Hammers Advent Calendar - Day Three

A dream was realised for Jack Harris after West Ham United's 'Like My Dreams' initiative handed him the chance to be a ball boy when Chelsea visited the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 23 November.

Ten-year-old Jack suffers from Anderson-Fabry disease which puts him in constant pain with a daily dose of medication needed to be administered.

His mother Jackie nominated Jack to receive his wish and couldn't believe it when she found out that they had been selected as one of the recipients of a Like My Dreams experience.

She told West Ham TV: "He has an illness called Anderson-Fabry disease and we thought we'd write in and tell you a little bit about it and just see what happens.

"We didn't expect to hear anything back and in fact we'd just got home from two days at Great Ormond Street when we got the email so it was really exciting. It was perfect timing."

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Jack meets manager Sam Allardyce 

For Jack himself, the news came as a great surprise and one which the lifelong Hammer was relishing.

"I was jumping up and down. I just felt over the moon, it's awesome. There's only one thing that could make this better and that's playing for West Ham.

"I love the Club so much, every bit of them I love it so much. When I was a baby the first thing that touched my mouth was a West Ham dummy! I'm looking forward to it so much; I'm going to absolutely love it."

While the result did not go West Ham's way, it didn't detract from the youngster's enjoyment of his experience as one of the matchday ball boys.

As well as completing his duties, twice handing the ball back to right-back Guy Demel, Jack also met manager Sam Allardyce contributing to an experience that will be forever treasured.

"I loved it, it was awesome and I had the best time of my life. It was really different because on TV you're much further away but when you're right near the pitch it's much better. Yeah I'd love to do it again, I loved it."

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Jack thoroughly enjoyed his 'Like My Dreams' experience

Like My Dreams is in its first year of making fans' dreams come true and for Jack's dad Jamie the initiative represents the spirit around the Club.

He said: "I think it's fantastic and indicative of how the Club's moving forward.

"This sort of thing possibly wouldn't have happened a few years ago but to me it's now being run in a more professional manner, we're going forward and these things are so rewarding for people who deserve them."

An interview on West Ham TV completed what Jack described as 'the best day of my life' as he promised to retell the story of his experience to his family's next generation.

"I'll remember it for a very long time. I'll tell my kids when I'm older and they'll say 'wow' and it will be awesome."