Birthday at the Bridge

SKIP skip hooray . . . Scott with Chelsea and England captain John Terry

OLDHAM lad Scott Needham has come to expect extra special greetings on his birthday — thanks to his father.

And this year was no exception, as the 20-year-old marked the day watching his beloved Chelsea at Stamford Bridge — then met his footballing heroes.

Scott got a pat on the back and birthday wishes from Chelsea and England stars John Terry and Frank Lampard. The exciting encounter put the top hat on his birthday celebrations, and made it a hat-trick of heroes, following hot on the heels of a meeting with Latics manager John Sheridan 24 hours earlier.

Scott’s father, Stuart, had been working behind the scenes to arrange the surprise.

He said: “It was tremendous to see the pleasure on his face — it was his long-standing dream to meet them.

“I had been trying for three years to get a meeting with Lampard, but it just didn’t work out.

“It’s a case of being in the right place at the right time, and this year everything just fell into place.

“Both Lampard and Terry had a talk with Scott, wished him happy birthday, and had their photographs taken with him. We couldn’t have wished for anything better. It was very emotional. It wasn’t that good for me though as a Manchester United fan sitting among all the Chelsea supporters during the match — but these are the sacrifices you make for your son!”

Scott, who has Downs Syndrome, is in his second year of a Lifelong Learning Skills course at Oldham College, and is already talking about what his father will organise for his milestone 21st birthday.

Scott, who lives with his parents in Boundary Park Road, Oldham, loves music, and has already had birthday meetings with Russell Watson, Aled Jones, Hayley Westenra, Duncan from Blue and classical singer Keedie.

“It’s not a case of ‘Jim’ll fix it’, it’s more like dad’ll fix it.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do for his 21st — I’m looking for ideas,” he laughed.