Sunderland superfan’s Argentina fame, River Plate invite and the cancer and Covid setbacks that stopped Buenos Aires trip | OneFootball

Peter Farrer, the Sunderland superfan who became a cult figure in Argentina, never made his dream trip to Buenos Aires after the pandemic and a cancer diagnosis intervened. He is now 70.

According to Sunderland Echo, the retired taxi driver’s appearances across both series of Sunderland 'Til I Die made him a familiar face on Wearside and 7,000 miles away. River Plate president Rodolfo D'Onofrio even offered to fly him to El Monumental for a match.

Covid-19 halted those plans, then a text on Christmas morning told him he had prostate cancer. Surgery followed after a seven months wait once restrictions eased. He says he is fine now, attends checks every six months and urges men to get tested promptly.

Though he never travelled, he stays close to River Plate fans through a WhatsApp group. He says they are warm and fanatical about Sunderland, and he speaks most days with Sebastian, Nico and others.

The link began in 2020 when his son Peter, who shares his name, alerted him early on a Sunday that a River Plate fan called Sebastian had made contact after finding him online. Farrer is not on Facebook or Twitter. Supporters said they had fallen for the club and for him, and he compares River Plate’s standing there to Manchester United.

Looking ahead to England’s FIFA World Cup semi-final with Argentina, he expects a hard game but believes England have a chance if Saka and Gordon shine.

Source: Sunderland Echo