Football fans drive 750 miles to support adopted Scottish team

A group of football fans from Steyning who adopted a Scottish team have driven 750 miles to see the players in action.
The group pose with the Annan Athletic football club mascotThe group pose with the Annan Athletic football club mascot
The group pose with the Annan Athletic football club mascot

Phil Mottershead, 54, Mark Paddock, 57, Nigel Tweed, 36, all from Steyning, Ian Bone, 51, from Parsons Green, Gareth Evans, 36, from West Durrington and Ben Luff, 37, from Storrington have followed the fortunes of Annan Athletic since winning a bet on them in 2014.

Three years later, the group hired a minibus and drove from Steyning to the small Scottish town to watch the team play in the Scottish Division Two. Their support helped the team score four goals in 18 minutes and spurred the players on to a 5-1 victory over Montrose at the Galabank football stadium.

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Phil said they were ‘treated like royalty’ upon arrival on Friday after building a following on Twitter.

“It is a small town and we weren’t hard to find. People were stopping us in the street.

“We have had an unbelievable time. It has been one of the best weekends we have ever had. It is such a friendly place and people welcomed us with open arms.”

The football club chairman even bought them drinks after the match, and Phil was asked to present a trophy at the end of season awards party for one of the players.

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Their exploits have been picked up by one of the Scottish national papers, The Daily Record, who devoted a double-page spread to the their antics.

The chairman of Annan Athletic football club bought the boys a drinkThe chairman of Annan Athletic football club bought the boys a drink
The chairman of Annan Athletic football club bought the boys a drink

The group completed the 750-mile round trip today, and Phil, a communications installer, described it as a ‘weekend not to be forgotten’.

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The group outside the Annan Athletic football club stadiumThe group outside the Annan Athletic football club stadium
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