BBC News, East Midlands
RB mediaWembley, Old Trafford and Anfield welcome football tourists from foreign coasts, but they are a much less common place in Harborough Town’s house in Leixestershire.
So imagine the surprise when more than 100 fanatics of Spanish sports appeared to enjoy the game of the Club No League against St Ives Town on Saturday.
The Spaniards were subscribers of a Spanish YouTube channel dedicated to English football that has now begun to organize trips.
“Some of the local fans were quite surprised, they probably wondered what 100 Spaniards were doing,” said Madrid fan and New Harborough Town, Alvaro Sanz.
RB mediaThe English Media Channel (LMI) was founded by Ilie Oleart, born in Barcelona, and covers English football matches for Spanish speaking fans worldwide.
Since its launch in 2011, the channel won more than 440,000 subscribers and began offering trips to the United Kingdom in 2018 so that fans could see games in person.
Oleart, who supports the Espanyol League team, said the next step for LMI was not only to show English football, but also try to get involved with an English football club in some way.
“Our goal was to transform a small local English club into a small local club with a global fans base,” he said.
After talking with different clubs from the lower league, Oleart asked their subscribers with which club they should upload, and Harborough Town FC emerged as the choice of fans.
Wycombe Wanderers“I with the people of the club in September to know its history, the city and the facilities,” said Mr. Oleart.
“We think they were the perfect club with the right values to share with our audience.”
Harborough Town games on the seventh level of English football will now be broadcast live on the LMI YouTube channel, giving Spanish speaking fans the opportunity to become “virtual followers” of the club.
The club, nicknamed The Bees, has already captured the imagination this season upon reaching the second round of the FA Cup for the first time and making former international Brazilian Sandro play for them.
The president of the club, Peter Dougan, said that the association with LMI was an “opportunity to grow our fans base and our income” through a global audience and could open the sponsorship agreements.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” he said.
“LMI liked what they saw and we decided that they were also suitable for our club.”
Although Harborough lost 2-1 against St. Iives Town in his central encounter of the Premier Division of the South League, Oleart, said his group was “very happy” with his experience.
“It was certainly the best trip we have had so far,” he said.
“We occupy a complete stand and begin to encourage from the first second of the game,” added the fanatic Álvaro Sanz.
“A few local fans joined us, and we even have some songs in Spanish.
“We don’t stop supporting the team for the whole game.”
SuppliedBefore the game, the residents observed with fun while two Spanish followers of Spanish followers arrived in the city center before leaving singing Spanish songs before the initial serve.
“It was already any club, he felt like our club,” said Mr. Oleart.
“We were able to meet the players after the game and even have a drink with them in the pub, which is something impossible to imagine in a first minier League club.
“We wanted to make sure that the trip was an opportunity for us to create a relationship with its fans too.
“There are many things to do to work in the alliance and make it stronger, but I am many great memories to create in the future and I hope to bring 200-300 with me next time.
“Many football fans are looking for this experience and we are glad to do it with Harborough Town FC.”
RB mediaThe president of the bees, Pete Dougan, said: “It was a great day and the atmosphere they generated was excellent.
“It was like the tennis of the song on stage, our fans sang songs in English and then sang songs in Spanish. It was very fun.”
Dougan said he was eager to welcome his new fans next season and revealed that the club goes to Barcelona and Madrid for a preseason tour in July.
