It's Carli's match of a lifetime (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

It's Carli's match of a lifetime

Carli Green Picture Ref: 99148-47A SWINDON boy will lead out the England under-17 side tonight.

But eight-year-old Carli Green, of Kennedy Drive, Eldene, has not quite perfected his football skills to the extent that he has been picked for the team.

Instead he won a competition to be the England team mascot at the game at Bristol City's Ashton Gate ground.

"It is brilliant," said Carli's dad Jeremy.

"He is absolutely delighted about it.

"He has been telling all his friends. He had to ring them all up when we found out. One of his friends is very keen on football so there is a certain amount of jealousy."

Carli has to arrive at the ground at 5.30pm in time to meet the England under-17 players, who are facing Portugal.

He will be given a full England kit before walking out on to the pitch with the players and lining up with them for the national anthems.

And the experience might help Carli to make up his mind about which team he should support on the international stage.

"His mother is Jamaican so he has the choice," said Jeremy.

"It depends whether he is with me or his mum."

Carli, who said the experience might convince him to support England, did not think he had any chance of winning the competition when he entered but was delighted to find out he had.

"I was happy," he said. "I didn't know what to say."

But in spite of the excitement Carli is starting to worry about the event.

"I am nervous about walking out on to the pitch," he said.

The Eldene Junior School pupil does go to some Swindon Town games but is currently a Manchester United fan.

His favourite England players are Michael Owen and David Beckham but he prefers to play in goal.

Jeremy described his son as 'enthusiastic' when it came to playing football but Carli was more direct.

"I usually play at school but I am not very good," he said.

Isabel Field