Football is a truly global sport which reaches all four corners of the planet thanks to advent of modern technology.
With TV deals showing the beautiful game from continents across the globe, on demand services taking programmes originally broadcasted domestically to the web, and the ability to catch up on clips and highlights of matches and documentaries through the likes of YouTube, fans can get their football fix in a variety of ways.
New Chester FC joint managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson became familiar to the nation when they became bosses at former club Salford City and their rise up the non-league pyramid was charted through the BBC documentary Class of 92: Out of Their League.
The duo were appointed in charge of the Ammies, owned by Manchester United legends Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville.
They took the club from the Northern Premier League Division One North to the National League North, winning promotion as champions to non-league football’s top tier just a few months ago.
They later left the Moor Lane outfit and were confirmed as new Blues joint bosses last month .
And one man who became aware of the duo thanks to the BBC documentary across the pond in America is Carlos Martins.
Originally from Porto in Portugal before moving to the States when he was 20 and now living in Pennsylvania, Carlos saw the Class of 92 documentary on Netflix.
After watching the show, he opened a Twitter account to keep track of the Ammies under Morley and Johnson and revealed his knowledge of the non-league in England has grown thanks to the multitude of video games which cover the divisions.
The 37-year-old, also a supporter of hometown club FC Porto, said: “Ever since I can remember, I always had a fascination for the English championship and its leagues but especially for the lower leagues, maybe because I was an amateur football player myself.
“I played amateur football until I came to the US. I played three years – not counting on the youth academy of my club – on the senior team, which was the equivalent of the fifth tier division in England.
“But the fascination for non-league English football grew because of me being a video gamer.
“I always played Championship Manager and Football Manager, also FIFA on consoles, and I always picked up the non-league teams and brought them to glory.
“Here in the US, it is kind of tough to follow English lower leagues.
“I’m not a social media guy but watching that documentary on Netflix made me open a Twitter account and follow Salford City FC, Bern and Jonno.
“Their passion for what they do and their discipline is contagious, actually.
“I had a manager/coach like that on my last year of playing football. I loved him for it.
“He definitely took the best of me in terms of playing my best football.
“I was quite disappointed when I found out that Bern and Jonno left Salford, but football is like that.”
He is planning a trip to England in 2020 with his wife to watch Salford and hopefully meet Johnson and Morley, which he said would be an ‘honour’.
And Carlos added he is also planning to take in a game at the Swansway Chester Stadium to see the Blues in action as part of the visit, provided the duo are still in charge then.
He said: “I love Bern and Jonno but my heart is with Salford City.
“I will definitely watch a Chester game if in 2020 Bern and Jonno are still there. So wherever club they coach/manage, that’s the game I’ll watch.”
