Football fan to travel 6,500 miles for key match

A football fan is preparing to travel more than 6,500 miles (10,500km) to watch his team play in a crucial match.

Mike Jolly and his wife May live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and are due to travel to watch Southend United play at Rochdale on Thursday in the National League play-offs.

Their journey will start almost 48 hours earlier and will involve a coach journey, as well as a long-haul flight.

"As a true Southend fan, I've stuck with it through the thinner times and when moments like this come along you pull out all the stops to be there," he said.

"We are just keeping our fingers crossed that we will still be awake at 7:45 on Thursday."

If Southend United win, they would face Forest Green Rovers in the semi-finals before a possible final at Wembley.

Victory there would mean their return to the English Football League after four years away.

Mr Jolly said he was a lifelong fan of the Blues and lived in Asia for 12 years previously.

He said he came back to the UK in 2015, shortly after Southend won their League Two play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers.

"That was a fantastic day and it's days like this that make following a team like Southend United all worthwhile," he said.

"I was in the UK for nine years and sadly, apart from two decent years in League One, it was abject misery."

He said he was hoping for a good result as he had already booked return flights for after the Wembley final on 1 June.

"Well you have to believe; there is no point doing it if you don't believe," he said.