The little Manchester City fan whose life was saved by Southampton doctors (From Daily Echo)

Girl, three, and her brother will meet Man City stars when they play Southampton at St Mary's

5:47pm Friday 8th February 2013 in News By Luke Tugby, Senior reporter

She is a football mad little girl who will be cheering on her team at St Mary's this weekend.

But three-year-old Manchester City fan Felicity Williams will have a team of Southampton surgeons to thank when she takes her seat in the crowd before kick-off tomorrow evening.

Felicity was born with a hole in her heart and required emergency surgery at Southampton General Hospital to correct the problem.

Her parents, Daniel, 39, and Frances, 34, chose the city's specialist heart unit over London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, when it came to deciding where their daughter would be treated.

The toddler was given a life-saving operation in May 2011 and has been back for regular check-ups since.

And the “brilliant” work of the doctors has now made it possible for Felicity to meet her heroes in person, when they play the Saints tomorrow.

Felicity will be joined by her Manchester City-mad parents and older brother James, seven, in the away dressing room before the game, where they will meet the star-studded squad including her favourite player, Yaya Toure.

And James will even be the Manchester City mascot for the game, because Felicity is too young to take to the pitch with her idols.

Daniel, who is based in Salisbury as a mechanical engineer with the army, said: “Felicity gets quite excited when she sees them on telly, but she's never met the players, so it will be a great day. We are all buzzing.

“The team at Southampton General Hospital have been absolutely brilliant and this wouldn't have been possible without their great work.”

Daniel said that he had also contacted Saints about Felicity's story 0 and she is now set to take pride of place in the matchday programme.

Daniel said: “We contacted Saints and they have been brilliant as well.

“But we have got to catch Manchester United so if it means taking down Saints in the process then so be it!

“It was a close game last time but I think we'll win 2-1.”