It was supposed to be a special treat to celebrate his 10th birthday.
But Logan Penwell's trip to watch his Manchester United heroes in action turned into a 'birthday nightmare' when the match was called off after a 'suspicious package' was discovered in the ground.
Logan and his father Adam Penwell, 34, had travelled to Old Trafford by coach from their home in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, only for the game to be abandoned before kick-off after a security alert at the stadium.
Heartbreaking photographs of a tearful Logan being comforted by his father were beamed around the world as the match was called off when what later turned out to be a fake bomb was discovered in a toilet.
Heartbreaking photographs of a tearful Logan Penwell, 10, being comforted by his father Adam, 34, were beamed around the world as the match between Manchester United and Bournemouth was called off
Mr Penwell told MailOnline his son had been terrified as fans were evacuated from the stadium, and that the schoolboy's birthday, which is today, had been ruined.
'He supports United so we arranged for him to go to the match for his birthday,' Mr Penwell said. 'We live in Weston-super-Mare so we'd set off at 8.25 in the morning.
'It was a long day and he is extremely upset. It was a nightmare.'
The father and son had made the three-and-a-half hour journey to Manchester on a supporters' club coach, after Mr Penwell surprised his son with the news that they would be going to see the club take on Bournemouth for the final game of the Premier League season earlier that weekend.
It was only the schoolboy's second visit to see United play, and he had been extremely excited as the pair arrived at Old Trafford.
Mr Penwell took his son to the club shop to buy him a new shirt with the name of his favourite player, new England star Marcus Rashford, on the back.
Mr Penwell took his son to the club shop to buy him a new shirt with the name of his favourite player, new England star Marcus Rashford, on the back, and Logan even got the chance to pose for pictures with former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry
A cheerful Logan poses with some replica trophies outside Old Trafford before the game was called off
Logan even got the chance to pose for pictures with former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who was at the match as part of the Sky Sports commentary team.
But as the pair waited for the game to start, Mr Penwell began to realise that something was wrong at the stadium.
'We were up at 7 o'clock and we arrived at the ground at about 12.30pm,' said Mr Penwell. 'We had a hospitality package in a lounge so we we had some food and drink and then were in our seats by around 2.30pm.
'We were quite close to the players and were stood watching them finish their warm-up and go inside.
'It seemed a bit early for them to be going back in, and then all of a sudden we noticed people on the other side of the stadium were leaving their seats.
As it was Logan's birthday, Mr Penwell had splashed out on a hospitality package for the match
'There were stewards in front of us so we asked them what was going on. Someone said he thought there might have been a small fire but it wouldn't be anything to worry about.
'We were in the South stand which was still full. All the Bournemouth fans were still in the ground too but the other side of the stadium was totally empty.'
Mr Penwell said rumours then began to circulate amongst fans as to what might be going on in the stadium, as supporters checking Twitter or news websites learned that a suspect package had been discovered.
'We could see the police with sniffer dogs,' Mr Penwell said. 'It looked very serious but the instructions to supporters was to remain in our seats and they would update us shortly.
'They must have put that announcement out about six or seven times, by which time there were more police and more sniffer dogs.
'Logan knew something was wrong, he didn't know what but he was starting to panic.
'One person mentioned a bomb and that created panic. I was worried about Logan.
'They hadn't announced anything on a tannoy but people were looking at mobile phones and starting to contact their friends and loved ones.'
Soon afterwards it was announced that the game had been abandoned, and the Penwells made their way out of the ground.
'It was mayhem,' Mr Penwell said. 'There were people outside the ground who had already been evacuated, the Bournemouth fans had travelled a long way and they weren't happy. The Manchester United fans weren't happy - and not all of them live locally so they had come a long way as well.
Logan watches his heroes during the warm-up. Mr Penwell first realised something might be wrong in the ground when the players went inside earlier than usual
'My lad was beside himself. He was in tears. I didn't realise he was being photographed at the time.'
The match has been re-scheduled for tomorrow night, but Mr Penwell and Logan will be unable to go, due to the distance they would have to travel.
'It has ruined his birthday,' said self-employed Mr Penwell, who sells car breakdown insurance and is married to Logan's mother Tracy, 43. 'I'm gutted.
'But because we live so far away we wouldn't be able to get there. We wouldn't get home until 2am and that's too late for Logan, especially on a school night.
'I have emailed the club explaining the situation, that it was Logan's birthday and there is no way we can go to the match tomorrow night.
'However, we are in the FA Cup final at the weekend. I haven't been able to get tickets for love nor money but I have asked if there is any way they would let me buy some for Saturday.
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