A lifelong Wolves fan and former soldier who was left severely disabled in a motorbike accident has achieved his dream and met his heroes.

Andy Love met boss Mick McCarthy and the team as they were training at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground in Compton.

The 35-year-old father-of-two, from Yates Way, Ketley Bank, Telford, was in the First Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment for nine years until 2002 and did tours of Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kenya and Hong Kong.

He suffered a serious motorbike accident in April 2007, which shattered his pelvis, and left him with brain damage and ‘internal decapitation’ – where the skull becomes detached from the spine. Internal decapitation is very rare and there are only a handful of people worldwide who have survived the injury.

Andy, a former HGV driver, spent six weeks in a coma and was only given a 3.5 per cent chance of survival.

Andy has been a massive Wolves supporter and was a steward at Molineux for two seasons. While he was in his coma his wife Emma contacted the club, and the players all personally signed a get well card for him.

Yesterday, after the club presented him with a shirt with his name on, Andy handed his mobile phone to striker Kevin Doyle to speak to Emma, who was left tongue-tied.

He said: “Emma has a massive crush on him. Today’s the first time I’ve met the players and it’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Mick McCarthy said: “It’s been a pleasure to meet Andy and present him with a Wolves shirt.”