By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
A Barcelona supporter who travelled to England to watch a match between Newcastle United and Barcelona mistakenly attended a third-division fixture after a navigation error led him to the wrong St James’ Park, causing him to miss the intended game.
The incident occurred when the fan travelled to the United Kingdom for the high-profile encounter and used a map application to locate St James’ Park, the home ground of Newcastle United.
However, the application directed him to St James Park in Exeter, the stadium belonging to Exeter City, which shares the same name but is located about 366 miles away from Newcastle.
On arrival, the supporter reportedly presented his match ticket to officials at the stadium, expecting to gain entry for the Newcastle versus Barcelona clash.
He was, however, informed that he had arrived at the wrong venue, as the match he intended to watch was taking place in Newcastle, several hours away by road.
Consequently, the fan could not make it to the correct stadium in time, as both matches were scheduled to kick off at the same hour, leaving him stranded at the Exeter City ground.
Officials at Exeter City, after learning about the mix-up, sympathised with the supporter and decided to allow him into the stadium free of charge.
He was then offered the opportunity to watch Exeter City’s home fixture against Lincoln City, which was being played simultaneously in the English League One, the third tier of English football.
According to stadium staff, the decision was taken to ensure the visitor did not leave disappointed after travelling a long distance only to miss his intended match.
The confusion occurred because both Newcastle United and Exeter City play at stadiums named St James’ Park, a coincidence that has previously led to similar mistakes among visitors unfamiliar with English football venues.
In the end, the supporter accepted the situation in good spirits and remained at the Exeter ground to watch the League One match after being granted complimentary entry by the club’s officials.
