Crawley Town fan from China left 'devastated' after he was unable to watch his beloved side due to weather after planning trip for a year and a half

Wang Guanpeng, had been meticulously planning this trip for over half a year due to the border in China being closed for the past three years due to strict anti-epidemic measures.

Mr Guanpeng said: “It was not until I left to study in Canada that I got a chance to watch Crawley.

“ My initial plan was to fly from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to London on November 7 last year to attend Burnley away. However, my visa application faced severe delays, and it was not until mid-November that I received my UK visa. As I had final exams in early December and needed to work part-time in December to save for travel expenses, I had to postpone my plans to watch Crawley in the UK until five days ago. I flew from Montreal to London and stayed with a friend in North Greenwich. I was excited about the game and had even arranged for the team to acknowledge my donation of masks and other medical supplies during the outbreak.

“However, on the morning of the game, just as I was about to leave my friend's flat, I learned that the game had been postponed. I was devastated, as I had spent so much time and effort preparing for this trip. The postponement also meant that all the money I had saved for travel and other expenses was wasted. Nevertheless, I decided to visit Crawley and have a look around. To be candid, I expressed my disappointment on Twitter that day and received an outpouring of support from our fans. Some even offered to crowdsource my tickets for the next game, which I politely declined.

See more: 16-year-old Ukrainian Crawley Town Community Foundation player achieves success in his GCSEs, Former Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Stoke City star explains why he walked out on Crawley Town, Teacher strikes in Crawley 2023: Here is what one of the town’s secondary schools had to say

“To be honest, I was overwhelmed. I had simply done what I could at the time and did not expect any recognition for my actions. However, the support and love I received from my friends at Crawley was invaluable. I am uncertain when I will be able to return to Crawley for football again, as I have schoolwork to attend to and need to save for other expenses. I hope to return at the earliest by the end of February.”