A FOOTBALL-mad schoolboy from Northbourne got the opportunity of a lifetime when he was picked up from school by the captain of AFC Bournemouth.

Toby McKinlay, six, who lives with mum Claire, dad Shaun and little sister Phoebe, four, got the chance to meet AFC Bournemouth's Tommy Elphick as part of Sky Sport's Saturday morning children's show, Game Changers. Toby was the star of a segment being filmed which sees a child interview a Premier League footballer during a trip out in the car, getting to ask more about the Cherries team and its players.

Afterwards Tommy said: "He was a bit nervous at first, but he was asking me about the other players, who my best friends were, what my favourite food is and what I like to drink.

"After he got over the initial surprise, he was great."

The show is being presented by Sky Sports correspondent, Mark McAdam, who sung the praises of Tommy Elphick. He said that in the 15 years he has reported on sport, he's never met a player who does so much to give back to the fans and footballing community and instantly accepted the invite of being interviewed by a young aspiring footballer.

Toby's dad, Shaun, said that his son first started kicking a ball around when he was just a year old and has been a Cherries season ticket holder for the past three years. He also made sure that Toby got his Cherries football and Match Attax card featuring Tommy Elphick signed by the player.

Asked how it was driving the Cherries captain around in the family car, Shaun, said: "It was very bizarre. It scared Toby to death at first, I think, as he couldn't believe it was Tommy Elphick. But once he calmed down, he was asking him questions and they played a couple of games together including the football shirt numbers game, which he beat Tommy at.

"Toby watches football, plays football for Moordown Athletic under-sevens, plays FIFA and has Match Attax cards."

Shaun says that it was arranged by Steve Cuss from AFC Bournemouth's Community Sports Trust, which works with people across the county to offer a variety of football and sports sessions for people of all ages.