Two dedicated Southend United fans completed a 700-mile round trip to watch football in two countries on the same day. Paul Kelsey, 61, and Paul Greenfield, 58, took in a Scottish Lowland League West match at Gretna 2008 before heading to Brunton Park for Southend's National League clash with Carlisle United.

Paul Kelsey, recognised as the No.1 Shrimpers fan on the Futbology app with 2,320 matches attended, explained the logic behind the groundhop. "We were already going to the Southend match." he said. The pair, from Thundersley and Great Wakering respectively, were joined by five other Southend supporters for the first leg at Raydale Park, where Gretna lost 3-2 to Pollok.

They then crossed the border into Cumbria for the 5.30pm kick-off, where Southend fought back to earn a 2-2 draw. The long journey was made more comfortable thanks to a vehicle provided by Enterprise, the official title sponsor of the National League, from their Leigh-on-Sea branch. "It was very kind of them," said Paul Greenfield, who has been to more than 1,000 Southend games. "And it made such a long trip a lot more comfortable… especially on the way home, as we didn't get back until 3am."

Kelsey's commitment is legendary, having missed only one home game at Roots Hall in 47 years. For him, the shared experience is what matters most. "We are all Southend fans first, but just love visiting new grounds and places," he said. "Some people might think we are odd, but we just love being at the games."

That drama has been plentiful this season. The club currently sits third in the National League table with 17 points from eight matches, just three points behind leaders Boreham Wood. Their recent form reads two wins, two draws and one loss from the last five outings.

The point at Carlisle, secured with late goals from L. Chambers-Parillon and K. McAdam, was part of that solid run. It preceded last Tuesday's 3-1 home victory over Tamworth, a result that kept Southend firmly in the promotion conversation. Fans can look ahead to the next challenge, an away trip to face 23rd-placed Gateshead, on our fixtures page. For supporters like Kelsey and Greenfield, being there for every twist and turn is simply non-negotiable.

The original report is at Yahoo