I was lucky enough to be invited to this years Local Hero’s awards on Thursday night, held at Hardwick Hall and hosted by Peter Barron, the editor of the Northern Echo. Amongst a whole host of sporting celebrities including Alan Pardew and Tony Mowbray, Mr. Barron saw fit to clock me right next to David Meyler and Matt Kilgallon, two of Sunderland AFC finest and, despite being an avid Newcastle fan, I have to say, they’re a couple of great guys and I owe one of them a big THANK YOU. Let me explain.

The Local Hero’s awards are a celebration of grass roots sport and all the professionals gave their time free of charge and helped to raise over £5000 thousand pounds for the charity Future Sport.

Once I’d got over the fact I was sitting next to a couple of Sunderland players, - you can imagine the stick I gave them; “Where’s Steve Bruce? He’ll have nowt on tonight!” - With Mr. Pardew just out of earshot, we settled down to the evenings events.

Just before dinner, a nice young lady came round with the raffle tickets. Well, not so much ‘tickets’, it was one of those ‘silent’ raffles where you buy an envelope and when you open it, it lets you know if you’ve won a prize.

So with Matt and Dave (oh aye, first name terms!) buying a tenners worth apiece, I really didn’t have much choice but to lash out fifteen quid on some; well, you can’t have these Sunderland lads showing you up!

Anyway, after frantically ripping my way through the envelopes, to no avail I may add, it was Matt Kilgallon’s turn. Envelope after envelope he opened but nothing, then… “Get in!” he says, then “I don’t bloody believe it!” “What’s up like?” says I. The lad looked as confused as a cow on astro turf, as if someone was playing a joke on him. “I’ve only won two tickets for a home game at NEWCASTLE, platinum V I P too!” This was an opportunity too good to miss but, before I could work out what to say to prize them from his grasp, the lovely lad offered them to me and he wouldn’t even take a pint for them!!

I’ll never call Sunderland again… WELL, not until Sunday when they play Wolves; The Bottom House wouldn’t be the same, now would it!

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