IT'S not often a family from Houston make it into the national news in Italy. 

But, for the Donagheys their plea to take 12-year-old son Max to see his beloved Inter Milan has gone viral in the country. 

For Max's birthday, his parents Ross and Charmaine bought their football loving son tickets to see the Italian giants in action this weekend against Sassuolo. 

However, their joy was short lived when the Italian football authorities ordered Inter to play the game behind closed doors following a series of racial chants during their Boxing Day game against Napoli. 

"When all this happened, I didn't even tell Max as I didn't want to upset him," Ross told The Gazette.

"I had been planning it for a few months beforehand and booked all the flights and hotels. On his birthday, I made up a wee poster with pictures of Inter and Jose Mourinho. The poster is still on the wall in his bedroom.

The Gazette:

Max, who is a Partick Thistle fan, with the poster on his wall 

"I was sure we could find a way to get to go to the match.

"But, he actually put a post on his Instagram with the poster to say how excited he was. 

"I had to tell him then and he was just devastated." 

After his initial email pleas to the club fell on deaf ears, Ross took to social media and appealed for help from Inter's 11m Facebook fans.

Supporters quickly picked up on their plight and urged the club to take action. 

Meanwhile, Italian national newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport spotted the story and featured Ross and Max's appeal in the paper. 

After this, offers flooded in from Inter fans from all all over the country to help the family. 

The Gazette:

The poster Ross made up for Max 

Ross continued: "The response was just unbelievable.

"We had families getting in touch offering us to come to their homes and watch the game. 

"Fans were offering their season tickets for us to go to any other game we wanted. 

"There was even a lawyer from Milan who said we could have his hospitality box and stay in one of his apartments.

"But, this was always going to be a one time thing and if it wasn't this weekend, it was not going to happen." 

The Gazette:

Inter share the world famous San Siro stadium with rivals AC Milan 

And late last night, their prayers were answered when Ross received a message from Edoardo Pittaluga, who works for Inter's sport schools. 

"Edoardo got in touch to say he had been able to get us into the game along with Inter's school kids," Ross said. 

"Max was just bursting when I told him the news. This was his dream to go and he just can't wait. 

"I've even been told the Minister of Education in Italy helped to make it happen! 

"We just can't thank everybody enough and we cannot wait."