Rock legend Sir Rod Stewart proved his football passion by paying £10 to watch his local non-league side, Bishop's Stortford, in a crowd of 322. The singer, who qualifies for the reduced over-60s admission fee, watched the match against Alvechurch at the Grundon Community Stadium.
Supporting son's friend
Rod was in the crowd to support Stortford's right back Joe Nardelli, one of son Alastair's best friends. Bishop's Stortford chairman Ian Kettridge said: "It was great for Rod to come and watch us. We were just sorry we couldn't give him a home win! He was really friendly and took time to speak to fans from both teams and joined in the banter."
Mr Kettridge added: "He's very welcome any time here at the Grundon Community stadium." Rod chatted with fellow fans, posed for selfies, and shook the hand of Stortford's popular owner Steve Smith.
Alvechurch win and fan banter
Alvechurch won the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central contest 3-0. When Alvechurch scored their second goal, their fans, standing in front of Rod, cheekily started singing his classic hit: "We are Sailing."
Before the match, the crowd and both sides joined in a minute's applause for Stortford supporter Dave Ewart, who had passed away suddenly earlier in the week. Rod, a passionate Scotland and Celtic fan, left shortly before the end to head to his home nearby.
Fan tribute and club history
Alvechurch fan Terry Bennett, 47, from Birmingham said: "I shook his hand and congratulated him on beating cancer. He was very friendly. I told him I had oesophagus cancer and he asked me about that. What a great surprise to see a music legend at a non league game. It really made our day."
Bishop's Stortford is one of the oldest football clubs in the country, formed back in 1874. They celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2024 with many former players returning, including Dwight Gayle, who went on to play for Newcastle United and Crystal Palace among other clubs. They are the last holders of the FA Amateur Cup, winning at Wembley in 1974, and won the FA Trophy at Wembley in 1981 with former Arsenal legend John Radford in the side.
The club is unique because a county boundary runs through the pitch, meaning a player can score a goal in Essex in the first half and Hertfordshire in the second. Back in 2013, the Daily Mirror sponsored Stortford in the FA Cup first round when they played Northampton Town, which was selected for a live TV game.
