AFC Bournemouth
Not many Cherries fans will remember the 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford on 30th December 2018, a bitterly cold day up north as the calendar year was drawing to a close.
However, for young Bournemouth supporter Oliver, who led the team out alongside Andrew Surman on the day, it was the start of a budding friendship.
Oliver first started going to matches in 2017, as he dealt with ongoing epilepsy and learning difficulties. Football soon became a huge part of his life and he continues to follow the Cherries home and away, most recently being a mascot for the final fixture of the season against Everton.
It was that day at Old Trafford where he encountered Alex, a young Manchester United supporter who doesn’t let his disability or need for a wheelchair stop him from supporting his side.
After the game, while waiting for the away players as they got on the coach, Oliver stood with his family and found himself next to Alex, who was soon handed over a match-worn Jordan Ibe shirt.
With his allegiance being the red of Manchester as opposed to the red of Bournemouth, he went on to hand over the shirt to Oliver, despite he and his family being insistent that it was kept by Alex.
After discussions, the shirt came home with Oliver and it was the beginning over a friendship that is still going strong today.
The pair kept in touch through relegation and promotion, with the prospect of a trip back to Old Trafford on the cards for the 2022/23 season. However, an evening kick-off and with school the next day, it wasn’t an ideal time for Oliver to make the trip north.
So, the duo ensured that no opportunity was missed for May’s fixture at Vitality Stadium as a reunion was surely on the cards.
As a result, Alex was greeted with open arms as he arrived off the coach in Bournemouth and lunch at Oliver’s, following a lovely walk through Kings Park in the sunshine, soon followed.
It provided a great opportunity for the pair to spend time with each other and allow for their friendship to flourish further ahead of the fixture, as Oliver was able to learn more about the 14 countries Alex had been to just in the name of football.
Following the season’s conclusion, afcb.co.uk spoke with Oliver’s grandmother Lesley about the power of the beautiful game.
“It just goes to show, you can like football and you can be friends with people, it doesn’t matter who you support. There really is such a strong power in football that brings people together from up and down the country.
“A wonderful friendship has been created as a result and we all look forward to seeing it blossom in the years to come.”
