THE funeral of former Chelsea youth player Jordan Tabor will take place at midday on Tuesday at Trinity Church in Abingdon.

Friends have continued to pay tribute to the 23-year-old, who is believed to have died following a fall from a hotel balcony in Turkey on July 23, while on holiday with his girlfriend.

Luton Town defender Fraser Franks dedicated his goal in a pre-season friendly on Saturday against Belgium’s Royal Antwerp to his former Chelsea teammate.

He tweeted: “RIP Jordan Tabor. Knew I would score today and get a chance to dedicate it to him.”

On Monday, Mr Tabor’s girlfriend Danielle McEachran tweeted: “I can’t say thank you enough to everyone for all the messages, flowers and support you have all given.”

Miss McEachran’s brother is Chelsea midfielder Josh. His ex-girlfriend, Coronation Street start Brooke Vincent, tweeted: “Words can’t describe. Rest in Peace.

“Days like this put everything into perspective. Life is too short.”

Two of Mr Tabor’s former clubs, Didcot Town and Kidlington FC, held a minute’s silence before their game on Tuesday, and tributes have been paid by Chelsea and Cheltenham FC.

Mr Tabor played for Chelsea between 2008 and 2009, appearing 50 times for their under-18s side and three times for the reserves.

A spokesman for the club said: “Everybody at Chelsea Football Club was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of our former Academy scholar Jordan Tabor last week. Our thoughts are with Jordan’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

After leaving Chelsea he signed for Cheltenham and played once in the Football League Trophy before spells at Kidlington and AFC Hinksey, where he spent the 2013-14 season.

Mr Tabor, a former pupil of Abingdon Preparatory School and Cokethorpe, was living in Headington and working for Secondsite Recruitment in Abingdon at the time of his death.

His mother Louise Bates said his spirit would live on through his brothers Charlie, six, and Finlay, seven.

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