Paul Whitaker continues his jaunt around the Netherlands with a trip to Utrecht.
I am not quite sure why more tourists don’t visit Utrecht. Perhaps its because there is no airport for Netherland’s fourth largest city or that when you are on a train passing through Utrecht Central Station, you only seem to be confronted by an ugly shopping complex inside and busy dual carriageways outside. Yet if you get off the train, leave Central Station and follow the ‘Centrum’ signs for about 5 minutes, you will discover Utrecht’s beautiful old centre. A series of narrow canals, cobbled streets and fine old buildings all surrounding the imposing Cathedral or Domkerk. Its bell tower (Domtoren) is the tallest in Netherlands and on a good day from the top, you can see both Rotterdam and Amsterdam. About mile to the south east you will always be able to see the Stadion Galgenwaard, home to the city’s only football club, FC Utrecht and the reason for my visit. ‘Utreg’ which apparently is the pronunciation of Utrecht in the local dialect, were hosting NAC Breda in an end of 2011/12 season Eredivisie fixture.
There are direct trains from both Amsterdam Central Station and Schiphol Airport to Utrecht, departing every 15 minutes and the journey lasts 30 minutes (2nd class adult same-day return or dagretour is €14). The VVV tourist office (Domplein 9) is located right next to the cathedral tower and about 300 metres to the south you will also find Utrecht’s best area for food and drink, the Oude Gracht. This is the main canal in Utrecht and perhaps unique to Netherlands this canal is set some 20ft below street level. Cellars and extended basements that were originally built to join the grand houses along both sides to the canal below, have since been converted into shops, restaurants , bars and cafes. For bier lovers, try the Kafe Belge (Oude Gracht 196). Check out this excellent guide to Utrecht bars for more bars. You can also make your choice of which cellar restaurants, bars, shops etc. during an hour long boat ride along Oude Gracht and the rest of Utrecht.
It’s about 30 minute walk from Central Station to the Galgenwaard. There are free shuttle buses outside Central Station. As I did not have my match ticket yet, I jumped on no. 12 bus (Regio Utrecht) and purchased €2 winklekaart ticket. You can also use nos. 13, 41 , 43 and 241 for the 15 minute journey to the stadium.
I was surprised to learn that FC Utrecht were a relatively new football club, founded in 1970 as a result of a merger between 3 local clubs. DOS, who won the championship in 1958, Elinkwijk and finally Velox, dutch amateur champions. Although FC Utrecht has never won the Eredivisie, they have won the Dutch cup (KNVB) in 1985, 2003 and 2004.FC Utrecht like Ajax , Feyenoord and PSV have also never been relegated from Eredivisie.
Utrecht have a number of former players you will have heard off back in Britain including Dick Advocaat (Rangers manager), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Michael Mols (Rangers) and Jan Wouters. Ingerland supporters may recognise Wouters as the dutch player who fractured Paul Gascoigne’s cheekbone during the 1993 World Cup qualifier at Wembley.
The 25000 capacity Stadion Galenwaard is an impressive modern all seater. Although a fairly simply design of four separate stands with partially open corners that look like they house offices. All four stands are big, tall and very close to the pitch. Simon Inglis nicely summed Utrecht’s stadium design in his brilliant ‘The Football Grounds of Europe’ commenting, “ the closeness of stand to pitch and steepness of stands provided, as one publicity brochure put it, ‘une ambience toute britannique’”.
The North Side/ Noordzijde is the Main stand with its offices and rooms. Outside the main entrance you will find both ticket office (on its left side) and fan shop (on its right side). There is also a small fanshop in Hoog Catharijne, that ugly shopping complex back at Utrecht Central station. At the fan shop and from vendors around/inside the Glagenwaard you can pick up “FC Today Wedstrijd Magazine”. Just €2 for a 68 page glossy programme.
