Robert’s dream flight prize bid

A FORMER Failsworth man needs the help of Chronicle readers to win him a 22,000-mile round trip flight . . . to take his 86-year-old dad to a football match!

Robert Smethurst (50) lives in Auckland, New Zealand, and is hoping to win a competition which will see him coming back to Oldham in April to take 86-year-old Arthur, to the Manchester City v Spurs match.

Robert has reached the final eight of a Coming Home contest run by Etihad Airways — City’s shirt sponsor, which is giving away a return flight and VIP tickets to the match, to the person who wins a public vote for having the best reason for wanting the prize.

Robert told how as a Failsworth Secondary School pupil, he and his brother, Jim who also lives in New Zealand, had season tickets for the Blues and always sat in the Platt Lane stand.

Arthur looked after the boys when their mother died in 1967 and took them to all the matches, but now he is too old to go alone.

Robert, who emigrated 15 years ago, said: “My dad is my hero and it’s very hard being away from family like that.

“It would be a dream come true if Etihad flew me home to take him to a City game one last time after all those times of taking me.

“The first game I remember was the Charity Shield game at the start of the season, and I can recall City players running round Maine Road after winning the league title in 1968, and the time when when my dad drove five of us to Wembley for the 1981 FA Cup final against Spurs, making sure everyone got home for last orders!”

Robert’s childhood friend, Carol Farrington, who still lives in John Street, where Robert grew up, sent us a plea to help him win.

She said: “When he first got to New Zealand he didn’t have Sky TV so he used to get his brother to play some of the match commentary down the phone to him from the radio.

“He used to love going to the game with his dad but the flights are so expensive to get back so he needs some votes.

“He hasn’t been home for three years and he really deserves to win.”

To vote for Robert complete the form at www.etihadcompetition.com