Tributes paid to popular football fan hit by car

THE death of a devoted Welsh football fan and charity fundraiser who was hit by a car on the weekend has been described as a “massive loss” to his community.

Steffan Goronwy James Thomas, 33, is thought to have been walking home on the A487 near Cardigan in the early hours of Sunday morning when the accident happened.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Thomas, who was from the village of St Dogmaels in Pembrokeshire, was a keen Welsh football fan who had travelled all over Europe supporting the national side.

He had also served as vicechairman of St Dogmaels Football Club.

The club’s secretary and treasurer, Wyn Rees, said Mr Thomas’s death would be a “massive, massive loss” to the community.

“He was big friends with my son, and he was like a son to me himself,” said Mr Rees.

“He was a larger than life character, who was always smiling, and always full of mischief.

“He was a player, a supporter, and a hard working official at St Dogmaels Football Club.

“He was a keen fundraiser, and he lived and breathed the club; he’d been involved with the side since he was seven years old.

“He was the life and soul of the party, always smiling, always laughing, and he will leave a massive hole in the village.”

Mr Rees added that Mr Thomas had not missed an away game with the Welsh national team for a number of years.

He had travelled to France for the European Championships last summer and was due to travel to Georgia later this week to watch Wales play on Friday.

A Facebook group set up by and for Welsh football fans posted a message saying: “So sad to hear that Welsh fan Steffan Thomas has passed away.

“Thoughts go out to his family and friends during this sad time.”

Sunday morning’s incident happened at around 4am, when a car is thought to have collided with Mr Thomas near a roundabout on the outskirts of Cardigan.

A section of the A487 between Cardigan and Fishguard was closed for around seven hours after the collision, reopening shortly after 11am on Sunday.

A spokesman for Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they are investigating the fatal incident and have asked anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who may have been in the area in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact them urgently.

An inquest into Mr Thomas’s death was opened by the senior coroner for Ceredigion yesterday.