Devotion: Wanderers fans Eric Berry and his sons Damien and Jake love the sense of community shown by the western Sydney soccer club. Picture: Helen Nezdropa
ERIC Berry and his two sons may just be the biggest fans of Australia's newest A-League soccer club.
The red-hot Western Sydney Wanderers have some mighty fans, but Berry and sons Damien, 19, and Jake, 16, tick a lot of boxes. Starting with dedication and passion as the Berrys have not missed a solitary home game in the Wanderers' inaugural season. And, on top of that, they have also attended all of the women's W-League home games at Campbelltown Stadium. They also attend team training sessions, and as an amateur photographer, Berry loves to share his photos of the matches with both players and other fans.
W-League Western Sydney Wanderers player Catherine Cannuli says the Berry's support is fantastic.
"Mr Berry's always being interactive, taking photos and giving us discs of the photos, so we have memories of the games, too," Cannuli said.
"He even drove all the way down to Canberra in an away game to support us."
Berry says he decided to follow the Wanderers because it's a club that represents where they are from, where they live.
"When they announced the Wanderers' club was forming, the first thing I thought of was that it was going to be a community club — and I was right," he said.
"They asked our opinion on what colours to pick and where we wanted games to be played. There's so much focus on the community, that's what I love about it."
Berry said this strong sense of community was shown when he was wearing his Wanderers shirt.
"People would tap me on the shoulder and ask 'who do you sing for'?" he said.
"It's a sense of family, not just a club; it really is a family."
Berry says he also loves the atmosphere at Wanderers matches.
"The Parramatta Stadium atmosphere is fantastic. What links it together is the family environment, with the players, the staff and the fans," he said.
Berry says it's difficult to choose a favourite player.
"It's a really close call but I'll say Adam D'appuzzo," he said.
"He's the left fullback and wears number 3, that was my position when I used to play.
"He's a really nice guy away from the pitch.
"Then I'd have to say Tarek Elrich is a close second.
"He's one of the faces of the club. He is just such a fan-focused player, between him and Adam it is a toss of a coin."
In the W-League, Berry says his favourite player is Catherine Cannuli.