LIVING THE DREAM
Fortunately and bravely, I won the scholarship to study in Leicester. I just couldn't contain myself knowing that my dream was about to be fulfilled.
It was the Autumn term of the 2015/16 season, had the luck to be in Leicester when they started
doing the impossible in the Premier League, used to live one corner from King Power Stadium and saw the ex-owl Jamie Vardy achieving the Guinness record of sequence goals/matches... Felt sympathy
for the club but I didn't really cared about them...
I wanted to be a Sheffield Wednesday fan and no one would change my mind.
Being established in my new home, I wanted to go to Hillsborough as soon as possible. Bought the same shirt from
Marcus Tudgay's stunning goal on eBay and I was ready to go.
The next home match would be against Preston and I had to do something about this historic fact.
So I started talking to few lads on Twitter asking about a place so we could meet and share a bit about this blue & white passion before going to the match.
That's when @NorthYorksOwls, @dickyowl, @O22IE_OWL, @AAldam5, @swfc and the fabulous staff of @NewBarrack came in.
These lads showed me what being a Sheffield Wednesday fan is like.
We arranged everything to the meeting, the perfect pub, shared it online, stickers to give away, Wednesday doing well..
Nothing could went wrong.
3RD OF OCTOBER 2015..
THE DAY THAT I WOULD FINALLY SEE THE OWLS WITH MY OWN EYES.
Arrived in Sheffield early in the morning, walking down the catwalk with my Tudgay's shirt with plenty of
time to walk and discover what the city had to show to a tourist. Doing that, went to the Train Station to meet Simon and the lads from
@NorthYorksOwls
(finally - after 2 weeks) the first Owls group I would meet in England.
We went straight to New Barrack Pub and that's when my life was about to change.
The moment I arrived there was already surprised with every member of the pub wearing the Brazilian Owls sticker
in their shirt... I was like :o
Few minutes later, the first pint in and they told me to look on the programme..
There I was.
Embarrassed as chuff...
@NorthYorksOwls,
@dickyowl & @O22IE_OWL
didn't even waited my shock to pass to give me a bag with a shirt...
Signed Home Kit - 15/16 season
I hadn't even arrived at S6 and I was already feeling emotional. Never crossed my mind that the arrival of an overseas fan would be so greeted as mine was at that
point....
Barely I knew that it was just the first taste of my reception at S6.
We had a few pints at New Barrack and went straight to Hillsborough. There, the first owl I meet is the programme seller saying
"I know who you are, you are on the programme... Welcome!"
I felt like a celebrity, what the chuff was happening?
We entered in the lobby and there I had the opportunity to meet and greet Hirst.
While I was taking the picture with our historical striker,
@NorthYorksOwls, @dickyowl were talking to someone from the club. I thought, "Okay, might be someone they know, just a chit chat or whatever"...
Poor child, the woman greeted me for being there and said that she wanted to take us somewhere...
And yeah, that's when I felt the first dust in my eyes.
We were inside Hillsborough pitch before the game.
To be honest I didn't know what to do, I wanted to run, to cry, to take pictures, whatever... I just couldn't
believe I was living that.
I felt so privileged, amazed, delighted and thankful for being there, that when I was admiring the brilliance of
Hillsborough stadium, someone shouted my name in a different accent and I was like: Who?
When I looked back, one of the highest recognition player at SWFC was there: Atdhe
Nuhiu.
Didn't know if I started to cry, if I jumped in his arms, touched his ponytail hair or shut my
pants...
What the chuff was happening?
Looked into the lads and everyone was feeling the dust in the air.. It was really happening, they had that satisfaction face stamped and shared this historical achievement with me like family members.
I'll be forever grateful.
Could contain myself bravely and gave Atty a few Brazilian Owls stickers so he could show the team that a *louco* crossed the ocean to see them playing. Just before he leaves, he told me:
"If I score today, I'll give you my shirt."
I was on heaven! Not even in my dreams I would thought of feeling/living such an experience.
The game hadn't even started and I was by far living the best day of my entire life.
Speechless, excited to see the old lady rocking, the only thing that lasted was the three points on the bag.
3-1. Lee, Pudil (Nuhiu) & mcgugan
What a day that was, just couldn't wait to be back at Hillsborough and feel the warm atmosphere that our SWFC
family give.
At the end, even though Nuhiu's touch on the second goal was already after the line, he still gave me his shirt.
For all those who took part in this debut story, I leave my sincere thank you for making me the happiest person
alive on that day.
3rd of October 2015 is the best day I've ever had.
This journey will always be remembered as the greatest achievement of my
life.
A boy who discovered an oversea club, developed passion with it, made contact with their fans online,
managed to get into Hillsborough with his almost unknown friends, getting to know Atdhe Nuhiu, earning his goalscored shirt and debuting with 3 points on the bag.
As I wrote on Twitter that day:
Sheffield Wednesday is more than a football club, Sheffield Wednesday is a worldwide family.
I'm Wednesday till I die.
Thanks for reading,
We're all Wednesday, aren't we?
PS: Mind the gap.
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