Manchester United reserve forward Jimmy Davis has been killed in a car accident.
Davis turned professional in 1999
The 21-year-old joined Watford on a season-long loan last month and the Division One club have called off their opening league game of the season against Coventry City in the wake of the tragedy.
The England youth international joined Manchester United as a trainee in July, 1999 and turned professional eight weeks later.
The Bromsgrove-born player made his first team debut for United in 2001 in the Worthington Cup against Arsenal.
Davis went out on loan to Swindon last season, making 15 appearances for the
Second Division club and scoring three goals.
He then returned to Old Trafford and was on
the bench for the Champions League tie away to Deportivo La Coruna in March.
The accident happened on the M40 in the early hours of the morning in
The footballer's grey BMW 3-series was in collision with a DAF lorry as both
vehicles were travelling southbound just before 0500 BST.
Davis was pronounced dead at the scene and two lanes of the carriageway were
closed while investigators examined the scene. The lorry driver was uninjured.
FA chief executive Mark Palios added: "We are deeply
saddened by this tragic loss.
"It is terrible that a player so young, with such a promising career ahead of him, should lose his life in this way.
"Our sincere condolences go to Jimmy's family and all at Manchester United and Watford."
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was among the first to pay tribute to Davis.
"You could not meet a nicer and more
bubbly character than Jimmy Davis," he said.
"He was a player with real potential, that's why we sent him to Watford this
season. At 21 he had great promise. We are all really sad. It's terrible