Brave football fan with rare bone disease makes dream appearance at Chelsea vs West Brom game
Daniel Sturridge, a man born with a rare disease which causes his bones to break with even the slightest contact, was given the chance of a lifetime on Monday when local team West Bromwich Albion brought him onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.
The brave Baggies fan, donning a full West Brom away kit donated by Premier League rivals Liverpool FC, led West Brom onto the pitch and played for a remarkable 3 minutes before leaving the field to a huge round of applause from Chelsea fans and West Brom fans alike. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Alan Pardew, West Brom manager, said: "Danny's a really brave boy. It's an honour for us to have him play with the team for a few minutes. "Sadly, he couldn't play for long because of his disease, but he's won the fans' hearts and we'll hopefully see him back here, maybe for 5 or 6 minutes next time." Sturridge was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta in 2008. His condition improved in 2013 for a spell, but since then he struggles to even kick a football without risking serious injury. His family have been raising money for Daniel so he can receive treatment for the rare condition abroad. West Bromwich Albion have generously gifted Sturridge a season ticket so he can sit with the team and watch every game from the stands.
