Serbian footballer gets his lines crossed in attempt to play for West Brom
When Serbian footballer Aleksandar Dabic met a group of Baggies fans in Graz this week, he thought he'd stumbled upon the chance of a lifetime.
Pat Frost, Matt Hughes, and Dave Challoner invited the 26-year-old right-back, who plays in the Austrian fourth tier with Grazer AK 1902, to come along and watch Albion's game with Slavia Prague.
But something was obviously lost in translation because Dabic turned up to their hotel at the agreed time with a full kit bag and freshly cleaned boots.
A journeyman footballer, whose career highlight to date was playing in a Europa League qualifier for Montenegran team FK Zeta Golubovac, he was all geared up to impress on trial with a Premier League outfit.
So his face understandbly fell when it was explained to him that, unfortunately, he would be in the stands, and not on the pitch.
To be fair to the young Serbian, he quickly gathered himself and joined the Baggies fans - and our reporter Matt Wilson - on the journey to Kumberg.
Although he was slightly perplexed that the supporters and journalist chose to arrive four hours before kick-off, he duly hung around, watched the game, and even met a few players.
But it was the gesture from his three new friends at the end of the day that really put the smile back on his face.
Frost, a former Albion kit-man, and Challoner, who is the Baggie bird mascot on match-days, had been given Jake Livermore's match-worn shirt back at the stadium as a memento.
But instead of keeping it, they presented it on to Dabic.
He may not have got his dream move to the Premier League, but he walked away with a spring in his step, a huge grin on his face, and an England international shirt slung over his shoulder.
