Dream turns reality for Gunner fan

Die-hard sports fans have done real crazy things. Some have streaked onto the field and scored goals for their struggling teams while others have brandished banners and attempted to force hats down the heads of their bemused stars. And then we have the likes of Aby Baby Kuruvilla.

Aby with the English Premier League Trophy at the Big Ben in London

The 24-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru made a three-minute video for the ‘Barclays Fan of India’ contest that changed his life forever. A video that made his passion into reality — an all-expense paid trip to London to watch his dream team Arsenal in action.

So what was so special in it that made him the ‘chosen one’ among thousands of other equal fanatics? Passion has no boundaries, one may say, after knowing the lengths to which Aby went.

An Arsenal scarf made of crêpe paper, a football kit with an home-made Puma logo and a Premier League trophy moulded out of cardboard and foil sit pretty in the background as Aby, dressed in the team jersey, doles out songs and chants in praise of his team. Mind you, club chants can be dicey to deduce from the muffled, almost incomprehensive shouts off the Emirates’ stands in a TV broadcast. But no matter how dissonant he was, Aby belted it out with aplomb.The Barclays judging panel comprising of Manchester United legends Gary Pallister and Bryan Robson selected Aby from thousands of entries from over 80 cities across India.

“I read about the Barclays contest on a website and submitted my entry which had text, photos and a video. It was just for fun because I am crazy about Arsenal. I never knew I would win it,” Aby said.An ecstatic Aby and his cousin were flown to London last week where they saw Arsenal take on Liverpool in a Premier League tie at the Emirates Stadium.It would have been heartbreaking for a man, who has travelled nearly five thousand miles, to see his team lose and thankfully Abu Diaby obliged as his header saw the Gunners seal a credible win at home. “The whole atmosphere, the fans… it was overwhelming. Getting to shake hands with your favourite players such as Van Persie, Fabregas and Diaby as they emerged from the tunnel is something that I can never forget,” Aby gushed.Prior to the match, Aby was given an exclusive tour of the Emirates, the players’ bay and dressing room. “I sat in coach Arsene Wenger’s seat and felt almost as if I was him, in command. The stadium and its facilities were spectacular and it was a privilege for me to be there,” said the Kerala lad.A devout Gunner, Aby admires Arsenal for its youthful and tactical play. “They play fluent, attractive football. They pass well and have a strong team camaraderie. We have a good number of Arsenal fans in India and I will remain a Gunner all my life,” said Aby, who adores Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas.Ten runners-up from New Delhi, Gangtok, Cochin, Pune, Mumbai, Kannur, Chennai and Calicut also won a Premier League team jersey of their choice.

*Around the World in 90 Minutes*

Barclays has launched a new competition — Around the World in 90 Minutes — to find the greatest match-day experience in the world. Fans are required to explain in no more than 100 words why they feel their match-day experience is the best in the world and can support their entries by uploading videos and photos. The competition will run till March 22 with the winner will be announced in April. More information and nomination details can be found at www.barclaysfootball.com.