Mr Lonely
Being a fan of a small team can be a lonely affair at times. Friends, work colleagues and the media sometimes seem to only care about the big clubs – no one wants to hear about your away trips to Doncaster Rovers, or the exciting young prospect you’ve just picked up from Margate. So it’s nice to turn up on a Saturday afternoon and know you’re not alone, that there are other people out there who share your passion.
However, when poor Tiago Rech turned up to Santa Cruz’s away game against big boys Gremio in the Brazilian cup, he really was alone. He made the 4,000 mile round trip, on his own, to watch his team get beaten 4-1. That’s some seriously applaudable dedication. Here’s what he had to say…
“When I got in I realised it was just me and four police. But it was worth it. When we scored I didn’t care I was alone. I screamed and went for it. That’s when I saw the journalists looking at me. On the radio later they talked of ‘the dance of the lone fan of Santa Cruz’. It was a great day.”
Here’s footage of the man himself. I wonder if that’s a certain 2005 single by Akon he’s listening to?