Indian Football Fan Travels 5,000 Miles to Support Brigg Town FC

A football enthusiast named Rohan Chowdhury, hailing from Kolkata, India, recently made a remarkable journey spanning 5,000 miles to watch Brigg Town FC, a club based in Lincolnshire, on home ground. While under lockdown, the 27-year-old Chowdhury developed a fondness for the local team and since then, has made it a point to follow each and every match online. He described the experience of watching the team play in person, and conducting the pre-game formalities for their pre-season friendly against Hull Utd, as “overwhelming”. Whilst Chowdhury was there, Brigg Town FC won the game with a score of 4-2.

Chowdhury’s interest in England’s non-league football led to engagements with the management of Brigg Town, which in turn resulted in him becoming involved with their social media activities. The dedication, love and long-distance support he offered caught the eye of the club chairman, Jim Huxford, who made it a point to personally welcome him at the railway station. Chowdhury said, “It’s a beautiful connection that sports can create”, highlighting the ability of football to connect people across different nations.

It’s worth mentioning that Chowdhury’s visit occurred at a time when significant changes are taking place at the club, which include a £1.5 million refurbishment of Brigg Town’s Wrawby Road Stadium. The revamp is aimed at enhancing the football pitch and other facilities. Chowdhury’s visit is seen as an instance of the growing international appeal of the club and he intends to make a return trip to Lincolnshire to root for his favourite team in the future.

This story has been adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting made available by the BBC.