Royals players made 10-year-old fan Matthew Pike’s Christmas when they visited him for a second year in a row in hospital.
Matthew, who is a big fan of the Reading football team, is being treated for leukaemia and met the players during their visit to the Royal Berkshire Hospital children’s ward.
The Tilehurst youngster, a pupil at Park Lane Primary School, was chuffed to bits when he got to meet his football heroes before Christmas. He also met the players last year when they visited the ward.
Matthew, who has previously played as goalkeeper for the Reading Academy, wore a black Royals away shirt for the visit. He was pleased to show the players that his hair had grown back since he last met them.
He said: “I’ve been excited all week to meet them and my heart is beating.
“They recognise me now, and meeting them again makes me feel better, and that there’s light at the end of the tunnel so I can keep going. I’d love to play for Reading when I’m older.”
His mum Debbie said: “He’s such a huge Royals fan and it’s always nice to see the big smile on his face. He has good days and bad days but he’s getting better.
“The club have been very supportive and if he could play with the Reading players one day that would be the icing on the cake.”
Matthew’s brother Daniel, 13, sister Kirsty, three, and friend Thomas Leighton, 11, joined him for the visit.