I’VE FOUND DEAD HUBBY’S LOST EURO 96 FINAL TICKET IN MY ROLLS OF FL AB
Stella finds hubby’s lost Euro 96 semi-final ticket in her FLAB
JUST under 25 years ago Stella Kirkland’s husband Phil was one of the happiest men on earth.
The footie- loving telephone engineer had bagged a ticket to the Euro 96 semi- final between England and Germany.
It was going to be the biggest game of his life and he was one of the lucky few who had managed to get a seat.
But the day before he set off from his home in Grimsby disaster struck. The ticket was nowhere to be found.
Hull City fan Phil turned their house upside down trying to find the missing ticket but to no avail.
Instead, he was forced to watch the game, which England lost on penalties, at home.
And as time went on he became increasingly convinced that had he made it to the game he could have somehow influenced the result.
Stella said: “He got it into his head that if he’d been at Wembley England would somehow have won the game.
“This delusion grew and grew rex@ sundaysport. co. uk
until it was all he could think about.
“He started feeling sorry for Gareth Southgate, saying that if he had been at the match Southgate’s penalty would have gone in.
“So he started sending presents to make up for it.
“Sometimes it was a four- pack of Kestrel, sometimes it was a packet of chicken cup- a- soup and once, a lovely suit from John Lewis.
Defaced
“Things came to a head when Phil was arrested at Southgate’s house on Christmas Eve 2001.
“He was dressed as Santa and had a huge bag filled with presents.
“There was a box set of Only Fools and Horses, a boot scraper, a bird table, two defaced posters of the Germany player Stefan Kuntz, a bust of John Prescott and a Panini sticker album from Spain 82.
“When the police came he was on the roof looking for a chimney.
“He was sectioned and has spent the rest of his life since in and out of mental hospitals.
“Then two years ago he died in a tragic time- travel shed accident.
“After watching the movie Hot Tub Time Machine he decided to go back in time so he could get to the match.
“So he tried to turn the shed into a hot- tub time machine.
“He lined it with butyl and filled it up with water. Somehow he drowned in the process.
“I was devastated but it was the kick I need to prompt me into losing weight, and over the last 18 months I’ve lost 32 stone.
“On Monday I was able to shower myself for the first time in 37 years.
“It was a huge step for me but it is now tinged with sadness because as I washed the folds of flab I found Phil’s Euro 96 ticket.
“I don’t know how it got there but there it was. I felt so guilty.
“This was the reason Phil had gone loopy and it was in my flab folds all along.
“If only I could go back in time. But I know I have to move on.
“As my new fella, Keith, said, ‘ It’s no use crying over spilt milk’.”