Windermere boy meets his soccer heroes (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Windermere boy meets his soccer heroes

8:50pm Wednesday 4th April 2012 in News By Scott Kirk, Reporter

A LIFELONG ambition of many Liverpool football fans was fulfilled by a Lake District lad at the weekend.

Eight-year-old Dean Aughpin, of Windermere, walked out of the players’ tunnel with the Reds’ captain Steven Gerrard ahead of Liverpool’s high-profile game at Newcastle United.

Once on the pitch the Windermere Junior School pupil had a kickabout with the England international.

He also had his picture taken with Liverpool manager and icon Kenny Dalglish.

At the end of the game, which Liverpool lost 2-0, he also managed to have a drink of Gerrard’s Lucozade.

Before the Liverpool players got on the team bus for the journey home, Dean also managed a chat with striker Craig Bellamy.

And he also gets to keep the Liverpool strip as a memento of a day he will never forget. His mother Sonia, who was at the match with husband Andy, said: “It was a fantastic day.

“Everybody in our family is a Liverpool supporter so it was absolutely brilliant.

“Once they were about to kick off we had to get off the pitch to get up the stairs to our seats and that was when Kenny Dalglish stopped us and said Dean could get a photo with him.”

Before the match the family were also invited into the directors’ box and met Newcastle players Mehdi Abeid and former Manchester United midfielder Gabriel Obertan.

Dean was made a mascot after joining the Liverpool Junior Football Club at Christmas.

The group randomly picks mascots for games and Mrs Aughlin received an e-mail three weeks ago, just three days before Dean’s eighth birthday on March 11.

“It was a lovely early birthday present for him!” said Mrs Aughpin, who lives on Droomer Drive, Windermere.

“All the players were very friendly and Newcastle United made us feel very welcome. It was just a shame about the result!”