Football Fan Collects New Car After Vertu Trophy Competition Success

08/05/2025 13:34 Share

Football Fan Collects New Car After Vertu Trophy Competition Success

A football fan from Birmingham has hit the road in his new car after collecting a Toyota Aygo X he won in a special competition organised by Vertu to celebrate its partnership with the EFL.

Although his side suffered a 2-0 loss to Peterborough United on the pitch in the final of the Vertu Trophy at Wembley Stadium last month, Birmingham City supporter Lee Phillips earned himself a new car as part of a half-time activation against Notts County fan David Berry, who attended the game as a neutral.

Both Lee and David had won a pair of hospitality tickets to attend the final courtesy of Vertu, with Lee joined by his son Roman and David being accompanied by wife Julie.

Having enjoyed lunch in the Bobby Moore Suite before the game, the pair were given the honour of carrying the Vertu Trophy onto the pitch prior to kick-off in front of more than 71,000 fans, before taking their seats to watch the game.

Once the half-time whistle blew, the pair headed pitch side to do battle for the Aygo X with both given the opportunity to kick three balls towards a target on the pitch, which featuring three separate scoring zones.

With David up first and Lee levelling the scores with his final kick, the competition to win the car went to sudden death where the nearest kick to the centre of the target would take the prize.

Lee’s effort was marginally closer than David was able to manage, which earned him the top prize.

A special handover event held at Vertu Toyota Leicester saw Lee handed the keys to his new car just days after his favourite team ended the season on an English league record of 111 points, securing promotion back to the EFL Championship for the 2025/26 campaign.

Lee Phillips, Vertu Trophy competition winner, said: “I’m speechless as I never expected to win the car and to be honest, I thought David had won at first as the final kicks were so close. When they announced my name as the winner I couldn’t believe it, and winning the car is just amazing.

“Although the Vertu Trophy final didn’t provide the result we wanted on the pitch, the whole experience of attending the game is something my son hasn’t stopped talking about ever since, and there have been memories created from our first trip to Wembley that we’ll remember forever alongside a fantastic season for the Blues in the league.

“It’s good timing because my wife is due to take her test soon so she might have the car, otherwise I’ll keep it for myself!”

Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Vertu, said: “We were delighted to welcome both Lee and David to Wembley Stadium for the Vertu Trophy final as winners of our competition, and it was great to see them go head-to-head on the pitch to determine who became the owner of a new Toyota Aygo X.

“It was fantastic to see the reaction from Lee and his son when he made the winning kick, and hopefully the new car is the icing on the cake after a hugely successful season for his Club.”