Charlie Edinburgh: 'Helping to save lives is the best way of creating a legacy in my Dad's name'

Justin Edinburgh's son on mission as stars pay tribute at memorial service
Charlie Edinburgh before the memorial service held for Justin Edinburgh at Chelmsford Cathedral on Tuesday
PA

Justin Edinburgh's son, Charlie, led the tributes on Tuesday at a memorial service held to honour the life of the former Leyton Orient manager.

Edinburgh died last month at the age of just 49 after suffering a cardiac arrest, leaving behind wife Kerri and their children, Charlie and Cydnie.

Only weeks before his death, Edinburgh had guided the O’s back to the Football League by winning the National League.

During his playing days, he made 276 appearances for Tottenham, winning both the FA and League Cups, while he also represented Southend, Portsmouth and Billericay.

Speaking to Standard Sport before the service at Chelmsford Cathedral, Charlie Edinburgh said: “He was a winner, a champion. He was dedicated, but an all-round top man with nothing but love and pride for his friends, family and everything that he did.

“He would always make time for people, whether it was a player coming to him with something they’ve got going on at home or whether it was my sister or me needing to borrow £20 off him.

“He would always do whatever he could. He was very unselfish and I think anybody’s life he has touched has spoken about the positive impact he made.

"To my sister and I, he was our dad, to my mum he was her husband. We loved him but we didn’t quite realise how loved he was by everyone.”

The service at Chelmsford Cathedral was opened by a performance of Amazing Grace by The London Community Gospel Choir.

Chris Hughton and Sol Campbell were among the attendees at Tuesday's memorial service
PA

Charlie was among family and friends to give a speech at the service, while Paul Allen reminisced about the pair’s time at Tottenham and Shaun Derry explained his close friendship with the former left-back which developed at Portsmouth.

Leyton Orient’s director of football Martin Ling and captain Jobi McAnuff addressed those in the cathedral, too, while fans outside gathered to pay their respects.

Many former stars travelled to pay their condolences, particularly those from Tottenham, including Chris Hughton, Glenn Hoddle, Ossie Ardiles and Sol Campbell.

Charlie admits that he will never truly accept what has happened, but is trying to channel his energy into something positive - the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation, which is aiming to educate the wider public in the use of CPR and defibrillators.

Charlie Edinburgh shakes hands with Glenn Hoddle during the memorial service
PA

The foundation especially wants to inform teenagers in education, so that when they leave school or college they are trained to provide aid in instances of cardiac arrest.

“The only way for us to move forward is to be positive,” Charlie added. “We can’t dwell on what has happened. Hopefully, with the foundation, that will reflect in a positive way.

"We will hopefully be able to save people’s lives.

“Myself, my mum and sister, from the moment that tragic event happened, we sat there and said we want to keep his name going.

Justin Edinburgh dies aged 49 - his career in pictures

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"Straight away a foundation sprung to mind — and we are not just targeting schools, there are other ideas as well.”

One revolves around campaigning to change the law on access to defibrillators at sports facilities.

English law does not currently regard defibrillators as compulsory equipment, but the JE3 Foundation is looking to change that.

“We are looking at law change, with it being called Justin’s Law,” Charlie said. “We are trying to get defibrillators in all health and sports facilities.

"That is the sort of legacy we want to leave in dad’s name.”

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