Kerala Blasters FC fan Somu hails from Pathanamthitta, located over 100 kilometres from Kochi. Despite the six-hour plus round trip to Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, he makes it a priority to attend every Indian Super League (ISL) game of Kerala Blasters FC, home or away.

Last month, Somu celebrated a significant milestone by attending his 100th ISL match when Kerala Blasters FC faced NorthEast United FC in Guwahati. As a proud member of the fan club Manjappada, he was honoured with a special gift from club president Sharafuddin to celebrate this.

“Watching 100 games is definitely an achievement. I don’t think there are many like me. But Manjappada acknowledging my passion and love for Kerala Blasters FC was overwhelming. It was an amazing feeling. Never have I felt this special in my life,” he said in an interview to the indiansuperleague.com.

An early love affair

Somu was born and raised in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh and fondly recalls travelling across South India with his father to watch various sports matches as he grew up.

One of his most memorable experiences was witnessing his first live football match during the Nehru Cup in 1987 in Calicut, featuring Romania.

When Kerala Blasters FC was established in 2014, Somu was thrilled to see a club from his home state and quickly became a member of the popular fan club, Manjappada. He was even present for Kerala Blasters FC's inaugural ISL home game against FC Goa.

“I watched World Cup matches in Qatar but that (first ISL) match was absolutely crazy. No words can express the words and atmosphere in Kochi,” he recalls.

“Though I have seen matches in Calicut as a kid this atmosphere was totally different. I remember there were more than one lakh people who gathered. The sound, the buzz, the energy of the fans.. unbelievable.”

One of Somu’s favourite home games was during the 2018-19 season, when Kerala Blasters FC triumphed over Hyderabad FC with a score of 5-1 under head coach Eelco Schattorie. What made this match particularly special for him was that he had predicted the score well in advance.

In recent times, he also cherishes the thrilling 4-2 comeback victory against FC Goa from last season as one of his most memorable experiences.

Somu has travelled to every ISL venue outside Kochi, except for Kolkata and Jamshedpur. He plans to visit Kolkata for the first time to support his team, but he will have to wait until next season to watch Kerala Blasters FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, another ISL venue known for its incredible atmosphere, due to family commitments.

“It doesn’t get bigger than supporting our team from the stands where our chants can be heard by the team. That gives us (fans) the most satisfaction,” he says.

Through thick and thin

Somu makes it a priority to attend all home games and around four to five away matches each season, despite facing challenges over the years.

He faced challenges attending games in Kochi during the initial four ISL seasons due to work commitments, yet he always made it a point to be there for his team.

Currently, Somu funds his travel from past savings, but he often struggles to cover the costs of all Kerala Blasters FC's away games due to budget constraints.

Nevertheless, attending every possible match remains his top priority and for him, not being part of a game leaves him feeling empty.

“It feels like I have lost something. The buzz of the game adds something extra to my life.”