Fair play to Ashley Young, this was a terrific gesture.
It wouldn’t be stretching it to say that Ashley Young wouldn’t figure high on the popularity charts amongst football fans and even Manchester United fans (his reputation for diving and his mediocre performances have seen to that) but he deserves huge credit for an act of tremendous kindness yesterday.
The United winger sat out yesterday’s game against Swansea because of a shoulder injury but he was good enough to host terminally ill United fan John Booth and his family in a box at Old Trafford.
The meeting came about after Young responded to the editor of United fanzine Red News, Barney Chilton, on Twitter last month after Booth’s son Robert had contacted Chilton when trying to arrange one last trip to Old Trafford for his father after he had been told in November that the cancer he was suffering from was terminal and that he had only months to live.
Booth and his family had been season ticket holders at United but gave them up when John, 58, was diagnosed with his illness, and while his wish of attending a United away game in Europe was not possible because of his condition, Young was able to ensure that his wish of seeing his beloved Red Devils in action again would not go unfulfilled.
Pleasure to meet @Headhitter, @r0bertb00th and the rest of the Booth family yesterday. Hope you enjoyed it! pic.twitter.com/9ShT23uwB5
— Ashley Young (@youngy18) January 12, 2014
@youngy18 showing the true United way with @Headhitter today, this is why our club is the best in the world pic.twitter.com/GS1dN2yVim
— Fergus (@fergusmufc) January 11, 2014
@youngy18 top day!!! pic.twitter.com/nViZB3QRn7
— Rob Booth (@r0bertb00th) January 12, 2014
Footballers often get a bad rap and Ashley Young knows that more than anybody, but he deserves a lot of kudos for a tremendous gesture, one that will be remembered fondly by John’s family long after he’s gone.
Respect.
Hat-tip: 101 Great Goals
