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| Plymouth Argyle: Superfans make pilgrimage to Wembley | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tatsuki Usi from Japan has a house full of Argyle merchandise | Tatsuki Usi from Japan has a house full of Argyle merchandise |
| A Plymouth Argyle superfan from Japan will be watching his beloved team play in person for the first time on Sunday. | A Plymouth Argyle superfan from Japan will be watching his beloved team play in person for the first time on Sunday. |
| Argyle are playing Bolton Wanderers in the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium. | Argyle are playing Bolton Wanderers in the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium. |
| Tatsuki Usi will be joined by more than 38,000 other Plymouth fans, including some from as far afield as Argentina, Germany and the US. | Tatsuki Usi will be joined by more than 38,000 other Plymouth fans, including some from as far afield as Argentina, Germany and the US. |
| Mr Usi, who has been a fan for 18 years, said: "I think it will be the best day ever". | |
| He started supporting the club after watching them lose 3-1 to Everton in a televised FA Cup match in 2005. | He started supporting the club after watching them lose 3-1 to Everton in a televised FA Cup match in 2005. |
| He has amassed a substantial array of Argyle merchandise: everything from clothes, signs and flags to masks of the player's faces. | |
| Mr Usi served his dinner in the style of Argyle goalscorer Ryan Hardie | Mr Usi served his dinner in the style of Argyle goalscorer Ryan Hardie |
| Mr Usi's trusty green-shirted teddy bear features in many of his posts, and is with him in London preparing for the game. | Mr Usi's trusty green-shirted teddy bear features in many of his posts, and is with him in London preparing for the game. |
| His social media pages are full of him enthusiastically supporting the Pilgrims from afar, and he is becoming something of a cult hero. | His social media pages are full of him enthusiastically supporting the Pilgrims from afar, and he is becoming something of a cult hero. |
| Tatsuki Usi regularly wakes in the early hours to watch Plymouth Argyle games on TV, but this will his first time seeing them in person | Tatsuki Usi regularly wakes in the early hours to watch Plymouth Argyle games on TV, but this will his first time seeing them in person |
| The Green Army has about five supporters in Japan, according to Mr Usi | The Green Army has about five supporters in Japan, according to Mr Usi |
| He said: "Plymouth Argyle are still not very well known in Japan. | He said: "Plymouth Argyle are still not very well known in Japan. |
| "But, despite that, because I'm posting pictures of them on Twitter and stuff - more people are becoming interested in them now. | |
| "I think there's now about five supporters in Japan, at least that I know of. | "I think there's now about five supporters in Japan, at least that I know of. |
| His trusty Argyle teddy has made the journey from Iwate in Japan | His trusty Argyle teddy has made the journey from Iwate in Japan |
| "Even though it's a bit difficult to put it in words, I want to continue to show off the Plymouth Argyle that I love to other people, and appeal to them with my photos. | "Even though it's a bit difficult to put it in words, I want to continue to show off the Plymouth Argyle that I love to other people, and appeal to them with my photos. |
| "With my Plymouth Argyle pyjamas and stuff, my family do laugh at me every day." | "With my Plymouth Argyle pyjamas and stuff, my family do laugh at me every day." |
| Other international fans making the trip include James Breeden from Texas who said on Twitter he hoped to run into Mr Usi. | Other international fans making the trip include James Breeden from Texas who said on Twitter he hoped to run into Mr Usi. |
| Allow Twitter content? | Allow Twitter content? |
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| Mr Usi has taken his teddy bear, named Ted by Argyle fans, to some other football clubs while in London, including Chelsea | Mr Usi has taken his teddy bear, named Ted by Argyle fans, to some other football clubs while in London, including Chelsea |
| Mr Usi said he was looking forward to joining fans at Wembley: "The thing I'm most looking forward to is, of course, watching Plymouth Argyle play a match. | Mr Usi said he was looking forward to joining fans at Wembley: "The thing I'm most looking forward to is, of course, watching Plymouth Argyle play a match. |
| "I'm looking forward to showing my support, chatting lots, taking lots of photos, and making it a wonderful memory. I think it will be the best day ever." | "I'm looking forward to showing my support, chatting lots, taking lots of photos, and making it a wonderful memory. I think it will be the best day ever." |
| Heather Sparks, widow of former BBC Radio Devon presenter and Argyle commentator Gordon Sparks, said she was "really looking forward" to the game | Heather Sparks, widow of former BBC Radio Devon presenter and Argyle commentator Gordon Sparks, said she was "really looking forward" to the game |
| Heather Sparks, widow of former BBC Radio Devon presenter and Argyle commentator Gordon Sparks, said she was "really looking forward" to the game. | Heather Sparks, widow of former BBC Radio Devon presenter and Argyle commentator Gordon Sparks, said she was "really looking forward" to the game. |
| Mr Sparks, who died aged 61 in 2022, "would have just been overwhelmed with it all", she said. | Mr Sparks, who died aged 61 in 2022, "would have just been overwhelmed with it all", she said. |
| "He'll be shouting for them up there," she said. | "He'll be shouting for them up there," she said. |
| She had declined an offer to sit in the royal box "because I wanted to be a fan and shout and scream with everybody else". | She had declined an offer to sit in the royal box "because I wanted to be a fan and shout and scream with everybody else". |
| Michael Anthony sends his support from France | Michael Anthony sends his support from France |
| Michael Anthony, from Birmingham, but living in France, is among Argyle fans from around the world who will be cheering on the team. | Michael Anthony, from Birmingham, but living in France, is among Argyle fans from around the world who will be cheering on the team. |
| Fans Sick Dendle from Cyprus and Ryan Morse from Belgium will also be backing Argyle to win the trophy match. | Fans Sick Dendle from Cyprus and Ryan Morse from Belgium will also be backing Argyle to win the trophy match. |
| Argyle fans Ryan Morse from Belgium and Sick Dendle from Cyprus will be roaring on the Green Army | Argyle fans Ryan Morse from Belgium and Sick Dendle from Cyprus will be roaring on the Green Army |
| Meanwhile, Nat Farley will be making the journey to London from Praa Sands in Cornwall. | Meanwhile, Nat Farley will be making the journey to London from Praa Sands in Cornwall. |
| The fan of 35 years, who first went to a match with her dad, has had her nails done in honour of the big day. | The fan of 35 years, who first went to a match with her dad, has had her nails done in honour of the big day. |
| She said she was "buzzing" for the game at Wembley. | She said she was "buzzing" for the game at Wembley. |
| Nat Farley said she had her nails done in Helston ahead of the big match at Wembley | Nat Farley said she had her nails done in Helston ahead of the big match at Wembley |
| Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Plymouth | Plymouth |