Next up is the 5,500 capacity stand, Bunnik-side and home to FC Utrecht’s most passionate supporters, also called the Bunnikside. Utrecht did experience some of the worst incidents of hooliganism ever seen in dutch football. Simon Inglis reported that at the last match at the old Galgenwaard , “v PSV on 20 April 1981, Utrecht fans pre-empted the work of demolition crews by mangling an entire metal framework of seating”. This and other incidents led to the unwanted accolade of a visit from professional West Ham fan, funny walking, wide boy Danny Dyer in ‘International Football Factories’. For the football neutral, problems at previous Den Haag and Ajax fixtures means there are currently no away supporters or even the chance for tourist to buy tickets for these matches. Which is a pity, as Ajax in particular are Utrecht’s biggest rivals and their fixtures are responsible for best atmospheres at Galgenwaard. You can check out the Bunnikside choreography photos on www.bunnikside.nl . Today, the bars where supporters can walk straight out onto the Bunnikside stand, vibrate to dutch techno music so I carry on round to South Tribune/Z uidijde.
After a lengthy queue, strict security search, I was up the high steps and amongst the masses of Utrecht supporters at refreshment bars inside this huge stand. You will need to swap euros for tokens here, so as I ever went straight to my seat. After a spectacular display from the Bunnikside the match kicked off. Frank Demouge put Utrecht ahead in the ninth minute, with a close range shot. The Utrecht supporters celebrations were one of the best I have heard in Netherlands, with the 19000 crowd making full use of Galegnwaard acoustics. I was puzzled as to why the stadium announcer greeted every subsequent Utrecht attack on NAC Breda goal, by playing an “Air-raid siren” over the speakers. I would have thought the Utrecht supporters were making enough noise of their own. Perhaps it was a tradition at Utrecht matches?.
Anyway the tannoy announcer’s ‘magic siren’ did not work that evening as just as the match appeared to be heading for a home win, NAC’s Robbert Schilder equalised with 18 minutes left. A cross into Schalk in the Utrecht penalty box found its way to Schilder, who beat Utrecht’s Van Dijk with a nice shot. The small pocket of NAC supporters who had travelled up from Noord-Brabant, jumped amongst the swathe of empty seats in the away section. NAC Breda then scored twice in the closing seconds to defeat FC Utrecht 1-3 and all but guarantee their Eredivisie safety. First, Alax Schalk netted in the 89th minute. Collecting a quick free kick, he beat two Utrecht players before scoring from 20 yards out. The South Side quickly began to empty around me when NAC’s Jeffrey Sarpong scored from the edge of the area seconds before the final whistle.
Club Basics
Name: Football Club Utrecht
Address: Herculesplein 241 , 3584 AA Utrecht. Netherlands
Email: info@fcutrecht.nl
Website: www.fcutrecht.nl
Supporters websites: www.bunnikside.nl and www.fcufans.nl
Getting a ticket: As at most other Eredivisie clubs, you will not need to apply for a club members card when attending ‘low risk’ FC Utrecht fixtures. You currently cannot buy tickets for ADO Den Haag or Ajax fixtures, but this may change once Den Haag and Ajax supporters are allowed back into Galgenwaard. Tickets go on sale about three weeks before match starts. Try and pick a seat in South Side/Zuidzijde (Blue section) preferably R , S or T.. As you can see from photos, you get great views of the match and both sets of supporters. A ticket here cost me €24. Simply email the club a few weeks prior to the fixture you are interested in attending. The club will then arrange for you to collect the ticket . The ticket office is next to main entrance of the Northside/Noordzijde. As always, bring a passport or other ID. Please arrive in plenty of time, as there were lengthy queues at the turnstiles due to security checks. You can find out more about ticket details on the club’s English language website .
Thanks to Michel Meerveld at FC Utrecht. Also to Frans van den Berg at www.footballfans.eu , Hubert Buter , Freek van der Kerkhof and Danny Last.
