San Diego fan returns for Anfield rematch

Jester George is all smiles again today after bookie Betfred came to the rescue to pay for his 11,000–mile round trip to see his heroes Exeter City in their biggest match for a decade.

The club’s super fan – real name George Smith – lives with his wife Monica and family in California. He flew over to watch the FA Cup game against Liverpool in front of a capacity 8,000 crowd at St James Park earlier this month when Exeter were 17 minutes of pulling off the giant-killing shock of the third round.

The League Two club, who were leading 2-1 at the interval were pegged back by the Premier League giants who equalised through Australian starlet Brad Smith to set up Wednesday’s replay at Anfield…a match George was destined to miss.

He said: “I thought we were on the road to Wembley and then they drew level. It was a double blow for me – Liverpool scoring and me knowing I couldn’t afford to come back for the biggest match since we played Manchester United in our non-league days ten years ago.

“I was desperate to get to Anfield of course. It would be nightmare to miss a game at a place like that. I always used to go to Betfred when I was at university in Bristol and then I noticed the bookie had sponsored Exeter’s shorts against Liverpool which was a great gesture and gives us much needed revenue.

“I took a chance and wrote to Betfred whose boss Fred I had read is a huge football fan – and within 48 hours his people told me to book the plane and train ticket which will come to about £600. It is an unbelievably kind thing to do and once I get to Liverpool the first thing I will do is get on Exeter to win on pens which is 33/1 with Betfred.”