When Lewes football player Paul Thomsett was named man of the match he thought things could not get any better.

That is until he decided to ask his girlfriend Julie Williams to marry him.

There was just one snag. Julie, 36, was on the supporters' bus going home from the first round FA Cup match between Lewes and Stoke while Paul, 37, was on the players' bus.

Undeterred, Paul texted her with the message: "Will u marry me? I love u so much."

Paul, who works as a butcher in Lewes, said: "I thought because it had been such a great day that would finish it off. I will always remember that day."

Julie, who works as a doorwoman in Brighton, texted back with "yes" because it was too noisy to speak to Paul on the phone.

She said: "I have still got the message and I am going to keep it on my phone. It was a complete shock but I believed him. I know he wouldn't joke about that."

However, Paul and Julie have not had a chance to spend much time together or think about planning their big day.

Julie went home to bed while Paul stayed on in Stoke to celebrate Sunday's match.

Julie, who has a ten-year-old son from a previous relationship, has broken the news to her parents, who are delighted. But Paul has yet to call his mother and father who live in Spain.

The engaged couple, who live in Green Lane, South Chailey, met two years ago when Paul was playing at Burgess Hill Football Club and Julie was working behind the club's bar.

Two months later they started going out and have been inseparable ever since.

Paul, who has two sons, Sam, 11, and Ben, nine, has even managed to convert Julie into a football lover but, with three football-mad sons between them, she has not had much choice.

She said: "I go to most of the matches and I work behind the bar at Lewes so I know all the players.

"There are some Sundays when the whole day is spent watching the boys play football, one match after another and they get on really well."

Paul began playing football when he was a boy and recalled playing for Hollingbury Hawks when he was nine years old.

Sunday's 2-0 loss to Second Divison Stoke City has been the highlight of his career.

Paul said: "The whole weekend was brilliant. To play at a stadium like that was unbelievable.

"We were expecting a hammering and we did well just to keep it down to two goals."

Julie said: "He played brilliantly. I was so proud of him. At the end of the game I ran down and gave him a big kiss."

Paul and Julie have no idea how they are going to get married. They have not bought rings yet but are determined to hold a big party to celebrate.