What is football without the fans.
No one wants to play in an empty stadium without the chants, the songs, the cheers of joy, the roars of disappointment, the laughters, the tears, and the banners waving in the air.
We all know that it is not easy to be a loyal fan, or to be there for your team week in and week out. There are times we are too lazy to make our way to the stadium because of factors like erratic weather and traffic. We’d rather just stay at home and snuggle on the couch, and watch the game on TV.
Whether our teams win or lose, it is our duty as fans to standby our teams and defend them to our death. Just ask any Liverpool or Arsenal fan and they’ll tell you how important loyalty is in football.
Or you can take it from this family of six who cycle all the way from Juru to the Stadium Batu Kawan for every Penang FA match. And yes, you read that right: CYCLE.
Their journey from Juru to Batu Kawan covers a distance of 13 kilometres, and they make it a point to make it to the stadium for every match day, even though the journey takes them more than an hour.
With only two bicycles as their mode of transportation, the family of six splits themselves into two teams of three, as they cycle through the highway, through the heavy rain or the merciless heat of the sun, just to watch their favourite team in action.
Even though Penang has suffered a dismal form this season in the Super League, it does not hamper the spirits of these six Penang fans. Week after week, they make themselves present at the stadium to give their support and love for their team.
What an admirable virtue and a great lesson for all of us, who sometimes refuse to go to the stadium just because the clouds appear to be dark, or because our team are on a losing streak.
Fans on social media have expressed their utmost respect for this family, and also called for the Football Association of Penang (FAP) to get their act together so they don’t disappoint their fans.
Comment thread from Harimau Malaya Facebook
Other posts by Gowri Krishnan
