THERE are always mixed feelings for Billericay supporters when their stalwart Norwegian fan Per-Helge Berg is in town.

On the one hand they are more than happy to welcome back an old friend whose long-distance love for the club is nothing short of remarkable.

But on the other they know that they never seem to win when he’s about!

In fact Berg has not seen his adopted team claim victory in nearly six years on his annual visits.

The founder of the Norwegian Blues was at New Lodge again this month with his daughter Victoria to see the Ryman Premier title hopefuls host Margate.

And with a little over 10 minutes remaining he looked set for a happy return to his native Oslo as Town led 1-0.

But then the ‘curse of Berg’ struck again as the hosts failed to deal with a ball into the box, and the visitors crashed home a late equaliser.

Berg recalled that the last time he saw Town win was a 3-1 success against Worthing in 2006.

“Since then I’ve seen them lose four times and play out a draw three times,” he said.

“I have thought ‘is this me bringing bad karma with me to New Lodge?’ "But after my last visit in October they have actually lost some games without me in the crowd – and that was almost a relief!”

Berg has been present to see some of Town’s most disappointing results in recent times including a 3-0 home defeat to Leatherhead in the FA Cup in October, a 5-1 mauling at Ashford in 2008, and a 5-0 drubbing at home to Sutton in 2000.

Rob Mason, 45, who’s followed Billericay for 36 years, said there was an air of inevitability about the Margate result with their Scandinavian friend in attendance.

He said: “I spoke to him and he was well, but he said he had not seen us win for six years, which is some going considering he comes all that way a few times a season.

"But fair play to him, he keeps coming - it is obviously not putting him off!”

Berg, who is also a QPR fan, developed his passion for Billericay in December 1997 after coming to see them play out a 1-1 with Leatherhead.

He was visiting the UK with friends and they were looking to go and see a football game featuring a team who played in the same colours as their own team, Vaalerenga.

But when they could not get tickets for their first choice - a Premiership clash between Chelsea and Leeds - they decided on a trip to New Lodge. And the rest, as they say, is history.

On his fans’ wesbite www.btfc.no, Berg recalls: “We had a great time!

“Shouting for the Blues, drinking at the New Lodge, meeting the chairman and getting our picture taken with Leon Gutzmore. It was fabulous.”

Billericay club secretary Ian Ansell said Berg remains a popular figure at New Lodge, and added: “He will always be welcomed with open arms here because we are very happy to have support like this in Norway.

“There can’t be many non-league teams with supporters that far away!"