Football manager shot and killed

A football manager was killed by a masked gunman on a London playing field as he arrived to hold training.

Ryan Musgrove, 36, of Coney Hall Football Club, was shot at least six times by a man who escaped by bike.

Officers who were called to Sparrows Den Playing Fields in West Wickham, Bromley, south London, found the dying man at about 1830 BST on Thursday.

Police suspect the killer may have been lying in wait. They say the shooting could be gang-related.

Mr Musgrove had arrived at the ground with a friend.

"Ryan will be remembered as a huge personality and as a great football man"

Police said the victim was talking to two men at the side of the field when he was attacked.

Det Ch Insp John McFarlane said: "Suddenly a man jumped out of the bushes, fired several shots with a small handgun, then rode away on a mountain bike across the adjacent field in the direction of New Addington."

The gunman fired again to scare away the dying manager's players before fleeing, police said.

An air ambulance was sent out but the crew was unable to resuscitate the victim.

Mr Musgrove, from South Norwood, south-east London, was not previously known to police.

He was first team manager at the club.

The club said in a statement: "The thoughts of everyone within the club are with Ryan's family to whom we send our heartfelt condolences.

"Ryan will be remembered as a huge personality and as a great football man who made great strides improving the senior section at Coney Hall during the past two seasons.

"He is missed."

The Sparrows Den Playing Fields, a favourite with dog-walkers, is home to several amateur rugby and football clubs.

The Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Serious Crime Command is investigating.

Mr McFarlane said a "large number of people" were there at the time.

'Callous' attack

He said: "The gunman appeared to deliberately target Mr Musgrove. He said nothing.

"The victim has been coming down here for the last four weeks and holding training sessions.

"It was obviously a planned callous attack. The gunman must have known that his victim was going to be there."

The gunman was described as between 19 and 30 and quite tall.

He wore a hat covering the whole of his head, large goggles and a white mask over the bottom half of his face, hiding his ethnicity.

No arrests have been made.

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Metropolitan Police
Coney Hall FC
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