HER words framed by a penalty area-wide smile, Olivia Baker clasped the turf-stained football shirt to her chest and declared: “I’m going to take this to school to show my friends.”

Minutes earlier, the seven-year-old’s footballing hero - Newport County AFC defender David Pipe - had presented her with the number two shirt he wore during the team’s 2-0 FA Cup fourth round replay defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on February 7.

Olivia was at Rodney Parade today, to watch the Exiles take on play-off placed Notts County in League Two, when he strode from the dressing room with the special gift.

She had made headlines when a photographer captured an image of her at Wembley - among the more than 7,000 County supporters who made the trip - brandishing her homemade banner which read: ‘I don’t want Harry Kane’s shirt, I want David Pipe’s’.

The image subsequently triggered an effort by the club, harnessing the power of social media, to track down the then unknown young fan, so she could be granted her wish.

A photograph of Olivia at Wembley with her banner was posted on the Facebook group ‘County chat’. It attracted more than 1,300 shares in 24 hours.

“She’ll be like a bottle of pop now,” said dad Luke Baker after his daughter met her hero and had her wish fulfilled.

“She knew something special was going on but she couldn’t work out what it was. It’s a lovely gesture by Pipey and by the club, and it’s made her day.”

Olivia, who lives in Gaer, Newport, has been attending County games since she was a tot, and Mr Baker - a lifelong supporter of the club - revealed that she has always been a fan of David Pipe.

“When County are playing at home, we have to make sure we get the ground early, so we can come down to the end of the Hazell Terrace and watch the players doing their warm-ups at the side of the pitch,” said Mr Baker.

“She always waves and shouts at Pipey, and he waves back.

“She has met him several times and I’ve got lots of photos of them together.”

Despite her tender years Olivia, a pupil at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon in Newport, is not only a fan of the so-called Beautiful Game.

She and sister Lilly, 9, also play football, for the under-10s girls team run by Newport club Villa Dino Christchurch. Olivia is a striker, while Lilly is a defender.

“We travel all over south Wales to games, and they love it,” said Mr Baker.

“Olivia had her banner with her at the first match (the 1-1 draw with Spurs at Rodney Parade on January 27).

“We were outside the ground before the kick-off and some people spotted it and came over to talk to her. It was David Pipe’s mum and sister.

“That was a great game, the atmosphere was incredible.

“We had a great time at Wembley as well, despite the result.

“They saw us again that night and then the photographer took Olivia’s photo in the stadium and it’s gone from there.

“We’re very grateful to the club and the fans who shared the photo on Facebook, and to David, his mum and his sister.”