Every other club in England had no chance of winning the support of a young soccer player in Edinboro, Pennsylvania during the early 1990s. Brent Ford, who was tailgating outside the Premier League Summer Series matches in Philadelphia, revealed that his allegiance to Brentford FC was formed when he saw his name on some collectible soccer cards. From that moment on, it has been all about the Bees for Ford.
Ford was just one of the thousands of fans who gathered at Lincoln Financial Field over the weekend to watch three matches: Chelsea vs Brighton on Saturday, followed by Brentford vs Fulham and Newcastle vs Aston Villa on Sunday. While there were fans who traveled from England to support their hometown clubs and British expats in America finally able to see their favorite teams, there were also many unique stories of how fans found their club homes in the Premier League.
One such story is that of Kevin Johnson, who was stationed in England with the United States military. It was during his time there that he became a fan of Newcastle United. Johnson found himself drawn to the club not only because of its iconic black-and-white strip but also because he enjoyed teasing a co-worker who supported Sunderland. Johnson’s children were also in attendance at the matches in Philadelphia, and it was their first opportunity to see the Magpies play in person.
Another heartwarming story came from Colin Passey, a Brentford supporter attending the game with his daughter. For Passey, who was born in Brentford but moved away in 1987, this was a special moment as it was the first time the club had come close to where he now lives. Unfortunately, his father passed away just three months before Brentford returned to the Premier League, so Passey paid tribute to him by writing his name on a flag.
Fulham’s support also had an interesting backstory. A group of fans from Kalamazoo, Michigan revealed that their love for Fulham began as a joke. They decided to support the club because they knew someone who hated Fulham, but soon enough, they found themselves genuinely passionate about the team. They never expected to see Fulham play in person, as their plan was to someday travel to England when they were old. However, having the team come to them in the United States was a dream come true for them.
Overall, the Premier League Summer Series matches in Philadelphia not only provided fans with the opportunity to see their favorite teams but also allowed for the sharing of unique stories and experiences that connected supporters from different parts of the world.
