A YOUNG football lover is the new face of Arsenal’s youth membership scheme.
Ava-Mai Mangru, from Northolt, will feature in much of the club’s marketing material for the Junior Gunners over the next year.
The 10-year-old won a competition to be in the campaign for the 2013/14 season, which involved sending her photo in to the club.
She was invited to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium for a photoshoot in the players’ lounge and was given tickets for the team’s last home Premier League game of the season.
Ava-Mai, of Court Farm Road, enjoyed special behind the scenes access for the match which was against Wigan.
The youngster, who is in year five at West Twyford Primary School, Ealing, said: “My dad bought me an Arsenal babygro to wear the day I was born, so you could say I have been a fan all my life. “In my room I have posters and scarves on the wall, which is painted red and white. I go to a few games a season with my dad and that’s the best feeling ever.”
George Mangru, Ava-Mai’s father, said that he has been going to matches since the 1970s and got the youngest of his two daughters involved from a very young age.
Although Ava-Mai’s 14-year-old sister Tyler-Mai is not interested in the sport, the younger sibling plays at school.
Mr Mangru, 50, said: “If she is not playing she is watching. She got tickets to the last game of the season and is already on the website. Ava-Mai is excited and quite surprised.”
There are 30,000 members of the Junior Gunner scheme, which offers specially discounted tickets to young fans and the chance to meet members of the Arsenal team.
For more information visit: www.alwaysaheadofthegame.com/junior
