We head to Slovakia for our latest exiled supporter.
Next up in our U's From Afar series is Peter Martinovic.
. Hurry, it's only running for a few more days! click HERE To register for the Stand Up and Be Counted initiative, which could see you win an all expenses paid trip to watch the U's in action,
With the season now underway, we've spoken to a number of our exiled supporters to find out a bit more about them!
The campaign encouraged teams to find out where their foreign support was based and thousands have registered across the Football League so far.
Colchester United and the Football League recently asked fans to register for the Stand Up and Be Counted campaign.
. Hurry, it's only running for a few more days! click HERE To register for the Stand Up and Be Counted initiative, which could see you win an all expenses paid trip to watch the U's in action,
With the season now underway, we've spoken to a number of our exiled supporters to find out a bit more about them!
The campaign encouraged teams to find out where their foreign support was based and thousands have registered across the Football League so far.
Colchester United and the Football League recently asked fans to register for the Stand Up and Be Counted campaign.
1) How did you come to support Colchester United?
The old man took me to see the U's as well and I loved it so much that I made him to take me once more. Though I can remember only a few things (it was the great Tony Adcock who scored for us, but I think we lost the game), ever since then I was hooked on the U's.
In Colchester, I attended school every day, but the hosting family also arranged various trips for me, including visits to the castle and museums.
I was among the first participants and as such I spent nearly two months with a family of a certain Mr Day.
In 1996/97, my secondary school took part in a students exchange programme that linked us with a school in Colchester.
In Colchester, I attended school every day, but the hosting family also arranged various trips for me, including visits to the castle and museums.
I was among the first participants and as such I spent nearly two months with a family of a certain Mr Day.
In 1996/97, my secondary school took part in a students exchange programme that linked us with a school in Colchester.
2) What are your earliest memories of following the club?
Sometimes even when the game was awful and the blue and white army was conceding goal after goal, you just couldn't feel bad or alienated, because when for a second you averted your sight from the turf and instead took a look around and you saw all those people, the packed Barside, the Clock End, you felt you belong there no matter what; that you are at home.
The atmosphere at Layer Road, our old and no longer existing ground, crowds on its terraces, proximity of the pitch, loud chants, banter and everything, it has always been the strongest emotion for any Col U fan.
The atmosphere at Layer Road, our old and no longer existing ground, crowds on its terraces, proximity of the pitch, loud chants, banter and everything, it has always been the strongest emotion for any Col U fan.
3) What brought you to be in the country you are now?
Colchester United is the one and only team for me.
I am a Slovak national, born and bred in a historical town of Trnava, living here practically all my life. Despite the fact that Trnava is a hometown to one of the most famous football clubs in Czechoslovak and Slovak history, FC Spartak Trnava, I merely look out for their results and very rarely go to see them play.
I am a Slovak national, born and bred in a historical town of Trnava, living here practically all my life. Despite the fact that Trnava is a hometown to one of the most famous football clubs in Czechoslovak and Slovak history, FC Spartak Trnava, I merely look out for their results and very rarely go to see them play.
4) How easy is it following the U’s from afar?
Many things have changed since then: www, FB, Twitter, YouTube, U's player, the messageboard, our online Club Shop. I am now able to follow the club, its day-to-day life, news, discussions, fans' views etc. like it was my local club just round the corner.
In the nineties it was quite hard to "nurture my passion" for Colchester United. Back then there was no internet, no social media, nothing but brief results of the English lower divisions in the sports supplement of a Monday newspaper. Often I didn't know who had scored the goals or which players had been sent out on loan.
In the nineties it was quite hard to "nurture my passion" for Colchester United. Back then there was no internet, no social media, nothing but brief results of the English lower divisions in the sports supplement of a Monday newspaper. Often I didn't know who had scored the goals or which players had been sent out on loan.
5) How often do you get across to watch us now?
Later in April last year, my wife gave birth to our first child and my opportunities to travel have substantially diminished. But I do have a hope to bring Eliska to her first ColU match in a year or two. And me, I really can't wait until my next trip from Central Europe to Essex (probably in March or April next year)!
Down the years I regularly managed to come over and see approx. 1 or 2 matches a season. My last game so far was home against The Blades in February 2014 (ironically, we were defeated thanks to a late goal by our new skipper Chris Porter).
Down the years I regularly managed to come over and see approx. 1 or 2 matches a season. My last game so far was home against The Blades in February 2014 (ironically, we were defeated thanks to a late goal by our new skipper Chris Porter).
6) How do you think the team will fare this season?
I must confess that in the final stages of the last season, I didn't believe in avoiding relegation. I will be more than satisfied if this time we won’t take it to the wire and on May 8th, 2016 ColU will comfortably sit at the bottom of the upper half of the table!
Year after year our fans have great expectations for the next season and on the other hand Col U are always bookies‘ favourite to go down. In the last 3 seasons our boys have 'disappointed' both followers and bookmakers by fighting for their lives rather than attacking play-off places and by defying the odds and managing to save League One football in Colchester for yet another year.
The U's take on Scunthorpe in their next home game. Get your tickets now at the Saver rate - click HERE to buy!