My phone blew up when people realised what ‘brilliant’ Bruno Fernandes had done for my Man United-mad son

Man Utd fan Bobby Moore obtained the shock of a lifetime when Bruno Fernandes informed him he can be the mascot in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.

A passionate seven-year-old Manchester United fan whose celebration of a Bruno Fernandes penalty went viral – and caught the eye of the membership captain – shed tears after strolling the groups out along with his hero at Previous Trafford.

Bobby Moore was United’s mascot for the derby day draw with Manchester Metropolis earlier this month, main the gamers out alongside Fernandes and changing into the primary membership mascot to make use of a powerchair or wheelchair.

Bobby’s celebration of a United penalty in his signature pink powerchair went viral on social media and was seen by Fernandes, who then acquired a letter from the Belfast teenager as a part of the Premier League’s Fan Mail sequence. Two days earlier than the conflict with Metropolis, Bobby was invited to Carrington to participate in a powerchair soccer session earlier than being stunned by Fernandes.

Bobby, dad Terence, and mum Clare have been at Carrington ready for the occasion when Fernandes appeared after ending coaching forward of the derby.

“He came out to see Bobby. He invited him up to the restaurant to have lunch with the players. He got to meet all the players and have a bit of lunch with them,” mentioned Terence.

“Then Bruno took him outside to do a bit of powerchair football with the United powerchair team. He was brilliant, to be honest, you didn’t feel like he was rushing and it felt like he wanted to be there. He seemed just a genuine guy.”

It was simply throughout his chat with Fernandes that Bobby’s weekend obtained even higher. Whereas his mother and father knew he was going to be a mascot, one thing Terence mentioned Fernandes had “greased the wheels” on, the teenager solely came upon he would even be going to the sport two days beforehand.

“A couple of players had kept asking if he was going to the match on Sunday, and Bobby would say, ‘No we’re not going’. And then Bruno is talking away and asking, ‘Will you go to the match on Sunday?’ And Bobby says, ‘No, I just came here.’

“Bruno was like, ‘Who told you that?’ He says, ‘No, you’re going and you’re going to lead the team out with me’. It was only a actually emotional day and it was wonderful. I simply could not consider it. I knew it was taking place, however simply seeing the response was wonderful.”

With the Saturday to themselves, the family headed to the Trafford Centre for food and a visit to the Sea Life aquarium, but Bobby only wanted the day to pass as quickly as possible before the match on Sunday.

When he got to Old Trafford for the first time, the size of the occasion started to sink in for the United-mad youngster.

“He was in his component on matchday, so excited within the morning telling us what was taking place, however he was only a bit quieter when he realised how large the stadium was and that he was going to be strolling on the market with the group,” mentioned Terence.

“He had mentioned he was going to shout ‘Bruno, Bruno’ into the digital camera, however then he determined he wasn’t going to do this. He saved making issues up that he was going to do. I mentioned simply go on the market and smile, it’s a tremendous expertise that you simply’ll by no means have once more.

“He was a bit nervous leading up to it, but when we were down in the tunnel with the rest of the mascots, he started talking to a couple of the other mascots, and he sort of felt a bit more at ease, like they were talking away to him.

“After which when the gamers got here out, a few gamers signed autographs after they have been popping out to do their pre-match warm-up. After which Bruno, too, he put him comfy.”

Bobby was born with a rare genetic condition known as spinal muscular atrophy, which requires him to use a powerchair. As he led the teams out with Fernandes, the Sky Sports commentary team referenced the slice of history viewers were witnessing.

“They concentrate on Kevin De Bruyne and his final derby because the groups come out, after which it pans all the way down to Bobby and Bruno and so they gave a little bit of element about Bobby being the primary powerchair consumer to be mascot at Previous Trafford. They even named him, we weren’t anticipating that,” mentioned Terence.

“My cellphone simply blew up. We had solely informed shut household, then I messaged mates to observe from the beginning on the morning, telling them we have been sat behind the web and they’d be capable to see us. Just about Bobby’s complete college was watching. It was only a proud, proud second, for me and my companion.”

Fernandes is Terence and Bobby’s favourite player, but all of the squad helped put Bobby at ease and make his weekend special, with Terence referencing Rasmus Hojlund as one who went out of his way to chat at Carrington on the Friday.

After the game, Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Mason Mount saw Bobby in the tunnel and went over to chat to him about the game, before one final farewell with Fernandes before it was time to leave.

“He obtained a bit emotional on the way in which out of the stadium,” said Terence, “as a result of he was saying that he’ll not get to see Bruno once more.”