Ryan McCourt, aged 9, was a recent guest of Bromley Football Club for their home match with Hampton & Richmond all because he was in the right place.

It came as a result of Ryan being “in the right place at the right time” to catch a shiny yellow and blue match ball following Bromley’s FA Cup away defeat to Leyton Orient earlier in November.

The ball was headed into the East Stand, packed with travelling Bromley fans, by Centre-Back, Joe Dolan in appreciation of their enthusiastic vocal support. A budding goalkeeper with Petts Wood FC, Ryan said, “It flew towards me and I was never going to let it slip from my grasp, and clutched it all the way home!”

Ryan approached his local club to have the ball personally signed by Captain-for-the-day, Joe Dolan. The Club was delighted to help and owner Jerry Dolke invited Ryan and his family to Hayes Lane.

The photo attached shows Joe Dolan with Ryan in the players’ tunnel having autographed the ball as a lasting souvenir of the Club’s special, if unsuccessful, day in East London.