Cobblers player gifts club super fan signed boots after play-off final win

Lifelong Shoe Army member Chris McDonald was awarded a pair of signed boots from Town player Callum Morton on Tuesday after Cobblers were promoted to League 1.

It comes after an emotional video of Chris went viral on Twitter last week after Cobblers reached the play-off finals, which caught Callum's attention.

On Tuesday, Callum Morton headed to Chris’ address in Spring Park where he handed over the pair of signed boots.

Chris' mum Sue said: "Callum brought his medals to show. He stayed for 20 minutes and chatted away in the garden with us. He gave a pair of signed boots to Chris who kept holding them, he didn't know what to do.

"The night Cobblers' won Chris went to bed at 5.45am. He was so buzzing he wouldn't have slept. Football is a massive part of his life he loves it."

Asda worker Chris, who used to play for the Northampton Town's disability league, has travelled up and down the country from Exeter to Carlisle since he was eight years old with his dad.

Twenty years on, he still lives and breathes the club, and gets to watch away games with his support worker.

A spokesman for the Cobblers said: “The club have worked very hard through the COVID-19 pandemic to reach out to and support the local community through these difficult times.

"We really missed the presence of the Shoe Army at the play off matches but were delighted to see the joy that our promotion has brought to supporters and the town as a whole.

"We saw on social media the reaction of Chris, who plays for our multi-disability squads, to the win at Cheltenham and Callum made the fantastic decision to give his boots to Chris.

“This is just one of the many gestures that the players have made to support the local community and as a club we are very proud of the impact we have been able to make and continue to make.”

The video of tearful Chris was posted by his godson's mum Sara. Sara met Chris when she first started going to Cobblers away games eight years ago. She describes him as the 'perfect role model' to her son Lucas who is non-verbal. Chris, who has cerebral palsy and is deaf, helps Lucas with sign language.

Sara added: "Chris was so excited he was shaking, he did not know what to say to Callum. He was so overwhelmed by what had happened. Chris has been a fan for so many years.

”It's about time he got recognition for his support. He goes week-in-week-out and it does not matter to him if he has work the next morning, he never complains."