Fans prepare to go beyond the pail

LEILANI HATCH

BUCKETS OF SUPPORT: Jayden Joe, 15, with Stu the Turbos mascot, signing buckets for fans.

Get in on the action and join the thousands of bucketheads at FMG Stadium looking to get Manawatu into the world record books.

A sea of green decorated buckets will fill the stadium as the Turbos take on Wellington and hunt for their first win for the season. But no matter what the result, the region will be the winner on the day as the crowd will make a bid for the most people wearing buckets on their head – a record which has never been attempted before.

So far, 3500 have been sold ahead of this afternoon's clash.

Turbos' back Shannon Paku said the bucket idea was simple, but effective.

"It creates a lot of atmosphere, and when you're on the field you always know where your buckethead fans are," Paku said. "They're really vocal, and you have a bit of a giggle at some of their chants."

Setting a world record would give the team and fans a bit of a reputation, he said. "I'm now being called a buckethead too. I think it's great," he said.

The buckethead trend was started by a university student, Dominic Moleta, who wore a green bucket on his head back in 2006 in support of his favourite Turbos team, and it didn't take long for his friends to join him.

Manawatu Rugby Union match-day events manager Mark Long is encouraging everyone to get down to the game to be part of the Guinness Book of World Records attempt.

"It has been awesome, the support we've got this week, but we always knew Manawatu would get behind us," he said.

"We started with 5000 at the start of the week and we're still hoping to get rid of a lot more by kick-off."

With buckets going for a gold coin donation, regardless of the result on the field, the real winners on the day will be Palmerston North Hospital's children's ward, with an expected $12,000 in proceeds going into their coffers.

Fans will be able to show off their handy work to Guinness Book of World Records officials by standing up at half time as Sky Television video records the results. The number of bucketheads will then be counted by the officials and entered into the record books.

- © Fairfax NZ News