Leeds United captain Liam Cooper made a special effort to make Oliver's Elland Road experience one to remember (Pic: Leeds United)

His dad, Daniel, who took the budding goalkeeper to his training sessions and matches and to Elland Road to watch their beloved Leeds United, died suddenly.

Oliver, for whom his love of football was inextricably linked with his dad, wanted nothing more to do with the sport.

But his family, with the help of Liam Cooper and others, have shown him that football, Leeds United and his memories of his dad can stay with him forever.

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It all started when Nick Burns, Oliver’s uncle, put out a tweet to ask fellow United fans to mark Daniel’s life with applause during the 36th minute of Millwall’s visit to Elland Road on January 28.

But in truth, the story really began long before Oliver was born.

Daniel and his older brother Adam started going to Elland Road in 1996.

“He was a proper die hard fan, there were lots of photos of him away at Arsenal, he went to some Champions League games at Elland Road, away at Bolton when they got relegated from the Premier League,” said Nick.

Oliver and his uncles Adam and Nick posed for pictures with the Leeds United squad (Pic: Leeds United)

“He was as dedicated as they come but at the same time he had so many letters after his name, he was a law lecturer, he had his own law firm, a really, really clever bloke.

“When he had Oliver, the minute he was born a Leeds shirt was put on his back.”

Football was their shared passion. Everything Leeds United, everything football-related was done together.

Daniel would take his son to train and play for Sheffield United.

Daniel and Oliver did everything football related together

“Everything to do with football has been completely associated with his dad,” said Nick.

So when Oliver learned of his dad’s passing, his reaction was an understandable one.

“He was saying that’s it, I’m not playing, I’m not going to Leeds again,” said Nick.

“That’s when I started getting onto social media.

“I wanted to show Oliver that even though his dad wasn’t here, there’s more to Leeds, everyone is together.

“It’s a really good thing, you can be anywhere in the world and strike up a conversation with a Leeds fan.

“He still needs to keep going to the games, it’s a way to remember his dad.”

Nick’s effort to show Oliver the importance of the Whites family, in his words “spiralled out of control”.

“I put a tweet out trying to get a minute’s applause in the 36th minute,” he said.

“I was going to make sure Oliver went to the game so he could witness that and carry on going.

“Liam Cooper retweeted it [on Twitter], the YEP did an article on it and about Daniel, asking Leeds fans to applaud.”

The Millwall game was due to be a special one for Oliver anyway, on its original date, before the Lions’ FA Cup ventures forced a rescheduling.

Daniel had paid for his son to be the match mascot and when Nick explained to the club the tragic circumstances, Leeds United PR manager Dominique Grant set the wheels in motion to show Oliver just how much the club cared.

The club, its players and owner Andrea Radrizzani, then took over.

“She set up meeting with the players, said to bring him down early on the Tuesday for the Millwall game and he got to meet everyone,” said Nick.

“Cooper and [Stuart] Dallas really went out of their way to make him feel special.

“Cooper gave him his shirt and captain’s armband after the game and has stayed in touch, asking how Oliver was doing.

“We spent quite a while talking to [Radrizzani].

“He said he would invite Oliver to watch a game with him in the director’s box and took our number.

“We’re probably one of many families who have had tragic things happen. They made a real effort with him.”

Leeds fans applauded in the 36th minute and Daniel’s wife Natalie and his dad were there to witness it.

Even the game itself had read the script, a 2-0 half-time deficit wiped out by three second half goals for Leeds.

“It was a fantastic end to the game,” said Nick.

“It capped an unforgettable night.”

And Leeds United have continued to march on together with Oliver.

“We knew the funeral was coming, which brings anxiety and the closer it got the more withdrawn and quiet he was becoming,” said Nick.

“But Cooper messaged to ask if he was alright, which made him happy - Cooper is his favourite player.

“Dallas was superb as well. We bumped into Dallas in the Bremner Suite the week after, we didn’t see him or call him over but he spotted Oliver and came over then give him a cuddle and asked how he was doing.

“Dominique and James Mooney [head of communications] have stayed in touch and been instrumental in organising everything.”

Cooper has taken it upon himself to invite the youngster down to Thorp Arch, Leeds’s training ground, to watch the players in training - and has even challenged him to a game of pool.

Everything the club has done has had the desired effect for Oliver.

“All the efforts from the club for Oliver has 100 per cent kept his spirits high,” Nick said.

“He had almost forgotten what had happened, meeting all the players and Cooper. He was that happy, I can’t really put into words.

“Initially after saying I’m not going or playing again, he’s gone back to Sheffield United, they’ve been really good with him too and he can’t wait to get to the Leeds games..

“When you take his reaction from when he found out and the days up to the game, when he knew he was going to meet the players, straight away it gave him something else, something to remain positive about, something to look forward to.”

Oliver isn’t the first to have a smile put on his face during the darkest of times by football and Leeds United and he won’t be the last.

Side Before Self is the club’s motto, asking not what Leeds can do for you but what you can do for the club.

But sometimes, the side puts the individual first and, in doing so, reveals a side to the beautiful game we can all relate to.

“It’s a huge escape for people in all walks of life, you’ve got something to look forward to, going to Elland Road on a Saturday for a few hours, it takes your mind off everything,” said Nick.