Bradford City’s League Two play-off final at Wembley tomorrow will be a bittersweet occasion for Susan and Keith Dimmock.

The couple will be in an executive box at the iconic stadium, surrounded by family as they cheer on the Bantams.

But one person will be missing – their son Shaun.

On January 5, 2007, the 27-year-old died of pneumococcal meningitis, only days after complaining of an ear infection.

After his death, his parents, of Holme Wood, vowed to raise awareness of the brain disease in adults and started working with Meningitis UK, raising thousands of pounds.

To thank them, the charity has given them and eight guests tickets to the match, courtesy of company O & H Properties.

Mrs Dimmock, 60, said: “Shaun lived and breathed Bradford City. He would have been over the moon to get there twice in one season.

“It’s bitter sweet for us really.

“It will be great to be there, but there will be one person missing.

“I’m sure there will be some tears and the day will be tinged with sadness, but he will be with us in spirit.”

Shaun began to feel ill over Christmas 2006 and when a pain in his ear became intense on New Year’s Day, he visited Bradford Royal Infirmary where he was given drops and paracetamol for the pain.

The following day, his wife Clare, then 27, called his mother to say he still wasn’t well and had been back to the doctor, where he had been prescribed oral antibiotics.

But later that day, his condition had deteriorated.

He had fallen semi-conscious and was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary by ambulance, where he was put on life support.

Doctors immediately started treating him for meningitis, although the disease had not been diagnosed at that time.

A CT scan showed he had not suffered a brain haemorrhage, which had been a possibility, and doctors later confirmed the diagnosis.

Following a second CT scan at Airedale Hospital, where he had been transferred to an intensive care bed, doctors said it would take a miracle for him to wake up and, even if he did, he would be brain damaged.

After two sets of brain stem death tests, which came back negative, a decision was made to turn off his life support machine.

Mrs Dimmock said: “It all happened totally out of the blue. He had been fine and then was dead within a few days.

“Since then we’ve worked to raise awareness of meningitis in adults. It’s not something that just affects children and babies, and doesn’t always have the symptoms you think of. For example, Shaun didn’t have a rash.

“I would never have suspected meningitis and if sharing what happened to Shaun helps save a life, it is worth it.”

The father-of-one, who had only married his wife, Clare, ten months earlier, had been looking forward to sharing his passion for Bradford City with their 14-month-old son Luke.

On Christmas Day, days before he died, the pair had posed proudly wearing their presents from Clare – new City shirts.

His dad Keith, 61, said: “We’re thrilled to be going to Wembley and grateful to the Meningitis Trust and O & H Properties for their generosity.

“Shaun was a huge Bradford fan and season ticket holder and he would have loved this occasion – I hope the Bantams do him proud and get the result we want.”