Mackenzie Kinsella was invited to meet the Everton first team today
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A teenage Everton fan who flew from Australia for the Merseyside derby before it was postponed said it was a dream come true as he met his heroes from the club's first team. Mackenzie Kinsella, 15, from Sydney, travelled to England last week to watch the final league Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, but Storm Darragh meant that Saturday's match was postponed.
The teenager is an Evertonian thanks to his Tuebrook-born mum and he has been to Goodison before - including last Wednesday's 4-0 victory over Wolves. However, he spent around £1,400 on flights to time his trip for the Merseyside derby, wanting to be part of the history of the final Everton v Liverpool league fixture at Goodison.
After the game was postponed, Everton captain Seamus Coleman invited Mackenzie to the club's Finch Farm training ground today (December 9). Mackenzie was met by Coleman, who presented him with a home shirt. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Michael Keane, Jarrad Branthwaite, Armando Broja, Nathan Patterson, Ashley Young and other members of the first team also met with him and chatted to him about his love of the Blues.
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Jordan Pickford also handed over a signed pair of gloves, before Mackenzie's favourite player Beto also dropped in for a chat. The teenager was then invited to watch the beginning of the day's training, where he would meet manager Sean Dyche.
At Finch Farm, Mackenzie told the ECHO: "It was amazing. It's not every day that happens. I'm shocked that it's come this far from simply missing a game, but I'm glad it did.
"It's very exciting, very overwhelming. I'm shocked, it's so surreal and a bit of a pinch me moment to see them all and meet everyone that I've grown up watching."
He added: "It's exciting. I was shocked when Seamus invited me to training, because I'm just another fan really. All I really did was just come from Australia - I'm watching the same players play the same game as everyone else.
"I was kind of shocked that it got this much attention, but I'm very glad it did. I cannot complain at all. I'm definitely going to try to make it to that game.
"These are all the guys you're watching week in, week out. It's amazing to meet them, talk to them, get photos with them. It's something I'll definitely cherish forever.
"I got some gloves from Pickford - England's number one. That's amazing and I've got a signed shirt as well - gifted from Seamus and signed by everyone, so that's amazing. I couldn't dream of this, to be honest. It's so surreal it's happened."
After meeting Mackenzie, club captain Coleman told the gathered media: "It's an exceptional story - to be so young, 15-years-old. I was speaking to him, it's his first time travelling on his own and making that long distance journey was amazing. I'm sure he was so excited on the way over and then obviously so disappointed Saturday morning.
"Like Everton always do, we reached out to him and he's down here today. We're really grateful to meet him. It's disappointing for him but I'm sure he'll have a good day and all the lads will make him feel welcome."
"It's not because the cameras are in front of my face, you do acknowledge it, you do feel sorry for them, you understand the lengths people go to to support the football club. It's not getting any easier - coming all that way as well - so your heart definitely did go out to him.
"A lot of people were disappointed it was off, but him especially. We reached out to him and wanted to make his journey somewhat worthwhile.
"That's what he was keen on. I'm sure he was very excited for that, like many people were. I think, for the right reasons, it was called off. It's very disappointing for him, but I'm sure he'll be at the next one."
The Irish right back added: "I think it's so important that football clubs and football players don't lose touch with that. We can be in a bubble of our own life in terms of training, playing, results.
"But 40,000 people in that stadium have all had a journey, all had to spend money, all made sacrifices to get to that game and I think it is important as football clubs and football players. The business is growing all the time - that we still have that goodwill factor."
Mackenzie will be staying in Merseyside until Monday, when he heads back home to Australia. He is currently staying with his nan Jo in Tuebrook and has loved his time in Liverpool, despite the weather.
He told the ECHO: "It's been great being in Liverpool. I love seeing my family - it's always good to see them when I can. At most, I'm seeing these guys once a year. It's always good to see them when I can.
"My mum moved over to Australia in 2000 for the Olympics, she loved it so much she stayed there. My love of Everton is from her, but also seeing what it means to my uncle and my family and all my cousins.
"It's massively impacted it. I remember Tim Cahill, I have a decent little memory and I can remember my mum going mad at like 7am for a Tim Cahill goal and things like that."
Centre back James Tarkowski also offered to buy Mackenzie tickets for Saturday's trip to Arsenal, to make up for missing the derby. Tarkowksi told the media: "I was gutted for him, but I've just spoken to him there and he seems to be happy to come and meet us, so maybe it's worked out for the better for him.
"I think he's got a few family arrangements to sort out first but for someone who has travelled halfway around the world at his age, gutted to miss the game at the weekend - hopefully he can get down Saturday and put in a good performance for him."
Reacting to that, Mackenzie said: "What a guy. I'll definitely be taking him up on his offer. I'd love to go, I'd love to head down to London and see them play. I wouldn't miss Everton for the world."
Mackenzie also plans to make it to the derby, no matter when it is rearranged to. He told the ECHO: "I’ll definitely be at the rearranged derby. I’ll find a way. It’s a shame it didn’t happen, but all this has happened instead. Whenever the derby is, I’ll be there, I want to be part of the history."