Star Sport

Auction winner Shaun Bibby gets the ball rolling at Langtree Park

By Mike Critchley

12:10pm Thursday 26th January 2012

SAINTS fan Shaun Bibby splashed out £937.38 to fulfil the dream of kicking off the first ever game at Langtree Park – and afterwards said it was worth every penny.

The 22-year-old former Cowley pupil can thank a gift from his mum for allowing him to put in the winning bid for this unique honour.

Although currently unemployed and doing voluntary work after completing his course at Hull University, Shaun had saved the £1,000 given to him for his 21st birthday for something special. And for a mad keen supporter, who has followed the club since catching the Saints bug at Wembley 1996, it did not more special than this opportunity.

Shaun said: “It was amazing – I never thought I would do anything like this. It was such a great opportunity.

“The build up and all the excitement was tremendous – especially when I got changed and looked out down the tunnel and saw all the crowd building up.

“The reception I got from the Saints fans was amazing – I never thought I would get anything like that response.”

Shaun, who originally hails from Fingerpost, played a little bit of rugby as a junior – coincidentally at the same Haresfinch club as Langtree Park’s first try scorer Paddy Flynn.

In the fortnight since winning the bid he rehearsed his kicking technique and was given some eve of match tips from ace-kicker Jamie Foster.

“I went up to training at Cowley and Jamie took me through some kicking techniques.

“The kick I put on the night was the best one of the lot.

“Mike Rush was worried because I was scuffing the ball in training but it turned out ok,” Shaun said.

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