JORDAN Watson was a “typical teenager” who loved football, the outdoors and making his family and friends laugh.

That has been the overwhelming memory of the schoolboy for his brother Josh, 17, and his cousin Carl Gill, 20, who have spoken publicly about the teenager for the first time since his death.

The trial that probed the teenager’s murder was dominated by the grim facts that surrounded the schoolboy’s death.

Inevitably, it failed to reveal how deeply he was loved by his family and friends and how Jordan – just 14 years and three months old when he died – was a fun-loving teenager at the start of his life.

Josh and Carl agreed to speak because they wanted the world to know why Jordan mattered; why he was so popular. Hundreds of people across the city have offered support to his grieving family.

“He was one of those lads who was always on the go,” said Josh, clearly still proud of his little brother.

“He loved to be outdoors.

“He’d never be in. We used to hang about with each other.

“One of the things I remember is sitting in the street, singing songs together – stuff like that.

“He was jolly and always had a smile on his face. We’d always go round to Carl’s and Carl would get his guitar out and we sang songs.”

Josh spoke of some of his happy memories of Jordan – the times his brother spent with his girlfriend; days spent bowling; riding around on bikes; and how Jordan was always the one to cheer up people.

“He’d always go out with his friends and have a laugh with them.

“He’d fetch them back to the house. Me and Jordan went to the same school. I remember I was going over St Nicholas Bridge and I slipped and Jordan sat there giggling for ages.

“I didn’t know where to put myself. It was really funny.”

Though he was Jordan’s big brother, said Josh, it was Jordan who often looked after him, protecting him whenever possible.

“I tried to protect him as much as possible, but he would look after me more than I would look after him.

“If any of us got into trouble, or upset, he’d make us happy – just with his smile.

“He’d make everyone happy. He’d say jokes to make us happy; but he didn’t need jokes. He just had to look at us.

“His face made us feel happy. That was the good side of him.”

In the long term, Jordan – an avid Liverpool FC fan – dreamed of one day becoming a footballer.

Carl admitted that Jordan could at times be a bit of a “handful”– but he said: “He was just a teenage boy. He was happy. He’d make everyone laugh. He was just a normal teenager.

“He didn’t do anything wrong specifically – just normal teenage things.”

Carl also recalled happy memories – including the time some of his front teeth were accidentally knocked out as the young Jordan swung a golf club.

“I didn’t moan too much – I was stood behind him, to be fair,” said Carl.

Carl learned of Jordan’s death while he was leaving his girlfriend’s house – and his reaction gives only a glimpse of the pain that this senseless waste of a young life has caused.

“I smashed my phone down in pure anger,” he said.

Now, seven months after Jordan’s death, Carl and Josh are learning to focus on some of the positive memories of his cousin.

Carl said: “He was always coming round mine at all times, with his bike or his football, saying: ‘Are you coming out?’ He was always coming to mine too early. He stayed at mine quite a lot.

“We’d stay up watching loads of films, and playing on the XBox.

“He’s going to be missed by lots and lots of friends. Everybody loved him for the person he was.”

After Jordan was killed, Josh and Carl threw themselves into organising a memorial gathering at a local church, featuring some of his favourite music and photos of happier times.

Josh recognised that the tragic loss of his brother had galvanised the Currock community, bringing people together. “That’s been absolutely brilliant,” he said, pointing out how much the support meant.

Carl spoke too of how Jordan was a talented rapper.

But perhaps Jordan’s positive outlook on life is best summarised by what Carl said was his cousin’s favourite song: the familiar Morecambe and Wise theme tune Bring me Sunshine .

Jordan often sang when he was in the car with his dad. “That was his song – always will be,” said Carl.

In future, Carl and Josh hope to remind Carlisle of the light that went out of their lives when Jordan Watson died by holding regular memorial celebrations in his name. 

An experienced guitarist, Carl plans also to write a song in Jordan’s memory.

He added: “Everyone’s going to miss him. The memorial will put out there what a great person he was.”