FOOTBALL fans are used to making long journeys for away games – but few will go to Jacopo Ghirardon's efforts at the weekend to watch City's game at Dover Athletic.

The Italian student left the family home in Chioggia, 18 miles south of Venice at 2pm on Friday as he began a 21-hour journey over land and sea in order to reach Perry's Crabble Stadium, the home of Dover Athletic.

After catching an overnight train from Venice to Paris, the 19-year-old took another train to Calais on Saturday morning and then a ferry to Dover in good time to join his fellow Truro City supporters for Saturday's 3pm kick-off.

Ghirardon said that his love for Truro started three years ago when he began studying English culture at school and he became a "full-time supporter" this season after his local side, Chioggia Sottomarina, went bankrupt and was dissolved in the summer of 2011.

He said: "I have always been a fan of real football. For many years I was a loyal supporter of Chioggia Sottomarina, who played at a level equivalent to the Blue Square Bet leagues in Italy, but they went bankrupt in 2011 and I was devastated."

Ghirardon, who had been to all of his side's home and away games over the past three years, needed a new team to follow.

"I had begun to look for Truro's results when they were still in the Southern Leagues as I am attracted by the philosophies of non league football and then after my team died I became a full-time supporter.

"While studying, I fell in love with the Cornish heritage so there was only one team for me."

Ghirardon's favourite player is Jake Ash – after the City captain tweeted Ghirardon with a congratulatory message on his 19th birthday, which he also celebrated with his family's gift, a prized Truro City shirt.

His favourite Truro song is "Who needs Mourinho, we've got Lee Hodge-io", in honour of the team's manager, Lee Hodges.

Ghirardon made his first trip to Truro – and England – with his father, Ettore Ghirardon, for the home game against Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, November 19 last year and was hooked after seeing the Tigers win 2-0 and began planning his next trip, for Saturday's game.