Fan prepares for 560-mile FA Cup round trip

A dedicated football fan is preparing for a 560-mile round trip to see his non-league team take on a Cornish side in the FA Cup.

Brackley Town, from Northamptonshire, face Truro City in the second qualifying round on Saturday.

Will Grashoff, who says he has supported Brackley since birth, is taking his wife with him as she has always wanted to visit Cornwall, although not necessarily for a football match.

He is hoping the delegation of away fans at the game will get into double figures, although he believes it is likely to be "under 10".

Mr Grashoff is no stranger to long football journeys, having travelled 250 miles to Blyth in Northumberland last season.

"I know one other person who's going today, and I think there might be a couple going down on the [team] coach tomorrow, so I think if we get double figures, that'd be nice," he said.

Visitng fans would all be looked after by Truro City's supporters, he said, adding: "The non-league scene is so nice because it's such a community scene.

"Away fans are treated really well by home fans, so I'm hoping there might be a free beer or a free pie or something, or a pasty, just to say 'thank you' for coming down."

He will also have the novelty of sitting in a new stadium, the Truro Sports Hub, external, which opened last month.

For his wife, the trip will be the fulfilment of a long-standing holiday dream, but it might not be the sort of trip she was expecting.

Mr Grashoff said: "She's been going on at me for ages and ages to have a trip to Cornwall, but I've always said, 'We can't do that. It's too far'."

When he told her about the Cornish excursion, she said: "Oh really, that's lovely of you. Why have you done that?"

He had assured her it was his treat, but had to come clean when "she saw the Brackley fixtures and said, 'Hold on a minute, isn't Truro in Cornwall?'"

The superfan is sure his dedication will be recognised by players and management at Brackley Town, which is currently 15th in the National League North. Truro City is eighth in the National League South.

"They really are good at coming over at the end, talking, thanking us, and being appreciative," he said. "You can tell it means a lot to them."

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