The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Proposal vow if Lichties end up champions
Arbroath FC’S dream season may end up with even more of a fairytale ending after a supporter vowed to propose to his partner if the club wins the league.
The Red Lichties may be his first love, but Kenny Esslemont has promised to propose to true love Jacqui Simpson if the club wins the Scottish Championship.
Dick Campbell’s side are currently four points clear at the top of Scotland’s second tier, with the manager’s performance earning him Scottish Championship Manager of the Month for December.
Kenny, 39, said Jacqui is delighted with the promise and has suddenly become an eager football fan.
He said: “Jacqui has been asking me for a while. A few of our friends are getting married this year, so she’s always saying, ‘when are you asking me?’.
“After the win Arbroath had there against Raith Rovers, I was sitting, we had a few friends round having a few drinks, and I said, ‘right – if Arbroath win the league, I’ll ask you to marry me’.
“That was the deal, so we’ll see how it goes. She was laughing but she’s over the moon about it as well.
“She did say, ‘they better win this league now.’
“If they come second, she’ll maybe just have to wait a wee bit longer.”
And now Jacqui is paying much more attention to the Red Lichties’ results than she did before.
She said: “What a laugh it’s been. I can’t believe how much attention it’s got.
“That’s what happens when you put these things on social media, it’s just escalated and I’ve told him he can’t back out now.
“I’m not really a football fan but I’ve got two boys who are football daft and since Kenny said that I’ve downloaded an app to keep an eye on the scores.”
Arbroath manager Dick Campbell says the thought of a marriage riding on the club’s success has given them even more ambition to aim for the title.
He has even offered the couple the dream opportunity of a honeymoon at the club’s ground Gayfield if Jacqui accepts.
He said: “With the added pressure and me trying to keep the lid on the kettle with everything this year, keep a low profile and then I get told Kenny is going to propose if we win the Championship – wow.
“There’s nothing more motivating our players to win the Championship than that, so he can go ahead and tell her there’s a proposal coming and she can accept it – and if she does, they can have their honeymoon at Gayfield.”
Construction worker Kenny is stepfather to Jacqui’s three children; Ellie, 14, Theo, who is nine, and six-year-old Roman, who have been enjoying the fuss.
Kenny added: “We’ve got two big games coming up, against Partick and Kilmarnock. If we win those I’d better start looking for this engagement ring.”