BRAVE JIMMY IS ON AWAY DAY MISSION; Blues lend support to cancer fight.

Byline: By DAVID PRENTICE

NINE-year-old Evertonian Jimmy Oliver has been given grounds for hope - five months after his mum and dad were handed the news all parents dread.

The Southport schoolboy has made it his mission to watch his beloved Everton in every away match this season.

And it is a quest he has already successfully embarked upon - months after his parents had been told an aggressive form of cancer meant their son probably wouldn't even see the end of last season.

Dad Mark, like his son a lifelong Blue, recalls the horrifying moment clearly.

"It was April 1, which is quite ironic now," he explained.

"We were told Jimmy had a very rare and very aggressive form of cancer and we had four to six weeks left with him, so make the most of them.

"When we played Newcastle, six weeks later, I was pleased it was raining because I was looking around the ground with him, thinking this could be the last time he sees Goodison Park.

"But then he had another CT scan and we were told if Jimmy had his leg amputated it might get rid of the cancer.

"We had the operation and Jimmy's still fighting it. We're just being as positive as we can."

The Olivers have been given support from Evertonians everywhere.

"It was strange," added Mark, "but at that Newcastle match some totally random man came over to us with a silk flag and said 'I want your lad to have this', but we've had loads of moments like that. It's been an incredible time for us all."

The Blue clan has rallied round one of their own after the extent of Jimmy's illness became evident just before Christmas last year.

"Jimmy was a goalkeeper for Southport Trinity in the Craven Minor League," explained Mark. "Everton scouts were looking at him, but he had a small rash on his shin which we thought had been caused by his shin pads.

"He was in more and more pain, but we kept getting told for six months it was just growing pains. The sore grew, and then we were told it could be a benign tumour.

"We realised it was really serious the day Yakubu scored his hat-trick against Fulham.

"We have season tickets in the Gwladys Street and when everyone stands up Jimmy can't see, so I lift him and stand him on the seat in front. But he was in so much pain that day he couldn't bear any weight.

"We were admitted to Alder Hey and I think for the next month or so he only spent a handful of days at home.

"But Everton have been incredible.

Duncan Ferguson rang him from Majorca which was wonderful. Some of the members of the Southport Supporters Club set it up and he was on the phone for about 20 minutes. He is Jimmy's big idol and he just sort of yelped when he answered the phone.

"The staff at Alder Hey can't speak highly enough of Duncan. There are times when he just turns up unannounced and spends three or four hours there chatting to the kids.

"Then Tim Cahill rang from Chicago this summer to invite him down to the training ground at Finch Farm which was another great experience."

Jimmy was named after former Everton striker Jim Pearson - "he scored the first goal I ever saw Everton score against Nottingham Forest in 1977," explained Mark.

And Jimmy turns out to have been something of a lucky charm for the club.

His first away game with his dad was the 1-0 win at Leeds in 2002, Everton's first win at Elland Road for 51 years.

His first match was the FA Cup tie against Leyton Orient the previous season when Paul Gascoigne rolled back the years in a 4-1win for the Blues.

"Everton have given him so many magical moments," added Mark. "He was too ill to go to the SK Brann game last season, but he was watching it on TV when the camera caught me in the crowd eating chips.

"One of the side effects of the treatment he was having was awful mouth ulcers all the way down his throat which meant he couldn't speak. But his eyes lit up when he saw me, and even more so when Johnson smashed in the sixth goal.

"If he didn't have Everton in his life he wouldn't have experienced those moments."

Mum Vicki, brother Will (6) and sister Rachael (16) are all convinced watching Everton is helping Jimmy through his brave battle.

And dad Mark remains fiercely ambitious for his son.

"I have no doubts in my mind that Jimmy will be playing for England in the future," he declared.

"Steve Johnson, England amputees' three-times World Cup winner and captain of Everton's disabled team, came round to show him his artificial leg and told him about a lad of 16 who had just got into the England disabled team and was flying all round the world."

Of more immediate concern, however, is the Royal Blue tour.

"We went to West Brom and we have our tickets for Stoke," Said Mark.

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DREAM TRIP: Jimmy Oliver with brother Will and Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta