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Fan travels 4,000 miles to watch Wakefield AFC to find match postponed | UK News


‘Crushed’ Ian Webb at Be Well Stadium where he’d hoped to see his favourite team Wakefield AFC play (Picture: Megan Webb/SWNS)

A US football fan travelled more than 4,000 miles to watch his beloved Wakefield AFC play, only to find the game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Ian Webb was ‘crushed’ to learn he wouldn’t see the non-league side play in Yorkshire after flying from his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The 28-year-old had spent 18 months saving up £4,500, so he and his wife Megan could make the trip to watch a home match, reports Yorkshire Live.

Ian became ‘obsessed’ with the Northern Counties East Football League Division One team after discovering them online.

Not only was the first game postponed due to the club’s pitch at Be Well Stadium being waterlogged, a back-up game he’d planned to see was also called off due to heavy rain.

The recruitment manager said: ‘I was certainly crushed. It was one of those things where you get a pit in your stomach.’

Wakefield AFC was set up in 2019, but the Covid pandemic broke out soon after and it never completed its first season.

Ian Webb being put to work at the Be Well Support Stadium, Wakefield. Photo released December 22 2023. See SWNS story SWLNfan. US-based football fan travelled over 4,000 miles to watch his favourite British team - only to find the game abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.Ian Webb, 28, was ?crushed? after flying from his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to see division ten side Wakefield AFC before bad weather ended his dream.He became ?obsessed? with the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division two years ago after playing as them on the Football Manager video game.And he?d then spent 18 months saving up ?4,500 for a trip with his wife Megan Webb, 27, so he could watch the side play a game at their stadium in West Yorkshire.But he was left ?emotional? when the first fixture he hoped to see was postponed - and another back-up game he?d lined up was called off due to torrential rainfall.

Ian helps mow Wakefield AFC’s pitch (Picture: Megan Webb/SWNS)

The club subsequently ran into financial difficulties and its future seemed uncertain.

However, it was saved following investment from US wealth management firm VO2 Capital in 2021.

Ian said he first discovered Wakefield AFC after thinking ‘What’s the biggest city in England without a professional team?’ and Googling it.

‘I thought maybe there’s a little club that can maybe fill some big boots.’

Ian Webb and Megan Webb in the changing room. Photo released December 22 2023. See SWNS story SWLNfan. US-based football fan travelled over 4,000 miles to watch his favourite British team - only to find the game abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.Ian Webb, 28, was ???crushed??? after flying from his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to see division ten side Wakefield AFC before bad weather ended his dream.He became ???obsessed??? with the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division two years ago after playing as them on the Football Manager video game.And he???d then spent 18 months saving up ??4,500 for a trip with his wife Megan Webb, 27, so he could watch the side play a game at their stadium in West Yorkshire.But he was left ???emotional??? when the first fixture he hoped to see was postponed - and another back-up game he???d lined up was called off due to torrential rainfall.

Ian and his wife Megan get shown the club’s changing room (Picture: Megan Webb/SWNS)

Wakefield AFC, which is semi-professional, came up in the results and Ian decided to find out more.

Before long he was engrossed in the club’s fan culture and was even invited to speak on a podcast dedicated to the team called ‘All Wakey Aren’t We’.

‘I fell in love with it,’ he explained. ‘That’s how Wakefield became my favourite club.’

Ian said the US has lots of enormous American football stadiums that provide an exciting energy for crowds, but are often too corporate and mostly interested in getting as many people as possible through the gates to increase profits.

Ian Webb (centre, tall), with wife Megan Webb (jean jacket) at the pub after their game was postponed on October 24 in Wakefield. Photo released December 22 2023. See SWNS story SWLNfan. US-based football fan travelled over 4,000 miles to watch his favourite British team - only to find the game abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.Ian Webb, 28, was ?crushed? after flying from his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to see division ten side Wakefield AFC before bad weather ended his dream.He became ?obsessed? with the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division two years ago after playing as them on the Football Manager video game.And he?d then spent 18 months saving up ?4,500 for a trip with his wife Megan Webb, 27, so he could watch the side play a game at their stadium in West Yorkshire.But he was left ?emotional? when the first fixture he hoped to see was postponed - and another back-up game he?d lined up was called off due to torrential rainfall.

Ian Webb, third from right, with Megan, second from right, at the pub after their game was postponed in October (Picture: Megan Webb/SWNS)

He likes the fact fans get a far more ‘local, authentic experience’ at Wakefield AFC and said there was something magical about grassroots football in the UK.

Although Ian didn’t get to see his team in action this time, he did enjoy a tour of the club’s premises during his visit in October, as well as visits to York, Bath and London.

He hopes to return in a couple of years and dreams of watching a pivotal game where Wakefield are playing for promotion.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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