Scottish fan travels 4,000 km to watch Eskisehirspor match from stadium in Türkiye

ESKISEHIR, TÜRKİYE - OCT. 18, 2024: Scottish fan traveled 4,000 kilometers to watch the Eskisehirspor match from the stands. Ricky Marshall, a fan of Scottish Premier League team St. Johnstone, has arrived in Eskisehir, Türkiye to watch his club's brother team, Eskisehirspor, play against Osmanli 1453 Sports Club tomorrow, Oct. 19. The two teams became "brother clubs" after a match in the second qualifying round of the Europa League in 2012 and have continued to support each other for the past 12 years. Ricky Marshall, a 62-year-old fan living in Perth, Scotland, traveled from Istanbul to Eskisehir by High-Speed Train to watch the Eskisehirspor-Osmanli 1453 Sports Club match, which will take place in the third week of the Regional Amateur League tomorrow. Marshall visited the Vali Hanefi Demirkol Facilities and later met with Deputy Chairman of the Board Safa Ustunbas and team captain Rasim Mutlu. Speaking to journalists, Marshall said that the bond between St. Johnstone and Eskisehirspor has grown stronger over the years, adding, “I regularly chat with Eskisehirspor fans online. I have friends in Eskisehir that I've been in touch with for years, and when I come, I get the chance to spend time with them.” Marshall also mentioned that both Scots and Turks are determined and passionate, doing their best to help their teams progress. He noted that he last visited Eskisehir two years ago and hopes to visit again in the future. Meanwhile, the match between Eskisehirspor and Osmanli 1453 Sports Club will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 19:00 (GMT+3) at the Eskisehir New Stadium. (Footage by Günhan Özceylan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)