MOST YOUNG boys dream of running out as club mascot at their favourite team’s stadium.
But for one Angus football fanatic the opportunity has been a long time coming.
Lee Haxton is set to lead out Arbroath FC at Gayfield on Wednesday, just days after his 30th birthday.
The surprise experience was arranged for the Lichties die-hard by his mother-in-law, Lorraine Grant.
She said: “My son-in-law Lee Haxton celebrated his 30th birthday earlier in December and to mark this occasion I have arranged for him to be ‘match mascot’ for Arbroath’s home game against East Fife on Wednesday.
“Arbroath very kindly agreed to my request as it was a ‘special’ birthday.
“Lee has been a lifelong supporter but unfortunately when he was a child there was no such thing as a match mascot.”
Lee’s wife, Gaynor, bought him a new strip ahead of the match.
Arbroath committee member Malcolm Fairweather said it was “quite unusual” for such a ‘mature’ mascot to get the nod.
He added: “I have never known it to happen before, so it looks like it may be a first for the club.
“I understand he is a long-standing supporter of the club and of course he will be made very welcome on the day of the game.
“We always get good crowds over the festive period and we are in need of a result so we will take all the support that we can get.”