Superfan’s 5750 mile trip to final
Sunday’s SPFL Trust Trophy Final didn’t go the way anyone at Queen’s Park hoped it would. But it was still a special day in the club’s history – and for one supporter in particular.
Hundreds of Spiders made the trip from the southside of Glasgow to Falkirk – and joined up with fellow fans in a 1200-strong Queen’s Park crowd at the club’s first national cup final in 125 years.
And that one historic fact meant it was not a day Shiyu Ji planned on missing – not even if he was 5750 miles away.
The far-flung Spiders fan flew in from Osaka, Japan especially for the game.
Despite the result, he doesn’t regret a thing. Shiyu said: “Queen’s Park has become a part of my life, and every moment I spend with this club—good or bad—is something I embrace.
“Supporting Queen’s Park from afar has been an incredibly rewarding journey, filled with highs and lows over the past decade. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I counted this as the 38th Queen’s Park match I had attended. Was this game different from all the others? Absolutely.
“My first in the professional era, the size of our support, the way the match unfolded, and the bitter ending – all of it was different.
“But ultimately, my reason for being there was simple: to step out from behind a screen and witness my beloved club in the flesh again.”
Shiyu’s Spiders fandom began through curiosity of Rangers’ drop to the Third Division in 2012 when he discovered the oldest club in Scotland.
He explained: “I came across an online broadcast of a match between Rangers and Queen’s Park by chance.
“That was the first time I learned about the original Glasgow Derby and discovered that, in the south of the city, there was a club that was not only Scotland’s oldest but also entirely amateur — yet played in a stadium of such remarkable scale. This was unlike anything I had encountered in football before.
“Glasgow had also been a city I admired for its music culture.
“I was already a passionate football fan but I had never found a reason to support a particular club.
“I did have a favourite player—Juan Román Riquelme and by chance, Queen’s Park had a similarly gifted playmaker – David Anderson!
“I immersed myself in limited online resources and videos were available to learn more about Queen’s Park. Of course, the best way to feel truly connected to the club was to visit Glasgow in person.”
Shiyu did and moved closer to the Spiders after completing university in Shanghai. He enrolled in Glasgow School of Art’s master’s degree in design innovation – but made a bee-line for the southside and Hampden.
“In September 2014, I arrived in Glasgow for a year-long stay. On my second day in the city, I went straight to Hampden Park to purchase a season ticket – where I happened to meet then-manager Gus MacPherson.
“A few days later, I attended my first Queen’s Park match — though the ‘home’ game was played at Airdrie. The opponents were Elgin City, and we came from behind to win.
“That year was probably the peak of my football obsession. In September 2015, after a resounding 5–1 victory over East Stirlingshire, I returned to Shanghai and have since worked in design-related fields, from internet platforms to IoT and urban regeneration.
“My support for Queen’s Park inevitably became a long-distance affair – keeping up with updates via social media, the Pie & Bovril forum, YouTube highlights, and the occasional live broadcast.
“I’ve never believed that success dictates my support for a club, but seeing the team rise through the leagues and face stronger teams certainly brought a fresh sense of excitement.
“In 2022, I relocated from Shanghai to Osaka. With the additional hour’s time difference, watching games or following match updates on Twitter at midnight became a weekly ritual, and often cost me my Saturday night’s sleep.
“When Queen’s Park reached the Challenge Cup final, I immediately decided that this was the perfect moment to make another trip to Glasgow.
“I booked my travel as quickly as possible, though I first had to stop in Shanghai before flying via Paris to Edinburgh.
“The return journey saw me transit through Amsterdam instead. Each leg took close to 20 hours.
“This trip was all about Queen’s Park, so I had no specific plans beyond wandering the city. Compared to my last visit over six years ago, Glasgow’s streets still held the same charm—not much had changed, but that familiarity itself was comforting.
“On Sunday I arrived at Mount Florida, took a walk around Hampden and The city Stadium at Lesser Hampden, then headed to the club bar to catch up with old and new friends before boarding the team bus to Falkirk.
“The whole experience felt like a scene from the past replaying itself.
“Queen’s Park has become a part of my life, and every moment I spend with the club—good or bad—is something I embrace.
“Supporting Queen’s Park from afar has been an incredibly rewarding journey, filled with highs and lows over the past decade. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Queen’s Park thanks you for your fantastic dedication Sheyu Ji – as well as the support you shared in the magnificent Spiders turnout on the club’s big day.
While we know you’ll be following the Spiders from Japan on Wednesday night, we hope as many of the fans who shared the stand with you at The Falkirk Stadium on Sunday will add their voice to cheering the team against Airdrie on Wednesday night in your absence at Hampden.
Tickets for the crucial William Hill Championship game can be purchased HERE.
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