Football fan Finley’s Fifa 20 joy spreads online

A nine-year-old boy who made it through to a computer game cup final received VIP treatment from his dad – to the delight of thousands on social media.

Finley Stimson lifted the Carabao Cup – albeit a plastic one – after his beloved Peterborough Utd beat Spurs 2-1 in the Fifa 2020 video game.

Dad Ian tweeted every twist and turn, including Finley’s pre-match breakfast and “tunnel walk” from the garden.

He said the reaction on social media had been “unbelievable”.

Mr Stimson’s tweets during Sunday’s virtual cup final received thousands of likes and retweets.

BBC Match of the Day congratulated Finley, while Peterborough United invited him to meet the players.

“There was clearly a lot that had gone into the day in terms of preparations and it was great that it paid off,” it said.

Mr Stimson, 36, who lives with his wife and son in Peterborough, said Finley had only been playing the game for about four months when he told him his side was in the cup final.

The TV sound engineer, who used to work on Sky Sports and presents football podcast Miles Offside, said his fellow podcast hosts suggested the pair got “suited and booted” for the event.

The lifelong Peterborough supporter said he also hoped it would cheer up his son who had missed playing with his friends and cousins during lockdown and was about to change schools due to moving house.

However, preparations meant Finley had to wait a week before logging in to play his final while photographs were taken and video sequences planned, acted out and edited.

“It’s been so nice to do something creative and out of the ordinary together,” said Mr Stimson.

“Close to 50,000 people have seen his first goal – he can’t believe the numbers.

“There’s been a universally positive wide-ranging reaction from fan banter to really heartfelt stuff.”

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