Chinese fan revels in flight of fancy

LONDON - Chinese soccer fan Huang Wenbin took devotion to a club to new lengths by taking his family on a 12,000-mile round trip to see his favorite team.

But it wasn't Manchester United or Arsenal; it was nonleague side Runcorn Linnets.

The 37-year-old told the BBC it had been "the greatest day of my life" to have finally visited the ground of the club he "managed" when it was known as Runcorn FC Halton on a computer game back in the 2001-02 season.

Huang flew to Liverpool with his wife, Lin Xiaoru, son Yandao, 4, and 11-month-old daughter Geshu, and then spent three hours trying to find the ninth tier club's ground.

"We all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw that someone was waiting for us in front of the stadium," said Huang, who was given a club tour by chairman Mark Buckley.

"Mark is such an easygoing person and he introduced the whole Runcorn Linnets club to us.

"He brought us a box of club souvenirs, including a badge that my son immediately put on his shirt."

Huang, who during his time in virtual charge guided Runcorn from the depths of nonleague soccer to the Premier League after "signing" the likes of Roy Keane, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy, said his son was even invited to kick a ball around the pitch.

"Mark was so kind to let my son do that, and my boy enjoyed himself to the fullest," he said.

Buckley told the BBC the club has seen interest from fans living abroad before, but Huang's devotion was in a different category.

"It's a great story. They spent a lovely day getting to know the club and they are a lovely family," he said.

"We have a Swedish fans group and a Norwegian fans group, but China is certainly the furthest away and a bit special."

Agence France-presse

(China Daily 10/22/2017 page12)