Tis the beautiful game. An ancient game of romance, legend and passion. A game that fascinates and bewitches the entire world. Like it or not - the game of football may be the one truly universal language. You can go pretty much anywhere in the world and make friends by being able to discuss the travails of Manchester United, David Beckham's hairstyle, or the wage bill of Real Madrid.

During June's festival of the game - the World Cup - I was sitting in a restaurant in the little village of Monda, just up the hill from Marbella, and an elderly man, who's nationality was not obvious to me, leant over to the table of myself and an English friend, and said only; "you English? Maradona - hand of god." We smiled and raised our eyes to the skies at the memory of that terrible day in Mexico and he wrung his hands to commiserate with us. And that was it - but contact had been made.

The same blood of the football brethren runs deep in the veins of David Hemmings. An Englishman, a Stoke City fan and a scholar of the game. He moved to Southern Spain in 1985 and found himself supporting his local football team - Málaga. Along with a group of immigrant Englishmen he watched this ordinary team battle it out with the other local teams in Division Three South. It was a club riddled with problems, not least of which involved a succession of bankruptcies, and damaging internecine boardroom squabbles.

And yet - by the miracle that is football - in three successive seasons Málaga Football Club got promoted - till finally taking their place in La Liga - the most lauded premier league in Europe. David, season ticket holder and long term fan, now watches the greats of the game - as Raul of Real, Rivaldo of Barca and Tristan of Deportivo, grace the pitch at the Rosaleda Stadium in Málaga. And Málaga aren't just making up the numbers in this exalted company. Twice they've just missed European qualification and are currently engaged in just that goal - as they battle towards a UEFA cup place in the Intertoto cup. A reward for finishing in seventh place at the end of last season.

David is one of over a hundred diehard British Málaga fans who go to all the home games, wearing their replica blue and white striped shirts. His passion for his club and the game in Spain is obvious. "In Spain football is still the people's game. The prices are still reasonable so whole families come to watch. And the club doesn't rip off the ordinary fan. Málaga haven't changed their strip for three seasons - so fans don't feel compelled to keep buying new shirts. My season ticket costs me the equivalent of £120 - and I'm getting to see the best footballers in the world when Real Madrid or Barcelona come to town. You compare that with paying over £1,000 pounds for a season ticket at Chelsea or Arsenal."

He goes on to explain the various ways that Málaga football club looks after it's lifeblood - the fans. "Every month the club produces a glossy programme which is given away to the fans - free! Season ticket holders get reduced prices on all the merchandise and the kids - for around 75, get a ticket to the game, a full team strip, a ball, a photo taken with the team and they get to run on the pitch with the team before the start of the game. That sort of thing just doesn't happen in Britain." I had to agree. This seems a world away from the hugely expensive business of supporting and watching a team in the UK. But it isn't just the difference in cost that delights David about watching football in Spain. "There's no trouble at the games. I've never seen any in all my years of going. The ground at Málaga is filled with families covering several generations and even the supposed hardcore fans - the Frente Bokeron - who are behind the goal, and stand on their seats and sing for the entire game, don't cause trouble. I've heard there can be trouble against the Seville teams of Sevilla and Real Betis - because of the longstanding rivalry of the two Andalucían cities. But I've never seen it."

"There are no security cameras in the ground - because they just don't need them. The police are very tolerant. When the fans disapprove of something and they throw their water bottles on the pitch, the police go up to them and effectively say 'now don't do that again'- it's very different to Britain.'

I'm curious to know if he thinks there are any fundamental differences between the British and the Spanish fan. 'I think the British are slightly more fanatical. The Spanish don't go to as many away games as the Brits do. But then again the distances to travel are so much greater here. And Southern Spain is traditionally a very poor region. I also think that, on the whole, British grounds are noisier but then again - I've been to the Nou Camp and we don't have anything to match the noise and the majesty of that place. Also..." and he started laughing "....when it rains here, the fans stay at home. But I guess if the Brits did that - they'd never go out!'

So what does this season hold for Málaga football club and the Frente Inglese - who are renowned for singing Málaga songs in English? David was upbeat about the impending season. "Málaga have held on to all their best players such as Dele Valdez, Dario Silva, who starred for Uruguay in the World Cup, and Conteras, the Spanish international goalkeeper. And we have players such as Musampa, who we bought from Ajax, starting to come through. The manager, Joaquin Peiro, has got them playing good football. It's very rare that Málaga don't score in a game. And if we can get into the UEFA cup via the Intertoto cup - who knows what might happen....."

Who knows indeed? And having shared a drink with one of Málaga´s finest and most enthusiastic football fans, I resolved to check out this miracle team in blue and white, who have burst into and taken such a firm hold on the world's most demanding football league.

Roger at the Roundhouse bar in Benalmádena on 952 561 664 - can arrange tickets
and transport to the games.