Real Betis - The Pre Season Tour of England

Blyth Spartans fans have been showing their support for Spanish club Real Betis on their pre season tour of England this summer.

The Spanish side are playing an unprecedented six games in this country before the "La Liga" season kicks off on August 17th in which they travel to Madrid to face Carlo Ancelotti's new squad and Spartans fan Simon Needham, Secretary of the Blyth - Betis Peña Betica has already attended two of the fixtures away at Huddersfield (24th July) and Wolverhampton (27th July).

Group of Betis fans with Simon

Simon said "This is the biggest tour Betis have done in the UK and it really is a great opportunity for the Spanish fans here to see their team."

"I thoroughly enjoyed the two games - a 4-2 win against Huddersfield and a 3-2 victory over Wolves - but the best thing was meeting so many other supporters from around Britain, France and Spain who were following their team. There were about 50 or 60 Betis fans at each game and it made for a really friendly atmosphere."

"I had a few conversations with fans who wanted to know more about where we were from, why we had set up the Peña, and where Blyth Spartans were in the English League. There has been a lot of interest in our Facebook page since the games and I think people are genuinely interested in this link between the fans of the two clubs." He added "Hopefully these games are rehearsals for the season ahead and we can continue seeing Betis in the UK through their UEFA Cup campaign in 2013-14 !"

Simon also managed to take along the giant Blyth Betis "pancarta" or banner which was proudly on display at both Molineux and the John Smith´s stadium in Huddersfield. The Blyth Peña was set up by a group of Spartans fans in 2011 in order to build links and friendships between fans of the two famous green and white striped football clubs.

The Blyth Betis Pancarta at Molineux

Recent results in the country haven't been of Real Betis' hopes with a 1-1 draw away to Fulham, a 3-0 defeat to new premier league side Hull and a narrow 2-1 defeat to Everton.

So as both our seasons start again on Saturday on the road, surely more stories and information between the clubs will occur during the 2013/14 campaign