Reg Price born and bred in Stevenage, and is back to see if Boro can make the play-offs

STEVENAGE supporter Reg Price will be hoping his trip to the Lamex Stadium will have been worthwhile come this Saturday.

Mr Price is a Boro fan with a difference – he follows Graham Westley’s side from San Diego, California.

And with Stevenage set to face Bury at home tomorrow with the knowledge that a win will guarantee them a place in the League 2 play-off places, Mr Price has made the 14-hour journey over to the UK - including a connection at Los Angeles - to see the game before he returns to California on Monday.

Speaking just two hours after landing at Heathrow Airport, Mr Price told The Comet: “I’ve lived in San Diego since December 2007 but I was born in Stevenage and started watching them in 1989 when they were in Division Two North, quite some time ago.

“I used to go every week as a kid, to their home games, and I’ve never lost my interest in them so I wanted to come back for a game this season and it’s just great that it’s the last game with a lot riding on it.”

Mr Price, 34, was born in Stevenage and attended both Round Diamond and Barclay schools as well as living for a time in Letchworth Garden City.

Until now he has followed the club online (through The Comet, the official club website and the Fans Forum www.sbfcbanter.co.uk) but through the club’s exploits in various cup competitions he has also seen them play on television four times this season, including the FA Cup victory over Newcastle United.

“I’m going back over to California on Monday but when I told people I was coming over here, they assumed I was watching Manchester United,” Mr Price said.

“When I say ‘Stevenage’, and by the time I’ve explained about the fourth tier of English football, they’ve lost interest.

“I missed Stevenage going up last year, and I felt compelled that I had to at least watch one game this season.

“The last time I watched them was on December 8 2007 (a 3-1 win against Salisbury City), but that was a horrible season and Peter Taylor had just taken over.

“Lots of people over there support Man U or Arsenal, and people watch a lot of the Premier League, but if you’ve grown up with a team you get stuck with it and I feel quite honoured.

“It’s quite a remarkable team to have supported over the last 20 years. If I had supported Letchworth, that would have been a different story.

“I probably can’t get enough time off if they make the play-offs, and as for the final then I might have to watch it on TV.

“My wife was supportive of me coming over, I’ve got a one-year-old child. She said if it’s important for me, then fine, but I don’t think she really understood.”