Asda staff celebrate Dan Burn Day
Staff at the supermarket where Newcastle United cup hero Dan Burn used to work have held a very special celebration in his honour.
Hours before the giant centre-half was set to make his England debut, colleagues at Asda in Blyth donned face masks and had a themed payday celebration in his honour.
Store manager Dean Johnson explained: "Every pay day we have a colleague celebration lunch to thank the colleagues for all their hard work over that month. This payday in particular, we've gone to celebrate Dan Burn."
Burn worked at the store when he was a teenager and struggling to make it as a footballer. Dean added: "When Dan was 16 he was a porter. That basically means he was pushing the trolleys around on a Saturday. He was in and out of football at the time so it was just his part time job."
The party today included themed food - including pizzas with the footballer's number 33 and North East staples such as pies and peas. Dean added: "To celebrate we have retired his porter's jacket. We've framed it and hopefully Dan might come and sign it. Even better if he can fetch the cup up here..."
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Burn, who is in line for the Freedom of Northumberland, nodded the Magpies ahead just before half-time as they went on to win their first domestic silverware in 70 years on Sunday. Now 32, the centre back had a long and arduous journey to get back to his boyhood club, signing up for a weekend job at Asda at 16 when injured and unable to play for junior football club New Hartley FC.
The party also saw a cake decorated in Dan Burn's honour.
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