A Turkish football fan took his love for the game to new heights – literally – when he devised an ingenious method of beating a one-year stadium ban to watch his team play.
The high-flying supporter was spotted looming above the stands of Denizli Ataturk Stadium on Saturday as Denizlispor took on Gaziantepspor in the TFF First League. Ali Demirkaya, or "Amigo Ali" as he’s known by his fellow fans, wouldn’t let his ban force him to miss a match – so he hired a crane to give him the best view in the house.
Footage taken at the match shows Demirkaya perched high above the stadium, with a large green flag attached to the crane billowing in the wind.
"That match was very important for our team. I had to go to the police station to sign a paper to show that I am not watching the match in the stadium. Then I quickly went to rent the crane," Demirkaya told Yeni Asir.
Demirkaya was only able to watch the game from the 75th minute onwards, but the superfan may have brought his beloved team some luck: the final score was 5-0 to Denizlispor, who were facing relegation from the second tier of Turkish professional football.
Unfortunately for Demirkaya, the police soon arrived to force him down from his vantage point. The reason for his one-year ban remains a mystery, but there’s no doubting his dedication to the game.
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