lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice Waikato would be appreciated (PO Box 325, Hamilton).

Williams was recently made a Life Member of Ngaruawahia United and was a Life Member of WaiBOP Football.

This follows his football career as a goalkeeper, coach and administrator who was known for seeing a bigger picture, as keen to grow the game in his region and not just at his own club.

An example was his support for the establishment of a Waikato men’s over-35s competition which, after many false starts, got off the ground this year, with a Ngaruawahia United side among the founding teams.

This year, as Williams managed the cancer that was to take him, friends in the football community paid tributes to him.

His clubmate and friend Ryan Bell wrote a moving tribute to Williams – click here to read it >>>>

Jared Williams (1982 – 2021)