Spurs fan, 5, told he would never walk scores goal in his Borehamwood garden

By ITV News reporter Rags Martel

A boy told he would never walk after being born three months premature and clinically dead scored a goal in his back garden in Hertfordshire.

Spurs fan Ryley Keys, 5, stunned his family at their home in Borehamwood in a video clip viewed more than a million times online.

The clip shows Ryley being encouraged by his dad to kick the ball over the line and into the net, a moment that stunned his proud parents.

"We never thought he'd be able to stand on grass and walk and kick a ball so this is fantastic!" said mum Sarah.

After being born premature and clinically dead doctors managed to resuscitate Ryley on the third attempt and he was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

"He was told at around the age of two that he would not walk and probably would not talk and as parents you don't want to accept what you're told," Sarah said.

"You want to see your son be able to do what all other children can do," she explained.

The NHS said there was nothing more they could do, but during a trip to America doctors operated on Ryley's back in a procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy. The results were instant.

"You could see him moving his toes which he had never been able to do and to see that we were both quite emotional," said dad Adam.Step by step Ryley is getting strong but the youngster still needs physiotherapy costing £2,000 a month. The goal-scoring video was shared by a former Tottenham footballer who is now a family friend and Riley's number one fan.

"I've watched it about 2,000 times!" said Micky Hazard.

"A lot of us get the opportunity to score a goal but Ryley never had and here he was achieving something that is certainly beyond me and beyond many of us - we haven't got that determination or passion to succeed," he said.

The video was even shared by football governing body Fifa.

"I had to pinch myself when I saw it, I was in total shock!" dad Adam said.

"Some of the nice comments which have followed keep us positive and it's really appreciated because we do have tough days.

"But when you get positive feedback it makes it all worthwhile," he added.

But Riley is not stopping here his dream is to score at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in front of his heroes.