English League 1 side name terminally ill five-year-old to their bench

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:33 p.m. ET

Aaron West

Five-year-old Joshua McCormack won't be able to make Wednesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy match against Hartlepool United, but he'll forever be a part of history after Rochdale Football Club travel to Hartlepool's Victoria Park.

The Rochdale-born boy has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and isn't well enough to make the trip to Hartlepool, but manager Keith Hill named him as one of his seven substitutes for the match. Joshua has served as a mascot for Rochdale before, in August, but he'll get even higher honors this time. In his absence, he'll get his name on the teamsheet, his shirt will hang in the locker room before the match and he'll get the most prestigious spot on the substitutes’ bench.

Said manager Hill:

Joshua is currently in hospice and Hill, the Rochdale staff and players will visit him on Thursday. They'll present Joshua and his family with his gameday shirt and an official teamsheet, plus a shirt signed by everyone involved.

What a day for the little guy.

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