Growing up close to Newlands’ two famous sporting grounds, Alasdair Fraser quickly fell in love with sport and has never looked back.

‘I can vividly remember the’86 Soccer World Cup,’ Fraser tells SportsClub.co.za. A quick indication that the 30-something Capetonian is as sports mad as you get.

Fraser’s love for sport was something out of the ordinary in his household with neither of his two older siblings sharing his passion.

‘My dad was a big sports fan and he passed on to me the love of sport – any sport,’ he says. ‘My first bit of memorabilia was from the Lions tour to South Africa in 1980. My dad gave me his collection and I was instantly hooked on trying to complete that set.’

Fraser’s collection quickly grew and stretched from rugby to soccer and everything in between. His mementos now include match tickets and programmes from sporting events that he has attended, and the list is rather impressive.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was the second of his soccer showpiece experiences after the one on home soil in 2010. Unable to choose his favourite sport, he has memories from the 1995 World Cup and the Lions tour in 1997 to go with his escapades as a youngster at Currie Cup games supporting his beloved Western Province.

‘I was at Newlands the day the great Jonah Lomu ran straight over Mike Catt. But that wasn’t even the best part. After the game, my buddies and I ran onto the field and we were able to touch Lomu. You know, those were different days to the strict security of the modern game.’

He has also seen the Blitzboks play in Singapore where he was fortunate enough to sit behind former Boks Stefan Terblanche and Lawrence Sephaka. ‘Their knowledge of the game and intricate details really impressed me and it was nice to see that they are fans of the national side, just like the rest of us.’

A passionate Newcastle fan he remains, but that hasn’t stopped Fraser from experiencing Liverpool live at Newlands cricket ground or more recently the El Classico at the Nou Camp.

‘I also really enjoy Barcelona and it was great watching them in the biggest derby in the world. There was a deathly hush in the ground when Ronaldo scored the winner – you could hear him from anywhere in the ground, such was the effect of his goal.’

Fraser is a regular at Newlands, always with his favourite jersey on for extra moral support, as he loves taking in the Proteas but highlights a trip to Headingley to watch the team in action while working abroad as a standout memory. With his Scottish heritage, being at Murrayfield for the Boks against Scotland is another.

‘It was a special occasion,’ he says before revealing his sporting knowledge. ‘I believe it was Bryan Habana’s second Test that day and what a legend he went on to be.’

What’s next for Fraser? ‘I’m going to Japan for the World Cup next year,’ he says with a grin reminiscent of him as a youngster. ‘And thank goodness we didn’t draw the hosts in the pool stages because we all know what happened last time around.’