'I'm that excited, I'm shaking' - Sam Johnstone makes young West Brom fan's day
A budding young goalkeeper is sleeping with Sam Johnstone’s gloves under his pillow this week after receiving a gift money can’t buy from Albion’s No.1.
Brandon Botfield caught Johnstone’s attention towards the end of Saturday’s match with Sheffield United with a home-made sign.
It promoted the Baggies shot-stopper to walk over to the East Stand at full-time and give the nine-year-old season ticket holder his match-worn gloves and a ruffle of his hair.
Dad Jon told the Express & Star: “He’d been watching Chelsea v Man Utd a week previously when a young lad put a poster up to Paul Pogba asking for his shirt, and it gave him an idea.
“He got up Saturday morning and made this poster. I was thinking he’s going to end up being gutted because you never expect it to happen. I was hoping he wouldn’t be disappointed.”
Brandon and Jon have season tickets in the East Stand near the Smethwick End but Johnstone was defending the Birmingham Road End in the first half.
At half-time, they spotted some empty seats on the front row and moved closer to the pitch.
“I think Sheffield United had a corner that side in the last four or five minutes and we were all waving,” said Jon. “The lads behind us were shouting as well.
“Sam must have spotted him then, because as soon as the second half finished, he was walking over taking his gloves off.
“Since then, Brandon’s not let them out of his sight. He’s even slept with them under his pillow.
“He’s over the moon. Afterwards, he told his mum ‘I’m that excited, I’m shaking’. For a nine-year-old to get that off his idol is great.”
Brandon, who lives in Tipton and attends Ocker Hill Academy, plays for Wolverhampton Sporting’s youth team and trains on a Thursday.
But he’s so determined to improve in goal, he does additional specialist goalkeeper training in Cannock on a Monday.
His dad heaped praise on Johnstone for the act of kindness, and thinks the keeper is doing a sterling job in his first season at the Albion.
“Sam has come under some stick from some fan, which I don’t think is right,” said Jon. “I think he’s doing a cracking job.
“We’ve had a total upheaval of our club after the debacle beforehand.
“It’s all change, everybody’s got to try and stick with it because it’s for the best. You can lump it all you want so why not try and play the proper way?
“Even as a nine-year-old, Brandon is taught to play out off the back.”
Jon , 39, has been an Albion fan all his life and a season ticket holder on and off for 15 years.
Brandon has been going to The Hawthorns for years but this is the first season he’s had a season ticket.
And now he’s got a memento from his first full season that will have pride and place in their family house.
“We’re going to frame them with one of the pictures of Sam coming over,” said Jon. “We might try and get them signed first. But then we’ve got a little man cave in the back garden where they’ll be displayed.”
