IF IT is Swansea City’s first match of the season then those in Costcutter Ceredigion League football circles who know Peter Davies will be aware exactly where he will be – supporting his beloved Swans no matter where they play!
For the last 14 years, excluding last season due to coronavirus restrictions, Peter - a former player with Ffostrasol, St Dogmaels and Llandysul and now a life member of the Ceredigion League - has travelled to all Swansea City’s first team matches of the season.
And, amazingly, of those 14 matches to start each season, only two have been played at home…
Peter’s remarkable run started during season 2007/2008 when Swansea kicked off the campaign against Oldham Athletic away.
In the following seasons Peter travelled to Charlton Athletic, then, the following term, to Leicester City followed by Hull City, and - on promotion to the Premiership - Manchester City away during the 2011/2012 season.
The following season saw Swansea travelling to Queens Park Rangers for their opening match, before kicking-off against Manchester United at home 12 months later.
The following campaign, it was Manchester United away, followed by away matches at Chelsea, Burnley, and Southampton.
Then, the following season, after relegation, the first match of the season was away to Sheffield United, before a rare home fixture against Hull City in 2019/2020. And, this season, Blackburn Rovers away.
The latter trip was described by Peter as ‘a bit of an adventure’.
After leaving home in Llandysul at 6am for Aberystwyth Station, Peter had a change of train at Shrewsbury, Crewe and Preston before arriving at Blackburn. The return journey involved changes at Preston and Wolverhampton.
The Swans fanatic has now been to 13 Premiership grounds and 11 Championship grounds.
So Peter will have to continue clocking up the miles if he is to achieve his goal of visiting all grounds in both the Premiership and the Championship. Depending on the fixtures of course!
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