Dyche, Pickford and Tarkowski pay young Everton fan a heartfelt surprise visit to his school

Sean Dyche, Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski pay one young Everton fan a heartfelt surprise visit to his school earlier this week.

The lovely moment was captured on camera and posted by Sky Sports, starting off with a group of kids singing ‘Merry Christmas’ before Sean Dyche interrupts with a video message for Thomas, who has been helping his younger brother, who has autism.

Thomas was nominated by one of the teachers at the school, with members of the Premier League club coming to give a surprise that would live in the memory for a lifetime.

And you mind need a tissue or hanky on standby, because this is quite the emotional watch…

Sean Dyche: Oi! It’s a message for you. Thomas, I’ve heard all the work that you do looking after your brother Harry. I know you’re a big Evertonian. We’ve got a little surprise for you. A couple of elves are coming and visit you. We might have a gift for you. You’ll have to wait and see. You keep up the good work and a merry Christmas. Take care.

Then it’s explained: So nine year old Thomas has absolutely no idea what is about to happen. He’s about to get a surprise visit from Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski. Because he’s a massive Evertonian, he talks about them non stop. He’s absolutely obsessed. But on top of that, he’s also an amazing older brother to Harry. Now, Harry is seven and he has autism. And every day Thomas goes out of his way to make his life that little bit easier. That’s why his teacher wrote to Everton to get him this special visit. And Everton come up with these surprises every year. This year it’s Thomas’s turn. Jordan and James, you’re here as Santa’s little helpers. Are you ready to go?

The players: Of course. Definitely. Let’s go and talk. Hello. Are you Thomas? Which one’s Thomas? Where’s Thomas? Hello, buddy. How are you?

Tarkowski: Nice to meet you. You okay? We’ve heard you’ve been a very helpful big brother. So we’ve been sent with a little surprise and a few gifts for you because you deserve it, by all accounts. Do you think you deserve it?

Thomas: Yeah.

Tarkowski: You can speak to us if you want. Who’s that?

Thomas: Pickford.

Tarkowski as Thomas’ brother Harry comes in to the room: Would you like a Christmas hat?

Teacher: He is an incredible big brother to Harry. Harry has an autism diagnosis and struggles a lot with kind of the social side of things. Lots of kind of interactions he finds really tricky. But Thomas is there to help make things easier for him and make the world a little bit less of a scary place. And he’s just the most incredible big brother and we’re all just so proud of him. So I just had to nominate him.

Thomas: It means everything. It’s a pleasure to meet players because I’ve been at Evertonian for my whole life and I would never give up being at Evertonian because I’m just one of them.

When asked who is his favourite player, Thomas responded: Can I put you on the spot and ask you who’s your favourite player? It’s a joint. It’s Jordan and Tarkowski.

Tarkowski: He’s been political.

When asked ‘What was it like meeting the pair of them?’, Tarkowski responded: Oh, it was amazing. You can see the shock in his face when we first got in there. But this is what for me, Christmas is all about going, putting smiles on kids’ faces.

Pickford: Yeah, he just seems to be a great character and quite confident as well. And he seems to be great with his brother and all the help he does. And he’s a smileful lad.

Tarkowski: I think we forget as players sometimes that the difference we can make by just spending an hour of our afternoon and just coming to a school like this. And for someone like Thomas, who puts a lot into his family and his brother’s time, us just coming here for an hour of our day to spend some time with him, it’s probably a memory that will last for a long time.

Pickford: All the work you do for your brother, it’s great. So when we come and see you, we’re happy as well and we’ll get you some tickets sorted off for the one of the games.

Twitter users reacted after seeing Dyche, Pickford and Tarkowski pay the young Everton fan a heartfelt surprise visit to his school…

@JamieWHU23: Nice one Jordan, James & Everton 👏

@Shu7e: Love the recognition of young carers. Wholesome content.

@GraemeHarp78298: 💙💙. Who’s chopping onions at this time in the morning…?!

@allender2808: Top work @Everton football club especially Pickford and tarkowski! Made these lads day and they will never forget! Hour out there days to meet fans who idolise players 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@LiamMarshall91: Our club do so much right 💙

@alanoafc1903: Brilliant this, keep up the good work Thomas 💙💙💙

@SamBrogan3: James tarkowski just seems a top guy and a leader this is brilliant by Everton 👏👏👍

@karl_wager: @Everton is some club.I’m a @SunderlandAFC fan not a toffee, but @Everton are deffo my premiership side. I hope they stay up and defeat the joke sanction imposed on them by @premierleague. Football is wrong on so many levels, buy look at the joy on that kids face 🥹👏

@Leftfootdynamo: Amazing. Love this sort of stuff!

@past_sunderland: They just are a great football club. See this all the time from them. Whilst their owners might have their failings, the core values will always be there. Proper club. #Everton #SAFC

@davidJB1878: Boss that. Can relate to how much of an impact Thomas has on his brother. My youngest has autism, and my eldest is absolutely brilliant with her 💙 Dyche with the ‘Oi’ too 🤣

@clu3lessrobert: Everything Jordan Pickford does both on and off the pitch is first rate. He is a credit to Everton…

@ALD1878X: We always get this sort of stuff right. The peoples club 💙 hope Thomas and Harry have the most wonderful Christmas

@LindseyC1878: Do yourselves a favour and start your Saturday with this 💙……..

@Elle_EFC1878: Sean Dyche “oi” 😂😂 Boss that 💙💙

@TOFFEEBLUECAST: Doing some good stuff off the pitch 👍 love it.

@tayloregann: I literally live for this type of stuff 🥹😭🥹😭🥹😭😭🥹

@MurrellTony: Love All This Our Club @Everton 💙

@bluepeter55: The People’s club 💙

@toffeetom: Genuinely can’t watch these videos 😭

@jamiew4085: This is what OUR club is all about!!! Sure the Premier League will be scrutinising every penny we have spent here giving young Thomas his well deserved gifts! Well done lad! UTFT

@Mr_BA6: Love vids like this. Superb 👏👏🎄

@mcadamgc: Doesn’t matter who you support this is so heartwarming ❤️❤️