Paul Whitaker
Just a few miles north of Amsterdam , you will find the charming fishing village of Volendam. A former seaport that once prospered on North Sea trade via the waters of the Zuider Zee (Southern Sea), today Volendam’s trade is tourism that arrives by coach or are deposited by Markermeer Lake cruise boats. Whilst these daytrippers cram the cobbled streets and waterfront in search of an old dutch world atmosphere, few are aware of an authentic dutch football experience that can be had a mere ten minutes walk away from where their coaches/boats are parked/moored.
FC Volendam or Het Andere Oranje (The Other Oranje) have just finished mid-table in 2011/12 season of the Jupiler League or Eerste Divisie. Football tourists should not expect voetbal in the Dutch second division to be of the quality of Ajax or Feyenoord . But, Eerste Divisie fixtures are always played on Friday evenings (8pm kickoffs), so as not to clash with Eredivisie fixtures. You also do not need to apply for a club members card or purchase an expensive ‘tourist ticket package’ for Eerste Divisie fixtures. So if you are planning a long weekender in Amsterdam, why not give the ‘Ajax Experience Tour’ (Price €17.50 for adult) a miss on the Friday and instead sample the ‘FC Volendam experience’ (Price starting €15 for adult). You can still be back in Dam Square, central Amsterdam for 11pm.
There are no trains service to Volendam, but Bus nos. 110 and 118 frequently depart from the bus station behind Amsterdam Central Station, for the 20 minute journey. Ask the bus driver for a €10 dayticket and get off at the stop, opposite Volendam’s VVV or tourist office ( 37 Zeetstraat). From here, simply follow the daytrippers to the waterfront or ‘De Dijk’.
There are a number of bars and restaurants on ‘De Dijk’ for a pre-match fish, chips and Heineken. Cafe Centraal (Haven 94a) , Cafe Sjaakies (Meerzijde 29), Cafe Motje (Dril 12) have all been recommended by locals. If there is some Dutch sounding pop music playing in the bar, this may well be the Palingsound or ‘Eelsound’ from Volendam’s most famous crooner, Jan Smit. The more adventurous of you may want also to chew on a smoked eel or be photographed in traditional Dutch dress . I just grabbed a waffle and jumped on the Marken Express (€8 adult return) for a short ferry across the Markermeer Lake to Marken. Here you will find a fishing village that is even quainter than Volendam, but not as busy.
FC Volendam play at Kras stadion (Sportlaan 10), which is tucked in a quiet residential area about ten minutes walk from ‘De Dijk’. Simply head back to the VVV office/bus stop on Zeestraat and you cannot miss the Kras stadion floodlights, as they are the tallest structures in Volendam. From the outside, the 6,200 capacity modern stadium is typically functional with everything from a bank to a fishing tackle shop, all operating from under its orange stands.
The only place to buy FC Volendam merchandise is the fan shop located at Kras stadion’s main entrance. The fanshop is only open on matchdays, 2 hours before kick off till 30 minutes after final whistle. Please note you will also need your match ticket to gain access to the Kras stadion main entrance and fan shop. The ‘Welkom bij Wedstrijd’, a handy pocket-sized 34 page match programme which is issued free as you enter the stadium , includes a list of FC Volendam merchandise, on offer at the fan shop. I understand a museum will in 2013 at Kras Stadion, under the theme of what makes Volendam special: “sports, tourism , humour, hard working and traditional clothing”.
Opposite the main entrance you will find the both the ticket office (Inlichtingen), where you can collect your match ticket and next door the small bar for the FC Volendam supporters club (Thuishaven). Inside you will find the members of the supporters group called the Pe side/Palingboeren/The Orange Army. Outside the Thuishaven was a basic floral tribute to FC Volendam’s most famous player, Dick Tol.
