HAMPSHIRE teenager Sophie Wilkinson will be making an emotional return to Southampton today as she travels from her hospital bed to watch her beloved football team.

This will be the first time that Sophie, 18, has been well enough to make the journey back to her hometown since a horrific car crash that left her in a coma last October.

Her fighting spirit has never failed and although she still has a long road ahead of her, Sophie is now at a level of consciousness which means she can travel to St Mary's Stadium.

Sophie a passionate Saints fan was a regular face in the stands , cheering on her team through thick and thin. There was no question of where she would like to spend her first trip back to the city.

Sophie will be joined in the Itchen stand to watch Saints play their first home match of the season against Birmingham by mum Alison, dad Andy and her brother and sisters, Tom, Ella and Lucie, along with three carers.

She will then be taken to a reception after the match to meet her favourite player David McGoldrick, who has supported her throughout her treatment.

The Saints striker is not the only celebrity who has pledged their support for Sophie. Movie star Johnny Depp has followed her battle from the beginning. He is sending a personal video of get well messages.

The special outing will be treated as a therapy session, giving her carers a chance to see how she responds to the crowds and everything around her.

Although Sophie, from Bishop's Waltham, has shown good progress throughout the last nine months, she still requires round-the-clock care at Royal Bath Minerals Hospital.

Sophie is described as being in a "disorder of consciousness".

She is no longer in a coma but her self-awareness is very limited. She has started to focus on those around her. She smiles a lot. She is able to stand while supported and enjoys hydrotherapy sessions in the swimming pool.

If all goes well and Sophie is able to cope with being away from her hospital bed this will be the first of many day trips.

Dad Andy said: "This will be Sophie's first trip back to St Mary's since the crash so we are all excited and cannot wait to see her face once we are in the stands.

"We still do not know how much she is able to take in. It will be very interesting to see how she reacts being back at the ground of her favourite team.

"Before the crash Sophie went to watch Saints a lot and she never saw them lose so let us hope she is their lucky charm and can get the team winning this season.

"David McGoldrick said that if he scores he will come sliding over to Sophie. Fans on the forums are planning to chant There's only one Sophie Parys', Parys being her middle name.

"It will be a very emotional day for all of us because this is her first return home.

Her condition is always improving, and although it is slow progress, its great to see how far she has come."