THE memory of a father-of-four is being kept alive at the pitch where he died.

Mohammed Iqbal Nazim, 50, known as Ricky, collapsed moments after complaining of feeling unwell while playing football at the Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre (BRIC) in December.

His family have since been told by doctors that he died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), leading to cardiac arrest.

Now his wife Jeanette, 45, has sponsored new sky blue and white kits for his team, Stanford Vets, through the hair salon she owns in Shear Brow, Blackburn.

She hopes it will be a way of remembering his passion for the game.

Ricky’s brother-in-law Micky Spencer, who also plays for seven-a-side team Stanford Vets, oversaw a handing over ceremony at the Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre, on Wednesday, attended by Blackburn Rovers star David Dunn, as well as the players who were with Ricky when he died.

Micky, 37, said: “This is something for Ricky’s pals to remember him by, and it’s a bit of closure for us as well.

“It was horrible for us when he died on the pitch.

“But this is a way we can remember him positively while we keep on playing,” he added.

More than 1,000 people from both white and Asian communities attended Liverpool FC fan Ricky’s funeral – a testament to the way he tried to bring the two communities together, and “opened the doors for Asian footballers”.

A special knock-out tournament is also being arranged in Ricky’s name for both white and Asian football teams to compete in, on May 29, at Mill Hill Football Club.

Ricky, of Ewood, had played for a variety of clubs in Blackburn for more than 30 years.

A highlight came in 1997, when he played at Ewood Park with his Posh Clothing team, which lost 2-1 to Langho in a local cup final.