A PHYSICAL Education teacher from Southampton now working in Australia is vying for the title of the world's greatest Saints fan.

Life-long Saints supporter Dan Fee, 28, who now lives in Sydney listened to the entire FA Cup semi-final in a telephone call box while on holiday in one of the remotest places on earth - Ningaloo Reef in north-western Australia (official population zero) - 1,200km from Perth.

Not only did fanatical fan Dan listen to the 90-minute match in the call box he is also flying home via Sydney to watch the final from his home.

Dan's flight will arrive at Heathrow Airport at around 5am in the morning.

He will then take a train to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to watch his heroes take on the Gunners.

Straight after the match, he will return to Heathrow Airport where he will catch the return flight to Sydney.

He will arrive back home on the Monday evening before he has to start work on Tuesday.

The bill for Dan's 21,000-mile round trip - including the cost of his precious Cup Final ticket will run to over £1,200.

Dan's unusual arrangements to listen to Saints' historic semi-final win came about when he found himself on a two-week touring holiday in the vast continent.

His girlfriend, Rebecca, 31, had insisted that the pair visit Ningaloo Reef - in spite of the fact that Saints were due to play their crunch game against Watford.

Dan said: "It was just bad timing really."

Unable to find a TV station showing the game, unable to tune to the World Service or to use a mobile phone, Dan frantically resorted to his final plan.

Donning his Saints shirt and with a supply of beer and a camping stool, Dan went to the phone box on his campsite at 11.30pm (Australian time) and phoned his father, Les, who lives in Botley Road, Fair Oak.

Les, 53, and himself a lifelong Saints supporter, placed the phone next to a radio so Dan could listen to the entire match.

Dan listened to the game until 2.30am in the morning - and shelled-out £15 for the cost of the mammoth phone call.

He said: "Dad was watching the match in the lounge with his friends. Any time we scored, and at half-time, dad would pick up the phone and talk to me - obviously after the replays."

He added: "The people on the campsite must have wondered what was going on with all the cheering.

"Luckily, Saints won otherwise they would have thought someone was being murdered."

Dan is being joined at the Cup Final by close family friend, Nick Lawton, who is making his own marathon journey back to England from New Zealand - just so he too can watch the match.

Dan added: "People must think I am mad but Rebecca is not surprised.

"She does not understand it because she would never feel that way about anything but she knows what I am like and understands it is important."

And Dan's prediction for the final score on May 17? Saints to win 2-0.

SEE TODAY'S DAILY ECHO ( 10 MAY) FOR MORE SAINTS FANS ABROAD.