Football stars join mourners at funeral for former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson

Hatty Collier19 November 2016

Football stars today gathered to pay tribute at the funeral of former Aston Villa striker Dalian Atkinson who died after he was shot by a police taser.

The 48-year-old, famed for scoring a magnificent solo goal against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park in 1992, died after he was hit by a stun gun fired by police who were called to a home in Telford earlier this year.

Hundreds of mourners - including family members, former Villa players Ian Taylor and Tommy Johnson, and football fans - gathered at the town's crematorium to see the striker laid to rest.

It is weeks since Atkinson was fatally shot in the street where he had grown up, in an incident involving West Mercia Police officers, on August 15.

Killed by Taser: Former Aston Villa player Dalian Atkinson

He died 90 minutes later, despite hospital doctors carrying out CPR for more than half an hour in a bid to save him.

At his funeral, during the humanist service, celebrant Peter Mansell, said: "There was no- one quite like Dalian, there never was before and there never will be again."

He told how, as a youngster, he played football in the street in Meadow Close with his brothers and friends - the same road where he was shot by police years later.

As a schoolboy, Atkinson was spotted by talent scouts, leading to his apprenticeship at Ipswich Town FC.

Mourners at Telford Crematorium Chapel for the funeral of the former Aston Villa footballer
PA

Mr Mansell said: "He found sitting at a school desk boring, but excelled at football and athletics."

He added that Atkinson loved the "playboy lifestyle" was "energetic, cheeky and funny" but also "generous, caring and protective".

Family man Atkinson was "an inspiration to his nieces and nephews" and often went home "for his mother's home cooking".

Mr Mansell said: "For those who loved Dalian, a part of their world is gone."

Ian Taylor arrives at the funeral
PA

In her tribute, Atkinson's niece Josie said: "Inspiration is the word most appropriate to you, a figure I looked up to and still do."

Another niece, Cleo, said: "You had such a charismatic soul and enriched everyone's lives with your intellect, insight and warmth, never failing to make people around you laugh."

Atkinson was a top flight striker in the 1990s and made an appearance for England's B team.

Atkinson won the goal of the 1992-1993 season after scoring for league runners-up Aston Villa against Wimbledon following a mazy run from inside his own half. It was the debut season of the Premier League.

He went on to score at Wembley in 1994 as Villa beat Manchester United to lift the League Cup.

He scored more than 20 Premier League goals for the Birmingham side between 1991 and 1995 before going on to play for teams including Turkish side Fenerbahce and Manchester City, and ended his playing career playing in South Korea in 2001.

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