A 10-year-old boy from Angus is set to lead out the teams at the FA Cup final at Wembley in May.
Aidan Downey from Carnoustie will be involved in English football’s showpiece occasion on May 14 thanks to his mother’s partner Ronnie Kerr, who works for energy provider and competition sponsor E.ON
The package was won in an online competition by Ronnie’s work colleague Russell Cameron, who also scooped tickets for the match.
He will escort the young fan into the ground while Ronnie will have to be content to watch from the nearest pub.
“It was my friend that won the ticket to go down and I don’t think he realised at first that he could take a mascot along with him,” said the 43-year-old salesman.
“He didn’t have anybody of that age that could go, so he called me up to ask if Aidan would like to go along with him.
“I had to wake him up to ask him if he wanted to do it and I don’t think he got back to sleep again after that.”
Both Ronnie and Russell work as door-to-door sales staff for the power company and the contest was open to employees only.
Since learning he would be going to London, Aidan who plays football for Carnoustie Panmure Under 11s has been eager to let his classmates at Burnside Primary School know the good news.
But he has one thorny problem. “He is a Liverpool fan, and it was their main rivals Manchester United that knocked them out of the cup,” said Ronnie.
“If they get through to the final there is a chance he could be walking out in a Manchester United kit.
“All his friends have been taking the mickey out of him, saying he will be walking down the tunnel holding Wayne Rooney’s hand.”