Liam swaps the Big Apple for Wembley! (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Liam swaps the Big Apple for Wembley!

10:46pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in News By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

A Bradford City fan who decided against an all-expenses-paid trip to New York in favour of seeing his beloved Bantams take on Swansea is celebrating after an anxious wait to see if he could get tickets.

Liam Mackin (above), who is deaf-blind, was offered a holiday in the Big Apple by the Starlight Charity which grants wishes for seriously ill children, but as soon as he knew City were heading to Wembley there was only one journey he wanted to make.

It was only on Thursday night, though, that he found out he would be one of the fans at the 90,000-seat stadium tomorrow.

The 18-year-old said: “I’m really, really excited about it. It was a shock when I found out. I thought when it got to Thursday, I’d not have a chance of getting tickets. It took a while to sink in. I’m really, really thrilled about being able to go.”

Mum, Liz Little added: “I asked him if he could believe he was going and he said, ‘I can’t believe Bradford City are going, let alone me!’ ”

The charity is putting the family up in a top London hotel and arranging comedy show tickets too.

Susannah Keene, Liam’s wish granter, said: “We are immensely grateful to Bradford City for donating the tickets so that Liam and his step-dad can go to Wembley.

“Originally Liam had wanted for a weekend to New York but once his favourite team made it through to the final Liam changed his mind about his wish and, of course, being one of Bradford’s most ardent fans it was obvious what his Starlight wish was going to change to.

“We really hope Liam enjoys his wish of a lifetime and, of course, everyone at Starlight will be cheering for Bradford on Sunday.”

Stepfather Dean Little will take Liam to the match and the teenager, who has just won a place at Oxford University, has taken his radio to London so his mother can listen to all the action.

Liam, who lives in Wharncliffe Road, Shipley, and has been a fan for more than ten years, was cautious about predicting a result though.

“I never like to call it before the game, we’ve got a chance though,” he said.