The Pet Shop Boys will be performing live with Suggs and Carl from Madness at a London charity event next month to raise funds for the family of Arsenal terrace legend Dainton ‘Denton’ Connell, who died last October in a car accident when working with the band as a bodyguard in Russia.

Denton ‘aka the Bear’ was reputedly one of the toughest ‘faces’ amongst Arsenal’s notorious firm the Gooners and was credited with keeping the National Front away from Highbury’s terraces in the 80s before being employed by the Pet Shop Boys to handle security for their tour in 1989. Paying tribute after his death, the duo described him as ‘too warm’ to be involved in violence, telling the Camden New Journal ‘Dainton was a warm, kind, loveable friend. He was a huge Arsenal fan and a larger-than-life character, famous in north London and beyond.”

Joining the Pet Shop Boys and Madness on the otherwise retro house themed night are DJs including Danny Rampling, Tall Paul, Terry Farley and Judge Jules, who told Skrufff ‘I knew Denton, and he was an Arsenal legend’. House pioneer Terry Farley told Skrufff he’d also known him, though as a rival Chelsea fan had only ever been on ‘nodding terms’ with Denton. “I’m trying to think of the right words here, obviously he had a side of him that a lot of people would say was criminal,” Terry said, ‘But as someone who would be seen as certain people as a bad guy, he was a very good guy,” he declared, going on to praise his leadership qualities and code of loyalty.

“I’m DJing at this party to give him a nod and to say ‘respect’. For people of my generation and people who grew up in that kind of (gang) culture he represents the best of it,” he added.