#silentsunday – Butlins Style

Little Man Puts All His Social Skills Training Into Practice When He Meets His Favourite Chelsea Players

I can not begin to put into words what an amazing day, today has been.

If you’ve read my recent posts, you will already know how I won the opportunity to take little man to watch his team ‘Chelsea FC’ training today at Cobham, in preparation for their home game against West Ham this coming Sunday (17th March). What’s more, we are also invited to the match. As winners we have been handed VIP Platinum tickets to the game. This package offers the works, its the ultimate in VIP experience and with tickets costing between £700 – £800 each on the Chelsea official website, we are overwhelmed to have been given this amazing opportunity! One I never could have afforded otherwise.

Well, back to today… We woke up nice and early and set of to Cobham and Stoke with all our fingers crossed that little man would get to meet his football heroes. The PRs who contacted me over my win were made aware of little man’s aspergers Syndrome and they were great on the day. Little man did so well, given he was full of excitement and had very little sleep the previous night, he still managed to deal with it all really well.

Lucky for us it was decided that training would take place inside rather than outside. I say lucky because it was absolutely freezing with high speed winds playing complete havoc with my already wild untamed hair. This also meant we were even closer to the action with the players training just a few feet away from us.

Little man wasn’t at all star struck at this point. While there was some distance between himself and his footy heroes, I think it still felt a little dreamy.

Then it was the moment of truth! No one knew for sure if we would get to meet the players but we were told to bring Chelsea memorabilia for possible signing plus a camera as there may possibly be photo opportunities. You, see it was all a case of maybe and of course such uncertainty for a child on the autism spectrum is torture. We discovered we had won on the Friday and this was his first question. I did just consider saying it wasn’t an option as to lower his heightening suspense but even though it would have been my idea of being kind, he would have been most upset as the surprise may just have been to much. He wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as he should have due to the whole unexpectedness of it… He needs to be prepared for something as big as this, so I decided that if we didn’t get given the opportunity to meet the players then I’d much rather deal with his disappointment then that of his confusion and shock if we did.

Well, the photos say it all! He was a very lucky boy and I’ll never forget the look on his face as he saw Ashley Cole making his way over to say hello! Yes, I’ve honestly never seen such a look on his face… I guess this is what they call star struck! I was so proud of how he held his excitement together as he greeted the players. He was even starting conversations… Rehearsed I think, though brilliant all the same.

Posing with Ashley Cole

Little man with John Terry

Picture with Luiz

Little man made sure he greeted each player and had them all sign his Chelsea football shirt which he was wearing.

I even got a quick snap with the lovely Frank Lampard…

Not my most flattering but how could I not share

It was wonderful seeing my Little Man so happy. He left the training ground on a real high and still can’t stop talking about this day.

Bring on Sundays Match, that’s all I can say!

Thanks so much to the guys at Lucozade and Chelsea FC for making Little man’s day a truly remarkable one! I really don’t think them boys in blue release how much joy they brought to a little guys face who over the years hasn’t found much to smile about.

THANK YOU FROM BOTH OF US.