A PAINTER and decorator will see his name in lights at Wembley Stadium if Oxford United reach the Checkatrade Trophy Final.

U’s fan Mick Simmonds has been crowned the club’s official Checkatrade Trophy Tradesperson following a campaign by the competition’s title sponsor.

The accolade sees the Buckinghamshire-based tradesman win this season’s home shirt and tickets to the rest of United’s Checkatrade Trophy home games, plus the final at the home of football.

If his club makes it all the way to Wembley, Mr Simmonds’s business, M. Simmonds Decorating Contractors, will be plastered across Wembley’s big screens, advertising boards and the official matchday programme.

The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity means the United supporter will be even more desperate to see Karl Robinson’s side triumph in their third round tie against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night.

He said: “I’m thrilled to win this title, I’m a huge Oxford fan and the opportunity to go to Wembley, and with the chance to have my business advertised there - it is very exciting.

“Hopefully the club will be at the Checkatrade Trophy Final with me.”

The campaign searched for a fan of each club in the competition who ‘takes pride in their trade and embodies the values of their club’.

Earlier in the season, tradesmen were invited to visit checkatradefootball.com and explain why they deserved the role.

The initiative aimed to recognise fans’ position as ‘the heart of football’ and reward them for their dedication.

Mike Fairman, CEO of Checkatrade said: “We are delighted to offer Michael this title, and as Official Checkatrade Trophy Tradesperson he’ll get unprecedented exposure as we advertise his business at Wembley Stadium.

“We recognise customers want to use a tradesperson they can trust, and what better way to get them onside than showing your devotion to your club?”

United will progress to the quarter-finals if they beat Cheltenham tonight, putting them just two rounds away from the Wembley showpiece.

The U’s have form in the competition, having reached consecutive finals in 2016 and 2017, when they lost to Barnsley and Coventry City respectively.

Karl Robinson’s men beat Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 side 3-0 in the last round.