Love happens when you don’t expect it to come. But this isn’t a story about a mysterious woman that made a man go wild. No, Chris Pidgeon was already married when he fell in love all over again – with Ponferradina.Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of this little club. Neither had Chris at the time he embarked on a trip to the town of Ponferrada in the northwest corner of Spain. He didn’t come to watch football, but to visit the Basilica of Santiago de Compostela, the cathedral where the remains of Saint James are kept. Many pilgrims from around the world come to walk the paths of one of the twelve disciples in Northern Spain. This is why Chris arrived from England. But he was swept away by something different.@nufcpidge que grande eres Chris un abrazo de un peruano que sigue a la Ponferradina pic.twitter.com/ODZdmm77G2— Edward Madrid (@FabricioMadrid) September 7, 2019 On the route to Compostela, there is a town of Ponferrada and their local football club. Chris, a Newcastle United supporter, decided to catch a game while he was in town and it proved to be one of his life’s most defining moments.”I have always been drawn to football but I saw the stadium in Ponferrada and it just had an effect on me, almost unexplained – a lot of people have spiritual experiences on that long walk – perhaps mine was a calling to El Toralin, the Ponferradina home ground.”Sunday, 15.00: (2.45) Sociedad II (3.10) Ponferradina (3.10)He wasn’t joking, you know. It wasn’t just some nice matchday experience. Chris actually decided to move to this little town so he could feed his new addiction – the addiction to Ponferradina.Ponferradina’s El Toralin stadium (©Gallo Images)One of his two children was born in this part of Spain, making his bond to the region even stronger. It’s been a decade since Chris’ first visit and in the meantime, he’d become one of the club’s most popular supporters. Everyone knows him, everyone wants their picture taken with the passionate Englishman. And not just the fans.”In 2019, when we got promoted to the second tier, I was invited to meet the mayor of the city in the town hall and the media asked me to speak in front of 6,000 supporters – the players started singing ‘Chris is on Fire!’. It was a completely amazing experience. I couldn’t believe it. Other than my children’s births it is the best weekend of my life by a huge distance.” Enhorabuena @MarskeUnitedFC y suerte @TadcasterAlbion. La gira de la Ponferradina continua!Congratulations Marske and good luck Tad. The Ponferradina never-ending tour continues! The game finished 1 0. Scruffy goal (they all count) after the Tad gk made a great save 1st half pic.twitter.com/vCC3Hf3BKD— Chris Pidgeon (@nufcpidge) September 24, 2021 Pidgeon is now about as local as any of the fans in the 8,400-capacity stadium. He lives and dies with every game of his adopted club – and he dreams of making it to La Liga. It would be a remarkable way to mark the club’s 100th anniversary – to reach Spain’s best division for the first time in the club’s history.
