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Football

20th Aug 2017

Walsall fan’s away game planning nightmare goes viral for obvious reasons

We shouldn't laugh

Darragh Murphy

From excitement to disappointment in 22 short hours.

One Walsall supporter thought he’d got the bargain of his life when he booked some last-minute accommodation for his trip to watch his beloved Saddlers take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The League One side drew 1-1 with Pompey after a late Brett Pitman penalty cancelled out Luke Leahy’s opener for the visitors.

But one fan was just as pissed off with his shambolic travel plans as he was with the result as Davey Drew’s booking blunder has gone viral.

@DaveySaddler took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to brag about securing a short-notice stay at a cheap hotel just 11 miles from Portsmouth. He couldn’t have been happier.

Fast forward 22 hours and Davey found out precisely why a hotel so “close” to a stadium was so inexpensive for a gameday.

Had he looked more thoroughly at the address or taken a gander at Google Maps, he would have anticipated the ferry journey required to reach his lodgings, which were located on the Isle of Wight.

But like all great stories, there is a happy ending to Davey’s woes as Walsall manager Jon Whitney has revealed that the club will sort him out for his ferry fare and that he will get the chance to meet some of the players at a home game.

“[Midfielder] Joe Edwards offered to pay his ferry fare. I’ll chip in as well,” Whitney told BBC WM 95.6.

“It’s a funny one but it’s great. It’s a story for him to tell people so I think it will be quite popular on social media.

“We might get to meet him and bring him out and let him see the fans at one home game. We’ll pay his fare for him and help him out.”

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