MONTHS of fundraising scored the weekend of a lifetime for Tony Dance with family, friends and his biggest idols.

The 42-year-old, of Eldene, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year and has been told by doctors that he has less than a year to live.

His friend Graham Hill together with Tony’s wife Debbie raised £2,500 to give him a weekend to remember at Leeds Football Club where he watched the match and met the players with his family and Graham beside him.

Tony, who has undergone two operations for the tumour, said the trip was a dream come true.

“I was lost for words, I didn’t know what to do or say. It was great and I got everybody’s autographs.

“It was emotional in the dressing room, it was absolutely unbelievable when I was talking to Simon Grayson, the manager. I got to talk to the players one on one, Kasper Schmeichel was absolutely massive.”

Tony, who has two daughters, Jade,13, and Billie-Jo, 10, bought a shirt with some of the money raised and got all the players to sign it.

“It was just magic, it was definitely a dream come true,” he said.

Tony has become blind in one eye and is still undergoing chemotherapy, he was disappointed because he had to sleep in the evenings as he is so poorly.

His wife, Debbie, said it was clear that Tony enjoyed every minute of the trip even though he was very tired.

“His face was a picture, Tony just looked shocked.

“To see the outcome at the end of all the fundraising was just brilliant,” she said.

Tony’s friend from the Crumpled Horn pub, Graham Hill, who has known Tony for about three years, said it was everything they could have hoped for.

“The club knew the situation and they knew it was going to be his last game up there. The atmosphere was just brilliant, none of them stopped smiling,” he said.

They were worried that the match would not go ahead on Saturday because there was 10cms of snow on the pitch, but all the supporters chipped in to clear the it.

“It was a brilliant game and Tony enjoyed it. They drew two all. It was end to end stuff.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to all the people who donated. All the companies, locals and customers who helped,” said Graham.