A talented young footballer from Co Tyrone had his dreams come true after walking out at Anfield alongside his Liverpool FC heroes this week.
Jack Eastwood from Cookstown walked out alongside right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold during the Reds’ midweek victory over Fulham.
His proud dad Ryan was watching on as 7-year-old Jack took to the pitch as a mascot having won a competition to go over and meet the players before the game.
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Ryan told Belfast Live they had actually found out on Jack’s birthday when the young lad had been unwell, and the news cheered him up right away.
“We had got him a trip over to Liverpool to watch a different game for his birthday and we gave him the tickets then,” Ryan said.
“He was down with the chickenpox on his birthday but literally an hour after we gave him the tickets, we got an email from the club to say Jack had been selected as a mascot for the Fulham game.
“He ended up getting two trips in the space of 10 days, I thought it was a scam initially and then realised it wasn’t.”
After travelling over to Liverpool for the match, Jack ended up being the youngest mascot on the night, and had a tough choice to make between which of his heroes to walk out with.
“He was the youngest mascot on the night, he’s only seven years old and most of the others were between eight and 12.
“He was greeted by some staff and the other kids and off they went, it was quite nerve wracking because we had to leave them then.
“Jack went in to meet the players then and high-fived Bobby Firmino, Thiago and all the boys were saying hello to them.
“They matched up with players then, he had a choice of Darwin Nunez, Virgil Van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold and he ended up picking Trent.
“Trent was brilliant with him, he asked him was he OK and put the arm round him because he said he was a bit cold.
“He was magnificent with him as far as helping him and guiding him and I think that helped him with whatever nerves he may have had.”
Ryan says as a father he couldn’t have been more proud of Jack, and added that the talented Magherafelt Sky Blues youth player may end up running out on the pitch at Anfield one day himself.
“As a parent you think what happens if he needs to go to the toilet or he’s too tired or cranky. I couldn’t be more proud of how he coped with such a big experience.
“I had told him to hold his head up, enjoy it and show the world your smile and that’s exactly what he did.”
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