Ex-Sheffield Utd star bagged £1m Lotto jackpot with ticket he almost left in shop

Posted Thursday, December 09, 2021 by Dailystar.co.uk

Former Sheffield United defender Terry Kennedy was forced to hang up his boots in 2016 after suffering a career ending knee injury but this time his luck was in as he bagged the £1m Lotto jackpot

A professional footballer forced to retire due to injury landed a £1million lotto jackpot with a ticket he left behind in the shop.

Terry Kennedy, 28, played for Sheffield United alongside Manchester United star Harry Maguire before hurting his knee in 2016.

He was forced to quit the game and launched a new career as a builder.

But he hit the back of the net again when his numbers came up on a ticket he almost tossed away.

Terry won a Lucky Dip for the next draw with a lotto ticket he bought at a shop near the site he was working on in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

But he walked off leaving it behind on the counter.

Ex-Sheffield Utd star bagged £1m Lotto jackpot with ticket he almost left in shop
Terry Kennedy was on the books at Sheffield United between 2010 and 2016

The shopkeeper called him back saying: "This could make you a millionaire.’’

Astonishingly that is exactly what happened as his numbers came up in the November 10 draw.

The moment Terry was told of his big win was captured on video by a mate on the building site and went viral after being seen by over three million people.

After a few moments, the lottery operator asked him if he was ready to receive the news and if he was 'sitting down’.

Terry Kennedy now works on a building site after suffering a career ending injury

Wearing his hi-viz jacket the builder nervously replied: "No I don’t think I am.’’

Then the operator confirmed he was a millionaire - prompting his workmates to cheer and shout in the background.

Terry fought back tears as he replied: "Oh my God!"

The construction worker from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said he had hoped to keep his win quiet but was outed by the sensational footage.

Terry Kennedy, 28, and Kay Yoxall, 25, celebrate winning £1 million (Image: National Lottery / Oli Scarff)

At a press conference on Wednesday he and girlfriend Kay Yoxall, 25, a team leader at a financial services company, toasted their win with champagne.

Terry said: "I checked the ticket the next day on my lunch break at work on Google and couldn’t believe that the numbers matched.

"Then I got different mates on the site to check on the App and it kept saying I’d won.I thought it was a wind-up.

"It wasn’t until I’d actually spoken to the woman on The National Lottery Line, that was filmed by a mate, that I believed it was happening.

Ex-Sheffield Utd star bagged £1m Lotto jackpot with ticket he almost left in shop
Terry Kennedy was a teammate of Harry Maguire's at Sheffield United (Image: EMPICS Sport)

"Making that call in front of my mates and colleagues was brilliant and I immediately took them for a celebratory pint.’’

Terry rang Kay at work - as per their lottery win plan - and told her to pack up her stuff and join them.

The couple have already jetted off to Tenerife on holiday and enjoyed a weekend away to Dublin.

They now plan to have a low-key Christmas with family before jetting off on a world tour.

Terry plans to continue working as a builder during the summer before jetting off to hotter climes during the cold winter.

He said: "On days like this you just want to stay at home. I don’t enjoy building sites during the winter so I’m planning to go away and see the world.

"Kay can take a break from work, so we’d love to go across America and South East Asia.

"We already have New York planned for January.

"The ideal plan would be to never work a British winter again.’’

Terry spent 15 years at Sheffield United and was nicknamed the ginger John Terry by fans.

He partnered England star Maguire in the club’s youth ranks and was highly praised by manager Nigel Clough before his career was brought to a premature end.