A remarkable event unfolded recently when approximately 100 subscribers of La Media Inglesa (LMI), a prominent Spanish YouTube channel dedicated to English football, made the journey from Spain to the United Kingdom. They travelled to a local, non-league football match between Harborough Town and St Ives Town. Even more significant, perhaps, is this event’s recognition of the booming international interest in English non-league football.
On the day of the match, LMI fans came out in force sporting bright yellow shirts. These shirts were worn by Harborough Town, at the time a seventh-tier club keen to increase their visibility. As they packed the bleachers, their passion came through as clear as their chants in Spanish that echoed around the field all night long. These fans made for an incredible home-court advantage. They further demonstrated that even local clubs can establish worldwide fan bases.
The Impact of LMI on Local Football
Through extensive social media outreach that may well be second to none, La Media Inglesa has connected directly with participants by traveling to England for friendly matches. This is not their first foray into supporting English clubs; LMI has previously taken fans to watch games at Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United. As a result, the channel has found great success tapping into that niche Spanish-market fandom. They want to experience the incredible culture of English football first hand.
The joint venture with Harborough Town chairman Pete Dougan is intended to diversify the club’s fanbase and revenue streams. LMI’s mission is to turn Harborough Town into a beacon club far outside its immediate area. They are doing this in part by deploying passionate advocates from overseas.
“Our aim was to transform a small local English club into a small local club with a global fanbase.” – Ilie Oleart
Local fans are really going all out for this effort. They were surprised and very happy at the turn out of Spanish supporters at the game. The real cultural exchange became apparent when some of the locals picked up Spanish chants from their new friends.
Shared Experiences and Cultural Exchange
The engagement between the Spanish supporters and the natives has created a culture of inclusion. In a letter sent to the League, Alvaro Sanz, one of the LMI subscribers, described witnessing the inspiring exchanges during the game.
“Quite a few local fans joined us, and we even taught them some chants in Spanish.” – Alvaro Sanz
That focus on engagement ties everything back to a better matchday experience. Beyond diplomacy, it weaves connections between cultures through our universal passion for the game.
A Successful Trip
As the day drew to a close, Ilie Oleart thought of the day, saying it had gone beyond all expectations.
“It was certainly the best trip we have had so far.” – Ilie Oleart
The overwhelming success of this event further demonstrated that grassroots football is worthy of international attention and backing. As a result, non-league clubs like Harborough Town can imagine going further. As LMI moves on to the next phase of its work, there are exciting days ahead for both the channel and the clubs it serves.
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