Nottingham Forest gave one of their most devoted supporters a return to remember on Saturday 19, welcoming Jesús Barriuso Souan to the City Ground for the Coventry fixture.
Jesús, a young autistic Forest fan from Murcia, first came to worldwide attention three years ago through the warmth and enthusiasm he showed for the club he has long supported. His latest visit brought him back onto the pitch at the ground of his heart’s team, this time as a VIP guest following contact between his family and Forest over tickets for the season.
The club moved quickly to help arrange a special matchday experience for Jesús and his family on the final round of fixtures. Before kick-off, he met and spoke with several members of the Forest squad, including Morgan Gibbs-White, Nicolás Domínguez and Neco Williams.
A familiar welcome at the City Ground
There was also a reminder of Jesús’s previous trip to Nottingham in 2023. Footage from that visit was shown on the stadium screens with a “welcome back” message, recalling the moment that helped make his story travel far beyond the City Ground.
During that earlier visit, Jesús shared a cheerful exchange with Anthony Elanga, then one of Forest’s leading figures. The return of those images provided a neat link between two memorable days for a supporter whose connection with the club has become something rather more enduring than a viral clip.
For Forest, it was a small gesture in the busy routine of a matchday. For Jesús, it meant another afternoon among the players, colours and stadium he loves — proof, once again, that football can carry importance well beyond the result.
