Devoted football fan Neil Calcutt won his own love match on the hallowed turf of Oxford United's Manor Ground.

Fans watched as life-long U's follower Neil, 23, went down on one knee to propose to girlfriend Janice Ludlow at half-time during Saturday's Division Two clash against Brentford.

And the 5,500 crowd were not disappointed Janice, 29, said yes!

The couple, who both live in Saunders Close, Watlington, plan to marry in August 2001.

Neil, a trainee sales manager, said: "I have been supporting Oxford United for years and couldn't think of a better place to propose to Janice than the Manor Ground. It means a lot to me and will mean a lot more now. I am not going to forget that day.

"I was very nervous and was totally oblivious to what was happening in the match during the first half. When I went on to the pitch all I could hear was the crowd. I got a bit of stick from the fans. "They were chanting 'You don't know what you are doing'."

He added: "I was 100 per cent sure she would say yes. If I had been in any doubt, I would not have done it. If she had said 'no' I would have run a mile."

News of Neil's proposal filtered back to Watlington and the couple received standing ovations in town centre pubs that evening.

Janice, a cinema co-ordinator for the armed forces, does not share Neil's passion for the U's but admitted the Manor Ground would now have a special place in her heart.

She said: "I am still getting over the embarrassment. I would never have gone to the match if I had known what he was planning to do. However. I did not hesitate to say yes despite the nerves. We were stood there on our own, and forgot about everyone else."