Charlie's the three lions mascot (From Gazette)

Charlie's the three lions mascot

7:33pm Tuesday 31st March 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A YOUNGSTER will have the chance to live out every boy’s dream by treading the turf at Wembley alongside his England heroes.

Tottenham Hotspur fan Charlie Couchman, aged ten, has been picked as mascot for the Ukrainian football team at their match against England on Wednesday.

He will be given a tour around Wembley Stadium before being presented with a Ukrainian football kit.

Charlie, a Year 6 pupil at Engaines Primary School, Little Clacton, is hoping to meet some of his favourite players.

He said he is most looking forward to “walking up on the pitch and seeing the players lining up”.

He is hoping to meet Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko and England player Aaron Lennon.

He said: “They are good and Lennon plays for Tottenham.”

“I was thinking of supporting the Ukraine, but then I have got to support my own country.”

His dad, Darren, said: “He will be walking out with the Ukrainian team, but of course he’ll be close up to the England team as well.

“He is well excited about it, and about getting the Ukrainian kit.

“He said, ‘How many lads in Clacton are going to have a Ukrainian kit?’ The game is to be televised, so hopefully we will see him when they do the national anthems.”

Charlie got the chance to act as a mascot for the day thanks to his father’s work with the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign, which works with the FA.

Mr Couchman has been working to raise awareness of testicular cancer since losing a testicle to the disease.

For his latest stunt, he will be jogging around Clacton wearing a giant fluffy testicle.

He hopes the sight of the giant fluffy ball will remind men to check themselves.

He said: “You do not see many people running around Clacton with a giant testicle strapped to their back.

“It is good that people might come up to me and and say, ‘What are you doing, you fool?’, because that gives me a chance to talk to people and explain what I am doing.”

Mr Couchman’s jogging route will cover Little Clacton, as well as runs from Clacton Pier towards Holland.

He will be training with the ball in preparation for a five-kilometre run on June 7 in aid of Everyman Male Cancer Campaign.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)