Photos: @Forzaaultras
Words: Tom Reed
To Turkey and the remarkable story of Eskişehirspor, the Anatolian team who once graced the Süper Lig but now play amateur football in the fifth tier.
The Es-Es motto “Never Give Up” has never rung truer, with over 33,000 supporters packing the Yeni Eskişehir Atatürk Stadium for the recent match against Akşehirspor.
The attendance was a record for the level, and Eskişehirspor is ready to celebrate promotion back to the professional ranks if they can claim victory this weekend at Mezitli 33.
If Es-Es can get the job done, they’ll be celebrating in Eskişehir, which translates into English as “Old City”, but also in the Scottish city of Perth, thanks to a longstanding friendship with the supporters of St Johnstone FC.
Eskişehirspor played St Johnstone in a European competition in 2012. When the Turkish club became financially strained in 2022, the Saints fans from Perth held a bucket collection to donate to the Eskisehirspor cause.
The story epitomises the solidarity of football supporters, and Eskişehirspor’s rise from the most challenging times will be a fitting legacy for their legendary supporter Amigo Orhan, who famously choreographed the Es-Es tribune in the 60’s and sadly passed away early this year.
