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Page last updated at 19:19 GMT, Sunday, 14 September 2008 20:19 UK

Stab victim was England captain

Oliver King-Onzila
Oliver King-Onzila was a footballer with League Two side Barnet

A teenager stabbed to death outside a bar in south London had recently captained an England football team.

Oliver King-Onzila, 19, died after being found with stab wounds outside the E Bar in Croydon on Saturday. Two men, both aged 18, have been arrested.

The victim had captained Barnet's youth team and skippered the England Colleges FA team in a game against Italy.

Oliver's older brother, Herve, 27, died of a heart attack earlier this year while playing football.

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough described Oliver as "a gentle giant".

He told BBC London: "He was bright-eyed, keen and eager to be a professional footballer.

"I remember on his first day of arrival he bashed around the first team players when we had a little game.

"Everyone stood back and was amazed by his power and strength and yet impressed by his gentle personality when he wasn't on the pitch."

'No reason'

He had come up through the ranks at Underhill and his colleagues were informed of the killing before their League Two match with Morecambe on Saturday.

The club's spokesman Dennis Signy said of the midfielder: "We were shocked to hear the news.

He was in the wrong place at the wrong time
Friend of Oliver King-Onzila

"Oliver was a young lad hoping to make his way in the game who had already played for the Bees."

Flowers have been left by friends outside the E Bar, which has been cordoned off while officers search the area.

One youth, who did not want to be named, said he had been with Oliver before the stabbing took place.

He said: "There was no reason for what happened last night. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was unprovoked."

Family friend Dorothy Wadley, said: "His family are devastated obviously. He'd only just celebrated his 19th birthday.

Police officer outside the E Bar in Croydon
The area around the E Bar was cordoned off after the stabbing

"He was a good footballer with a promising career."

"He was well liked and had all the time in the world for his friends and family."

Det Ch Insp Damian Allain, leading the investigation, said: "We now know there was a fracas outside the E Bar involving three people, one of whom is the deceased, and we need to hear from anyone that saw that incident."

Oliver was taken to hospital following the stabbing at 0100 BST on Saturday, but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested in connection with the killing.

One remains in custody at a south London police station. The other was bailed until late September pending further inquiries.




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