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Young fan goes the extra mile
THERE are many Seasiders fans who could lay claim to being the most committed.
But when The Gazette snapped this young fan at Bloomfield Road last Saturday little did we know the extraordinary lengths he goes to follow his beloved team.
Ten-year-old Hal Rowley and his family make a 700-mile-round trip to watch their beloved Blackpool for every home game.
Dad Nick has followed the Seasiders since he was a young lad and wanted his children to carry on the tradition.
Unfortunately this means every home game his family has to load up the car and travel from their home near St Austell in Cornwall to Wrea Green where grandad Dan Rowley lives.
Hal's image was featured on The Gazette's front page after Pool's first home game in the top flight for almost 40 years. Ian Holloway's men fought out a superb 2-2 draw with Fulham.
Hal said: "I loved seeing myself in the crowd as I love being a fan of Blackpool. I followed them all last season and went to Wembley too and being able to go to every home game is great.
"I think it's great that dad takes us whenever there is a home game, especially seeing as we are in the Premier League now. We will do OK though as Ollie is a great manager and we will be up again next season."
A chuffed Nick, a pharmaceutical sales rep, said: "It's always great to see your child cheering on his favourite team and I got Hal hooked at an early stage.
"I used to live in Blackpool but as soon as Hal and my daughter Thea got interested in football I wanted to take them to Bloomfield every day.
"Yes, it's a trek but we've got into a routine now so we leave on Friday after school and arrive in Wrea Green at my dad's house in plenty of time.
"Now we are a Premier League club it's even more important to follow them. I think I must be one of the only long-distance Seasiders season ticket holders."
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Weather for Chorley
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
