Football fanatic goes the extra mile to support struggling club
‘The Spireites worst season’
Chesterfield Football club currently sit in 23rd place in Sky Bet’s League one and are set for relegation at the end of the season.
The club, also known as the Spireites, currently play at the Proact Stadium and were founded in 1867.
Despite the club celebrating their 150th anniversary this year Kieran revealed some fans believe this is the worst season they have ever had.
Chesterfield are currently 10 points off safety with just six games to play.
Kieran is yet to miss a home game this season boasting an incredible 100% record since August.
He said: “I have to take two days off work to do the evening home games on a Tuesday and I will get back to Maidstone walking like a zombie at 8am.”
Even though relegation is almost certain he continues to travel the length and breadth of the country and has been to 15 away games.
His latest away day was to Bristol Rovers to take in a 2-1 defeat following a 340-mile round trip.
He added: “Even though I don’t think they are going to win another game this season I still like to go and tick new places and grounds off the list.” by Guy Bell A devoted football fan will travel far and wide to follow his favourite team despite living 200 miles away from their ground.
Kieran McAullife’s love of League One side Chesterfield has resulted in racking up some serious mileage after catching trains and buses from Maidstone to stadiums all over the country.
The 33-year-old has supported the Spireites for 15 years after adopting the Derbyshire team as his second side behind Spurs.
He said: “I met someone years ago when I was about 18 when I first started going out clubbing. He was from Chesterfield and we were both football mad.
“I was amazed after meeting someone who was into football but didn’t support the run of the mill sides like Liverpool and Manchester United.
“He said his second team was Tottenham and, because I was so young and impressionable, I thought I would return the favour and support Chesterfield.” The two are still in touch. Kieran, a lottery assistant with the Royal British Legion, followed the League One strugglers on Teletext before getting a taste of the action when they lined up against Gillingham.
He decided to commit to the club and follow them for 46 games per season when his love of Spurs dwindled after planning problems for games.
Kieran, who lives in Downs Road, Penenden Heath, said: “After the Gillingham game I went to away games in Dagenham, Barnet and Southend.
“The more home games I was going to I was spending more time on the phone spelling my name and giving my address to buy tickets. I thought ‘I can’t be bothered with this, I might as well get a season ticket to save the phone bill’.”
Despite a dire campaign both on and off the pitch, Kieran has made it to every Chesterfield home game at the Proact Stadium thanks to his £375 season ticket.
He has also bought replica shirts from yesteryear resulting in an impressive collection.
He said: “When I went to Tottenham games I didn’t make many friends even though there were 35,000 other people there.
“At Chesterfield people would see me in my Maidstone United coat and take an interest in it.”