Barcelona fans from FC Sabadell to cheer on Bristol Rovers i
Apr 23, 2015 6:28:44 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 6:28:44 GMT
Bristol Rovers fans will be hoping their football has a tiki taka flavour as they roar on their team this weekend.
Some 15 Spanish fans of CE Sabadell FC will land in Bristol tomorrow ahead of Rovers's final home game against Alfreton Town.
The Barcelona club plays in the Spanish second division, and are currently fighting relegation.
Rovers fans first established the connection when they were holidaying in Barcelona and thought they saw Spanish fans of the Bristol club.
But it turned out to be Sabadell fans, who were decked out in their home kit, which looks similar to the Rovers's blue and white stripes.
After being invited to a meal and match, they were taken in by the hospitality, and offered to do the same if they came to Bristol.
Since then, the fans of both clubs have regularly travelled to each other's cities supporting the clubs.
One of the hosts of this year's trip is John Kayes, who visited Barcelona last year to watch a match.
"We were walking towards the grounds when they saw our Rovers pin badges and recognised us immediately," he said.
"We were treated so well, they paid for all the food and drink, and introduced us to a lot more fans.
"It was unbelievable. In their bar, they have quite a lot of Rovers memorabilia and we were absolutely amazed. I didn't think there was that strong a connection.
"But it was really quite good. They are not a huge team, like say Manchester United, but it was quite an atmosphere, I have to say."
Fans of both clubs interact on a Facebook and Twitter account, and the Spanish legion last came to Bristol in 2006.
After arriving tomorrow, they will be picked up and invited to join in a dinner at the Monte Carlo Cafe in Stapleton Road, where they will also meet former Rovers legends.
After the dinner, the group will then head to the Royal British Legion club in Kingswood, where they will meet up with some 300 fans ready to invite their Spanish counterparts and the former players, including Stuart Taylor, Bruce Bannister, Dave Mehew and Frankie Prince.
"It will be quite a nice reunion. We are expecting quite a crowd," John said.
"We will be taking a few of them around Bristol before the game to show them the sights. They treated us so well during our time there."
Around 80 Rovers fans have signed up to go on a trip to cheer on Sabadell in June when the club takes on fellow regulation strugglers Osasuna.
Who are CE Sabadell FC?
Founded in Catalonia in 1903, the club plays in the Segunda Division, Spain's second division.
It first competed in the top division in the 1943/44 season, and came in fifth three seasons later, ranking in front of clubs such as Real Madrid.
But the club would drop the tiers in the following years, and was promoted to the second division only in the 2010/11 season.
Some 15 Spanish fans of CE Sabadell FC will land in Bristol tomorrow ahead of Rovers's final home game against Alfreton Town.
The Barcelona club plays in the Spanish second division, and are currently fighting relegation.
Rovers fans first established the connection when they were holidaying in Barcelona and thought they saw Spanish fans of the Bristol club.
But it turned out to be Sabadell fans, who were decked out in their home kit, which looks similar to the Rovers's blue and white stripes.
After being invited to a meal and match, they were taken in by the hospitality, and offered to do the same if they came to Bristol.
Since then, the fans of both clubs have regularly travelled to each other's cities supporting the clubs.
One of the hosts of this year's trip is John Kayes, who visited Barcelona last year to watch a match.
"We were walking towards the grounds when they saw our Rovers pin badges and recognised us immediately," he said.
"We were treated so well, they paid for all the food and drink, and introduced us to a lot more fans.
"It was unbelievable. In their bar, they have quite a lot of Rovers memorabilia and we were absolutely amazed. I didn't think there was that strong a connection.
"But it was really quite good. They are not a huge team, like say Manchester United, but it was quite an atmosphere, I have to say."
Fans of both clubs interact on a Facebook and Twitter account, and the Spanish legion last came to Bristol in 2006.
After arriving tomorrow, they will be picked up and invited to join in a dinner at the Monte Carlo Cafe in Stapleton Road, where they will also meet former Rovers legends.
After the dinner, the group will then head to the Royal British Legion club in Kingswood, where they will meet up with some 300 fans ready to invite their Spanish counterparts and the former players, including Stuart Taylor, Bruce Bannister, Dave Mehew and Frankie Prince.
"It will be quite a nice reunion. We are expecting quite a crowd," John said.
"We will be taking a few of them around Bristol before the game to show them the sights. They treated us so well during our time there."
Around 80 Rovers fans have signed up to go on a trip to cheer on Sabadell in June when the club takes on fellow regulation strugglers Osasuna.
Who are CE Sabadell FC?
Founded in Catalonia in 1903, the club plays in the Segunda Division, Spain's second division.
It first competed in the top division in the 1943/44 season, and came in fifth three seasons later, ranking in front of clubs such as Real Madrid.
But the club would drop the tiers in the following years, and was promoted to the second division only in the 2010/11 season.
