"What a life he was going to have." 

Those are the words of a devastated Dad following the death of his football mad 20-year-old son.

Elijah Khaira was a highly regarded young referee and passionate Saints fan who spent his weekends officiating around Hampshire, sometimes at four or five matches, and following Southampton home and away. 

(Image: Family collection)

He had aspirations to go all the way to the top, to one day officiate for Premier League matches and maybe even a World Cup final, before his life was cut tragically short on Sunday (June 16).

(Image: Family collection)

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"I know he would have made it," said Dad Nick. "He had already achieved so much and just completely lived for refereeing. Elijah was so passionate about the game and loved to quote the rule book!

"He never turned a game down. Being autistic, it made sense to him. He saw things as yes or no, black or white, wrong or right.

"He embraced everything and we're so proud of him. It's only since he's gone we've realised how loved he was by so many. It seems he was an inspiration to people, but we didn't know it. We're absolutely devastated."

(Image: Family collection)

Elijah, who ran the line at the Ex Saints match at Lyndhurst on Friday night and last refereed as Millbrook were promoted to the Wessex League Premier Division in May, had gone from park football to a Level 5 referee who had been put forward for Level 4 promotion by the Hampshire FA.

A marine biology student at University of Portsmouth, his family raised the alarm when Elijah failed to return home to Curdridge for Father's Day on Sunday when he and his dad had planned to go to the Painted Wagon to watch England's Euros opener against Serbia.

After rushing to his student house in Southsea following a return call from Elijah's landlord, Nick, Mum Samantha and 17-year-old sister Bo were given the devastating news that he had passed away. Suffering from a mild form of epilepsy, it is believed he had been injured during a night time seizure. 

(Image: Family collection)

A season ticket holder in the Itchen North stand at St Mary's, Elijah had been attending games since the age of five, his last the Championship play off final at Wembley.

Elijah, who attended The Gregg School and Peter Symonds College, was also a regular at the additional needs youth group The Friday Night Project in Hedge End.

His family have received hundreds of messages of condolence from the world of football and beyond. 

(Image: Family collection)