Everyone has that club. The one from the first save that went well, the one you never let go of, the one you know better than your hometown club. For Andrea Lai, that club is Coleraine, from Northern Ireland.
Andrea is 39 and from Imola, near Bologna. He started managing Coleraine in Football Manager almost two decades ago and never let go. He was already buying things from the club’s online store. Only one thing was missing: going there.
1,600 kilometers, alone
At the end of April 2026 he decided to go. He traveled more than 1,600 kilometers alone to see the last league game, at home against Glentoran.
And Coleraine did not let him down. They won 6-2, with a Will Patching hat-trick, and secured second place in the NIFL Premiership, which gives access to the Conference League. The manager, Ruaidhri Higgins, probably had no idea that someone in the stands had already replaced him a few times on the computer.
Andrea told the BBC the experience was “huge” for him. We can imagine.
Already thinking about the next trip
Apparently once is not enough. The Italian was already thinking about returning for the Irish Cup final against Dungannon Swifts.
It is the kind of story that only makes sense to people who play FM. Outsiders do not understand how you can grow so fond of a club thousands of kilometers from home just because of a game. We understand perfectly.
