A YOUNG FOOTBALL fan’s dreams have been shattered after the Football Association removed him from his role as Reading mascot for today’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley after Ryan Dearnley admitted he wanted Arsenal to win.
The 10-year-old won the chance to walk out onto the hallowed turf alongside Royals skipper Jem Karacan on Saturday evening but he has since been dropped after fans complained to the FA.
Dearnley, who is actually a Huddersfield Town supporter, revealed his allegiance during a video which appeared on a local newspaper’s website.
It sparked outrage among Reading fans with thousands contacting the FA asking for him to be removed as mascot for the day.
“I don’t blame the FA because they said they didn’t want Ryan to be upset on the day with any booing from the Reading fans,” his guardian Alan Dearnley said.
“But for the football loud-mouths to react in this way to a few harmless words from a 10-year-old is ridiculous.”
The FA confirmed the young football fan had been dropped as mascot for the FA Cup semi-final in order to protect him from being booed by sections of the 31,000 Reading fans expected to descend on the national stadium.
“Following Ryan’s interview in the local media, and with agreement from his family, it was decided to move his prize over to an England mascot place later this year,” an FA spokesman is quoted as saying to GetReading.
The Huddersfield supporter was offered two tickets for the Arsenal end but declined the invite, instead opting to watch his beloved Terriers against Derby this afternoon.
He will, however, get the opportunity to be a mascot at one of England’s next home internationals.
