“HE HAD a great future ahead of him.”

Those are the heartfelt words of a Southampton boss who lost one of his employees in a car smash over the weekend.

Popular sportsman Macaulay Campbell was looking to spend a third year as an apprentice at Southampton commercial vehicle firm Sparks when he died on Saturday night.

The Romsey Rugby Club player was killed when his black VW Lupo collided with a silver BMW 520 near Romsey Rugby Club, hours after he was named man-of-the-match in a victorious game.

Macaulay’s death has sent shockwaves through the community with scores of people leaving rugby balls and shirts as well as flowers in tribute to him at the side of the A3057 where he died.

His manager at Sparks, Paul Challis, paid tribute to the 20-year old adding that Mac’s colleagues at the Houndsdown Business Park firm are “devastated” at his death.

“He was a lovely, lovely lad. The type of young man that would do anything for you, do anything for anyone,” Paul said. “He had a very, very bright future ahead of him. We were expecting great things from him in the future. The world was his oyster.

“He was building up to be a very capable member of the team.”

“There isn’t one of our technicians who’s got a bad word to say about him at all,” he added. “I couldn’t speak highly enough about him.”

Paul said Mac was doing “extremely well” in apprenticeship exams where he was learning to be a HGV technician.

His comments come after coaching staff at Romsey Rugby Club said he showed “leadership qualities on the field” as he helped the club secure a 14-match undefeated run.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media too as his friends and family paid tribute to him.

One woman Julie Facey: “So shocked and saddened by this horrible news, my boys were at school with Sam and Mac and I remember Mac as a very kind boy even at a young age. Can’t begin to imagine how his family and close friends are feeling. Our thoughts are with you all. X”

The couple in the silver BMW 520 – a male driver and a female passenger – were taken to Southampton General Hospital following the crash.

Hampshire police said their injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing and that investigations into what happened are continuing.

Anyone with any information about the crash should contact Hampshire police on 101 quoting Operation Castington or incident number 44160074729.