'A marvellous dream' – Burnley FC captain Ben Mee gifts shirt to Clarets fan whose ad asking for lift to matches went viral

'I don't know how other clubs operate but Burnley FC is out of this world.'
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Christopher Coxhead (71), the Southport-based Burnley fan whose advert asking for a lift to home games went viral, was chairman Alan Pace's special guest as the Clarets beat Spurs 1-0 last night.

Read More
Burnley FC fan overwhelmed as advert asking for help travelling to and from Clar...

Chris watched the game from the director's seats, and at the end of the match met Clarets captain and match-winner Ben Mee, who presented Chris with his shirt.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"They picked me up in a limo and I was taken straight up to the chairman's lounge," he told the Express. "I had a marvellous evening. I was sat just behind the England manager, and the chairman and his wife; who are wonderful people. I had lots of chats with him throughout the evening, and I gave him two of my books that I've written as a gift, which he asked me to sign.

"He asked me who my favourite player was, and of course it's Ben Mee, because he's been such an incredible servant. And then right at the very end, Ben turned up and gave me his very damp shirt. He was so nice. I asked him about his children and he said they were doing well. I told him that since he's come back, it looks like the team can beat anybody. And he said 'yes, we feel like that as well'.

"Everything was just so nice. From the second I stepped into the limo, I felt like I was part of one big family. It was so nice. They couldn't have been more pleasant. I don't know how other club's operate but Burnley are out of this world. I respect our chairman so much; he's going to take us a long way."

Mee took to Instagram to say: "Amazing to see the good side of social media. Thanks to a few tweets Christopher has a lift to/from home games now. A real pleasure to have met him after last night's game, too – a lucky omen."

Burnley captain Ben Mee gifts his shirt from the Spurs match to Chris Coxhead. Photo: Burnley Football Club.Burnley captain Ben Mee gifts his shirt from the Spurs match to Chris Coxhead. Photo: Burnley Football Club.
Burnley captain Ben Mee gifts his shirt from the Spurs match to Chris Coxhead. Photo: Burnley Football Club.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chris, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2018, took out the ad in the Southport and Formby Champion last week because he was worried his ill health would prevent him from driving to matches next season.

Chris' ad quickly went viral, appearing in numerous Facebook forums, while a tweet by Carl Disley calling on fans to "help this fella keep going...the match as long as possible" has now been retweeted/liked more than 55,000 times.

He has been left gobsmacked by offers of help from Burnley fans and members of the business community, including Dave Walker, who has also invited Chris to his executive box for the Leicester game.

"It's all been a little overwhelming, because I don't really like fuss. But it's been truly incredible as well – a mavellous dream."

Related topics: