A couple met the stars on a VIP visit to Manchester United’s Theatre of Dreams.
Darren Haigh and wife Lindsay won a prize money can’t buy when they were the surprise five millionth visitors to the Manchester United Museum.
The couple, from Crosland Moor, won a two-night stay in a luxury Manchester hotel followed by VIP hospitality tickets for the opening Premier League game against Swansea on Saturday.
Darren, 39, and Lindsay, 35, who both work for Kirklees Council, were treated like royalty and met some of the biggest United players past and present as well as TV and sports stars.
Click below to go celeb spotting with pictures of Darren and Linday's visit
They brushed shoulders with Old Trafford stars including Bryan Robson, Gary Pallister, Andy Cole, Dennis Irwin and Nicky Butt.
And they met an older generation, too, including former United player and ex-Town manager Lou Macari, Paddy Crerand and Stuart Pearson.
Away from football they saw golf hero Rory McIlroy and former Hollyoaks and Casualty actor Will Mellor.
The couple, who took friends Richard and Gail Sykes along for the weekend, also dined – and sipped Veuve Clicquot champagne – in former United and England defender Rio Ferdinand’s Rosso restaurant.
At the next table were United’s new signing Luke Shaw and Liverpool’s French defender Mamadou Sakho.
They also had a guided tour of the stadium and saw some of the places ‘normal’ fans never see.
Lindsay said: “It was an absolutely amazing weekend and everything we could have dreamed of and more.”
Darren is a lifelong Huddersfield Town fan but United are his second team.
Lindsay admitted that she was a United fan growing up – and the visit had rekindled her passion.
“We live in Huddersfield and we will continue to support Town but everyone has a favourite second team,” said Lindsay.
“The history of Manchester with the Munich disaster and everything else is fascinating.”
Part of the couple’s prize was a signing session with the United players but manager Louis van Gaal didn’t want his squad distracted at the weekend so a new date will be arranged.
Darren and Lindsay will be able to take two-year-old son Sam next time.
Lindsay also revealed that Sam’s middle name is Ryan – named after United ace Ryan Giggs.
United lost the game 2-1 but Lindsay said: “While the result wasn’t what we wanted it was a fantastic experience and we got to dress up and see how the other half live.
“We even had a sneaky peak in the manager’s room but don’t tell anyone. No one is allowed in there.”
