A group of 22 from Spain got on the pitch, met Fulham's Spanish players and saw the 1-0 win over Hull, the club's first league win of the season.

Twenty-two football fans travelled from Spain to Craven Cottage for Fulham’s game against Hull City on Saturday 17 October, were given time on the pitch before kick-off and met the club’s Spanish players. Fulham then won 1-0, their first Premier League win of the season.

The trip was put together by Jorge Rodríguez Moreno, a travel agent who works under the Instagram name @aroundthegeorge. He told Fulham Wire he gathered the group himself and approached the club directly.

“We brought together a group of 22 people from Spain and contacted the club to arrange our visit,” he said. “The club loved the idea of us travelling over to support the team and bring them some good luck!”

A member of the Fulham squad in a maroon training top shakes hands with fans from the group on the pitch at Craven Cottage
Meeting a member of the Fulham squad pitchside before the Hull game. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George

On the pitch and with the players

The club let the group onto the grass and arranged a short meeting with players and coaching staff. Fulham signed Gonzalo García and César Palacios from Real Madrid in August, and Manuel Ángel came from the same club in the summer window, all three following the head coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, from Madrid to west London. In Jorge’s words:

“As a special gesture, they gave us access to the pitch, allowing us to experience Craven Cottage from the inside, and arranged a few minutes for us to meet Gonzalo, Palacios and Manuel Ángel, our fellow Spaniards, as well as Bassey and other members of the coaching staff.”

"Some love for Los Blancos": a player walks over to the group for a photograph on the pitch. Video: supplied by Around The George
A fan in a Fulham scarf takes a selfie with a player in a maroon training top beside the goal
A selfie beside the goal. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
The group from Spain gathered on the pitch in front of a stand marked By the River with a red and yellow Fulham banner
The group on the pitch in front of the stand marked By the River. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
Two members of the group by the goal, one in a white Fulham shirt with a Spanish flag tied round his waist
Two of the group by the goal, one with a Spanish flag tied round his waist. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
Two fans from the group sitting in the padded dugout seats at Craven Cottage
Trying out the dugout seats. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
Staff on the pitch before the game, filmed by the group. Video: supplied by Around The George

Matchday

The group arrived on Stevenage Road with a red and yellow banner reading “Fulham”, went in through the Riverside entrance and watched the game from the stands. Jorge said they “got fully involved in supporting the team throughout the day”.

Members of the group walk along the road outside Craven Cottage carrying a red and yellow Fulham banner
Walking to the ground with the banner. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
The group posing outside the red-brick frontage of Craven Cottage
Outside the red-brick frontage of the ground. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
The group crouching with their Fulham banner beneath a Home Supporters Only sign at the turnstiles
At the home supporters' turnstiles. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
A fan in a white Fulham shirt with a Spanish flag round his waist smiles at the Riverside entrance as stewards check tickets
Through the Riverside entrance. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
Members of the group at a bar inside the ground before the game
A drink inside the ground before kick-off. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
A hand holding a pie in a cardboard tray beside the pitch
A matchday pie. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
The group's Fulham banner held up among the crowd in the stand
The banner in the stand during the game. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George
The teams line up before Fulham against Hull City, filmed from the stand. Video: supplied by Around The George

Fulham had started the day without a league win in six games. Alex Iwobi scored in the first half, and at the final whistle Arbeloa walked the length of the ground applauding the crowd, OkDiario reported. The win lifted Fulham to five points.

“Everyone at the club treated us incredibly well,” Jorge said. “They went on to secure the victory, making the experience even more special.”

A fan in a white Gonzalo number 7 shirt holds a Spanish flag above his head in the stand
A Gonzalo number 7 shirt and a Spanish flag in the stand. Photo: Pedro Soares (@pedrosportsphoto), supplied by Around The George

“An unforgettable experience”

Jorge says Arbeloa later used a photograph of the group in one of his own social media posts.

“It was an unforgettable experience for all of us,” he said. “We would love for this story to be shared and for more people to see the incredible welcome we received at Fulham.”

The photographs were taken by Pedro Soares, a freelance sports photographer based in Fulham, who posts as @pedrosportsphoto.

What it means for you

Supporters’ groups and travel organisers who want to arrange a visit like this one did it the same way Jorge did: by contacting the club directly. If your group, club or school has a Fulham story, write to hello@fulhamwire.co.uk.