Team Jacobs Tyke it to the extreme

RIVALRY . . . Cat and Paul Jacobs with their children Laura, Sarah and Liam

IT’S not uncommon for football fans to go the extra mile to support their team - or 4,207 miles, if you’re Paul and Cat Jacobs.

Latics fanatic Paul and wife Cat, who supports Barnsley, will make the epic journey from Canada to Oakwell on December 29 to watch their respective teams in a League One fixture.

The couple met on a skiing holiday in 1993 - and on their first date Cat took Paul to watch her beloved Tykes take on Leicester.

The lovebirds moved to Calgary in 2000 and now have three children. But the distance hasn’t weakened their love for Latics and the Tykes.

When the 2014-15 fixtures were released, the couple couldn’t believe their luck to see Barnsley v Latics scheduled.

Paul, who lived in Hollinwood as a child, said: “We come back for Christmas every couple of years. We were planning to visit this year anyway, but when we saw the fixtures, we booked the flights straight away. Cat contacted both clubs and arranged for our son Liam (10) to be Latics mascot and daughters Laura (12) and Sarah (6) to be Barnsley mascots, so we’re all really excited.

“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience we’re all really looking forward to. One of the things I miss most about not living in Oldham is the football.”