A young Crystal Palace fan got the VIP treatment last weekend as he walked out alongside his footballing hero in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Reece Woodham from Parsonsfield Road, Nork won a competition to be one of 11 Crystal Palace mascots and got to walk out alongside his favourite player Wilfried Zaha before the match against Manchester United.
Reece Woodham (left) with his younger brother Dylan at Wembley before Crystal Palace's semi-final victory over Watford
Reece, nine, and his father James drove into Wembley and navigated its entrance tunnels – normally reserved for top athletes and A-list entertainers – on Friday, May 20.
Former England goalkeeper David James gives Reece and the other mascots a pep talk ahead of the match
Over the weekend Reece got to meet former England stars John Barnes and David James, pose with the FA Cup trophy and then accompany the players onto the Wembley turf.
Reece Woodham (far right) with John Barnes in the Wembley changing rooms
Sadly, for Reece and James, Crystal Palace lost the game 2-1, with Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard’s volley in extra-time proving decisive.
Wayne Rooney blocks Wilfried Zaha's first half shot
A dejected Wilfired Zaha after the final whistle
James said despite referee Mark Clattenburg’s controversial decision to rule out a first-half goal for Palace after Man Utd defender Chris Smalling pulled back Connor Wickham, the day was “an amazing experience”.
He added: “As any other Crystal Palace fan will tell you, the ref had quite a big say in the match.
“Apart from that and apart from the result, the match was really good with all the excitement and noise in the Palace end.”
And the celebrity treatment continued on Monday morning when Reece returned to Warren Mead School in Banstead.
Mr Woodham said: “On Monday morning when he went back to school he was absolutely mobbed by all his friends who knew he was going to be there, and by everyone who saw him on the telly.
“He got to tell the full story to all his friends at school.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here