sportskeeda
A devoted Everton fan from Australia found himself deeply saddened after Storm Darragh dashed his dream of witnessing his beloved team face off against Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park.
The Toffees were scheduled to welcome the Reds on Saturday for an early kickoff at 12:30 GMT, but extreme weather conditions resulted in the match being postponed.
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Nathan Hamlin and his mother journeyed all the way from Perth, undertaking a 30-hour trip to Liverpool with four stopovers, only to discover just two hours before kickoff that their efforts were futile.
Storm Darragh has wreaked havoc across the nation, with winds reaching up to 90mph leading to power outages, uprooted trees, and the cancellation of various events and travel plans.
The match was canceled over safety issues, and Everton assured fans that all tickets purchased for the original date would still be valid for the rescheduled game.
However, this may not benefit Hamlin, 32, who has eagerly anticipated seeing his favorite team play live after a wait of nearly 17 years.
This unfortunate incident means he could have possibly missed his last chance to witness a Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park, as the club is slated to relocate to Bramley Moore Dock next season.
Hamlin expressed his disappointment to Sky News: “It’s incredibly disheartening, especially after my mother and I traveled about 30 hours in total.
“From Perth to Singapore, Singapore to London, London to Dublin, then finally arriving in Dublin.
“Attending this match was on my bucket list, and knowing this is the last chance for a Merseyside Derby at Goodison is what drove my trip.”
When asked if he had previously watched Everton play in person, Hamlin replied: “No, I’ve been an Everton fan for over 17 years, mainly following from Australia.”
“Being able to be at Goodison and witness a game live is precisely why I made this journey, and it’s truly unfortunate that it turned out this way.”
93mph Storm Darragh: Travel disarray, thousands left without power, and Merseyside Derby postponed
“I fully understand the decision, given the weather conditions—I work as a health and safety advisor, so I appreciate the reasons behind the cancellation.
“It’s just disappointing to have traveled so far only to find out just hours before the match that we cannot attend.”
This came after Everton captain Seamus Coleman made a compassionate gesture toward another Australian fan who had spent “all his savings” on a flight to the last Goodison Merseyside derby.
Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie Kinsella undertook the long 10,000-mile journey from Sydney to see his cherished Toffees play against Liverpool.
It was his “dream” to watch the team his Liverpool-born mother supports battle their red counterparts at the iconic venue before their move to Bramley Moore Dock.
However, after Storm Darragh prompted safety officials to postpone the match, he would miss out unless the game is rearranged to occur within the week before he returns to Australia.
Coleman Steps In to Help
After hearing about his disappointment following the postponement, Coleman reached out to Mackenzie, inviting him to be a VIP guest at their Finch Farm training center.
In a video message directed to the young fan, who is currently living with an aunt in England, the Irish star said: “Hi Mackenzie, it’s Seamus Coleman. I wanted to send you a video message today because I know you’ll be incredibly disappointed.
“I know how much effort you put into saving for your trip from Australia for the Merseyside derby. You were eager to experience the last Merseyside derby at Goodison.
“We’re all disappointed as well; we were looking forward to the match. However, we’d love to have you at the training facility on Monday if that works for you?
“Hopefully, you can meet some of the players, and that will help ease the disappointment from Saturday. Take care, Mackenzie.”
Mackenzie’s mother, Rita, who is a devoted Everton supporter, expressed her amazement at her son’s commitment to saving enough for the trip.
Fan Spent His Savings
He proved everyone wrong, and after spending £1,400, he arrived at John Lennon Airport just in time to see Everton dominate Wolves, the team supported by his father, winning 4-0 on Wednesday.
In an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside, Rita recounted her initial reaction to her son’s derby ambitions shortly after Easter, saying: “You have no chance, love. We just returned from England, and there was no way I could save that money on such short notice.”
“After we returned [post-Easter], he mentioned it was his dream to see an Everton vs Liverpool game at Goodison Park.”
Mackenzie’s grandmother Jo mentioned that the regular ticket holder next to her son Michael had to work, opening up a spot for Mackenzie.
Rita added: “He saved every penny, putting all his earnings aside, and a fortnight ago, he told me, ‘I really want to go, Mum—will you let me?’ I said, ‘I can’t stop you if you’ve got the money.’ We’re very proud of him.”
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