Teenage Blue becomes football's first remote mascot

Wednesday, 25 April, 2018 5comments  |  Jump to most recent

Everton made history on Monday night when 14-year-old Jack McLinden became football's first “remote” mascot.

Thanks to a small robot carried onto the pitch by Phil Jagielka, the Liverpool teenager was able to “lead” the Blues out to Z-Cars ahead of the 1-0 win over Newcastle United at Goodison Park.

He was able to chat with the Everton players in the tunnel before hand and also attended Sam Allardyce's post-match press conference via images and sound sent to his tablet.

Jack lives just a couple of miles from Everton's home ground but his health conditions mean that he needs oxygen 24 hours a day, has limited mobility and is unable to attend matches.

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The club turned to Norwegian firm, No Isolation, who design solutions to help young people with long-term illness overcome isolation and attend school from home, and they provided AV1.

Jack's mother, Michelle Wignall, described it as a "once in a lifetime experience" for her son. "For Everton to win, and for the captain who was with him to be man of the match, it was just brilliant. It was really like he was there. He was just loving it, really loving it."

"I'd have said there was no way he could ever have been a mascot but this was amazing. Someone said last night he had made history and that was nice.”

 

Reader Comments (5)

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Geoff Lambert
1 Posted 25/04/2018 at 20:01:13
Something as a club we do get right. Well done Jack, and best wishes from the guys and girls of ToffeeWeb.
Minik Hansen
2 Posted 25/04/2018 at 22:55:50
Well done Everton FC. Ahead, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.
Mark Smith
4 Posted 26/04/2018 at 12:58:17
Brings into view real life for us all that football is important but not so much when you think of this boy. I am proud that Everton do some wonderful stuff in the community. Now that is making a difference.
Kase Chow
5 Posted 26/04/2018 at 19:58:37
Well done, Everton.
Jamie Crowley
6 Posted 27/04/2018 at 01:12:36
We may not be getting much right on the field of play lately, but we do get an awful lot right off the pitch where it really matters.

Awesome.


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