St Mary’s Primary School pupil Teddy Gregory recently travelled to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium to meet England and Arsenal star, Bukayo Saka.
Last Summer, then 7-year-old Teddy wrote to Bukayo to commiserate with him on missing a penalty in the final of the Euros at Wembley, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Teddy wrote:
“I hope you are not sad anymore. If you was here with me, I would buy you an ice cream from the ice cream van with my pocket money, and we would play football in the park, and I would let you win. But really you would beat me because you are so good.”
Bukayo read Teddy’s letter in a video published on the BBC’s website, viewed by thousands of people online. The Arsenal and England star expressed his wish that he could meet the boy who had written the letter.
This year, Teddy’s family arranged for him to visit Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium as a birthday treat on 29th January. Teddy’s mother Elizabeth asked the club whether it would be possible for her son to meet Bukayo.
Last Friday, Elizabeth got a phone call from Arsenal saying that they had passed her letter on to Bukayo, inviting Teddy to come to the Emirates the following Friday. Bukayo had requested to meet Teddy!
Mum Elizabeth Gregory said about the meeting:
“It was the best day of all of our lives. Teddy was on Cloud 9.
“When Teddy first saw Bukayo, he thought it was someone wearing a Bukayo mask. He just could not believe it was actually him.
“When Teddy realized it really was Bukayo, he burst into tears. Bukayo then took him into the manager’s office, and then they played football on the Arsenal pitch with Bukayo taking on the role of goalkeeper as Teddy practiced his shooting skills.
“Teddy comes into his own on the football pitch and does not show any fear.
“Bukayo comes across as a genuine, humble, lovely man.”
After they had played football, Bukayo returned the £5 note Teddy had sent him to buy ice cream for himself and his Mum, telling the boy to spend it on something for himself. Teddy was also given a signed Arsenal shirt and match ball.
Teddy said:
“Bukayo is my big brother now.”
Teddy is said to be an excellent footballer for his age group and currently trains with the XCEL Academy where he has been coached by Jacob Toms. He also plays for Vectis Youth.
What a humble chap Bukayo is, playing and spending time with Teddy, great story Echo.
It’s really nice to have good and happy news. What a lovely news report. Teddy sounds like such a lovely young boy sending his own pocket money. Bless him. Bet all his friends at school and football club will be talking and asking him questions about this for weeks and weeks. Teddy’s family must be so proud to of raised such a nice respectful young man who thinks of others.