Healing hands grab goal-den memento

Reporter: KAREN DOHERTY
Date online: 18 February 2013

A NOTICE pinned to the home dressing room door at cash-strapped Athletic asked players not to give away their shirts at the end of the Everton match.

But 14-year-old Lewis Healing is glad super striker Matt Smith ignored the warning.

The Crompton House pupil caught his goal-scoring hero's shirt when he threw it towards jubilant fans in the Rochdale Road Stand at the end of Saturday's FA Cup thriller.

Lewis, a season ticket holder, said: "I just grabbed it. There were a lot of people in there. I put it on and everyone was taking photos."

Lewis, who plays for AFC Oldham, has already been offered £50 for the shirt.

But the Shaw youngster insists he’s keeping it — and hopes to get it signed by Smith, who earned his side a replay at Goodison Park.

It was the perfect end to an unbelievable day.

"It was brilliant. I thought we would get a goal at the end but I was lost for words when it went in," said the youngster.



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