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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Ryan Carroll

Wee Rangers fan who beat cancer plucked from 50,000 crowd and handed hero's match shirt

A schoolboy who beat cancer was stunned when his favourite Rangers player picked him out of a 50,000-strong crowd and handed him his shirt.

Daven Milne was overwhelmed when Ryan Jack sprinted towards him at Ibrox to given him his match top and a wee cuddle.

The Newton Mearns 12-year-old had just watched his team beat Braga in the Europa League when he was plucked from the massive crowd, the Daily Record reports.

The young 'Gers supporter - who is celebrating 10 years in remission from a very rare pleomorphic undifferentiated primitive sarcoma, diagnosed shortly after his second birthday in January 2012 - is a season ticket holder and never misses an Ibrox match.

Mum Tracy explained: "It may just seem coincidental, but we just find it a wee bit strange.

"We think someone is watching over Daven.

"For him to be picked from a crowd of over 50,000 people and have his dream come true is amazing.

"He is a Rangers season ticket holder and goes religiously every week. They were sitting in the stand in the game against Braga and after they won Daven started to get up to sing and dance at the end.

"Ryan Jack was standing at the centre of the park then all of a sudden just sprinted towards him with his shirt. Then he gave him a wee cuddle.

"He's met other players before but never Ryan Jack. Because of everything he's been through, we believe this encounter happened for a reason. We want it to get back to Ryan so he knows what it meant to my boy."

It was touch and go for young Ryan after his diagnosis with his worried family fearing the worst - but after 25 weeks of chemotherapy and 29 blasts of proton therapy, Daven made an amazing recovery.

Wee Daven is as proud as punch of his treasured top (Daily Record)

Mum-of-three Tracy continued: "He received 25 weeks of chemotherapy, 29 blasts of proton therapy and had to fly to Florida for treatment.

"He had three lots of surgery, he's had sepsis and he's still got loads of wee health issues just now, like developmental issues. He's been left with damage to the base of his brain.

"The prognosis wasn't great for Daven. It was so rare in children to have this type of sarcoma.

"We had to put him on a medical trial but he overcame his treatment.

"He is a wee miracle child, and he's an amazing little footballer too.

"He's still quite a poorly wee kid and he struggles at school, so it was really nice for him to receive that top. It just means the world. There's not another shirt that would have meant as much as Jack's did."

Daven, whose dad David Milne used to play for St Mirren, now won't let the shirt out of his sight.

The delighted schoolboy hopes to meet Jack again and have the top signed by the star himself.

Tracey said: "He would like to thank Ryan personally and get him to sign it himself.

"He's got the top hanging up in his room pride of place and no one is allowed to touch it."

After being contacted by the Record, Rangers FC said they will be happy to arrange a meet and greet for Daven and Ryan Jack.

A spokesperson for the club said: "We would be delighted to facilitate a meeting between Ryan and Daven. This is a really heartwarming story. We are glad Rangers, and Ryan, have played a role in helping Daven."

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