I did not see any away supporters (FC Eindhoven) drinking here as they were down at ‘De Dijk’ , under the watchful eye of a heavy police presence. FC Volendam do not seem to have any rivals and perhaps unique in Holland ,do not show any antipathy to their big neighbours, Ajax. On the contrary the rare meetings with Ajax were fondly remembered and created the best atmospheres experienced at the Kras stadion. FC Volendam has apparently also befriended supporters of both RKC Waalwijk and FC Zolle. Photos of the latter’s meeting earlier in the season can be seen on the excellent dutch website, footballculture.nl
My €15 ticket was in the ‘Jap Jonk-tribune’ and in the bar below the stand I picked up a photocopied teamsheet or ‘Opstelling’ with a beer, that I paid with euros rather than tokens. The ‘Pe Muhren-tribune’ to my right housed the noisy home support, whilst the upper tier of the ‘Dr Duin-tribune’ opposite appeared to be all corporate supporters. The away section was housed in NA and NB of ‘Jaap Bond-tribune’ to my left and there were more flags than supporters of FC Eindhoven. Their choreography when the players came out onto the pitch was excellent though.
Whilst FC Eindhoven were pushing for promotion , FC Volendam had nothing to play for in this last fixture of the season. Consequently, the evening was rightly dominated by a pre match end-of-season awards party and the chance to say goodbye to those players pulling on the orange shirt for the final time. Before kick-off, FC Volendam’s Jack Tuyp received an award for top scorer of the Jupiler League. During the match itself, I witnessed two of the strangest substitutions ever seen at a football match when two FC Volendam players were carried shoulder high off the pitch by their colleagues, to the applause of 4200 supporters in the stands and players, alike.
The first player substituted on 67 minutes was defender Barry Opdam who had played almost 400 professional matches at AZ Alkmaar, Red Bull Salzburg and finally FC Volendam. Such was Opdam’s popularity in dutch football , that over eighty AZ supporters attended this fixture and stood behind a huge banner stating “OPDAM, FOR ALWAYS OUR HERO”. This probably explained Opdam’s tears as he left the football pitch for the final time as a player. Then ten minutes later the same thing happened to midfielder Olaf Lindenbergh. In between all this, a football was played out and FC Volendam won 3-1, with Jack Tuyp getting goal number 20 for the season.
Club Basics
Name: Football Club Volendam
Address: Sportlaan 10, 1131 BK Volendam, Netherlands
Email: info@fcvolendam.org
Website: www.fcvolendam.nl
Supporters website: www.fanatix.nl
Getting a ticket: Fortunately, you do not need to apply for a club members card to attend Eerste Divisie fixtures. Simply email the club a few weeks prior to the fixture you are interested in attending. The club will then arrange for you to collect the ticket at the ticket office (Inlichtingen), located near the Main entrance. As always, bring a passport or other ID. You can also buy a ticket online at dutch language website https://fc-volendam.voetbalticket-shop.nl
Thanks to: Remco van der Ende at FC Volendam, Kevin Morris and Freek van der Kerkhof.
Venlose Voetbal Vereniging (VVV) Venlo
Address: Seacon Stadion – De Koel , Kaldenkerkerweg 182, 5915 AH Venlo, Netherlands.
Email: info@vvv-venlo.nl ,
Website: www.vvv-venlo.nl
Supporters Websites: www.fanclub-vvv.nl or www.venlonaren.net
Getting to Venlo
‘Venlose Voetbal Vereniging’ (VVV) Venlo is an Eredivisie club located in Holland’s most southern province of Limburg, a narrow strip of picturesque towns and scenic countryside squeezed between Belgium and Germany. VVV also happens to be one of the Eredivisie clubs closest geographically to the teutonic footballing heartland of North-Rhine Westphalia. If you have never been to this part of Germany before, think of North West England and then add cheap match tickets, drinking beer on terraces, currywurst and watching talented local players who also turn out for a successful national team. For anyone wanting a classic ‘two matches in two countries in two days’ trip, then I recommend VVV Venlo as an authentic dutch footie experience to compliment the Bundesliga football just over the border at Borussia Monchengladbach , FC Koln, Schalke 04, VFL Bochum , Borussia Dortmund, MSV Duisburg, Fortuna Dusseldorf or Bayer Levekusen.
Trains to Venlo from Amsterdam’s Central Station via Eindhoven, will take nearly 2.5 hours and a 2nd class return will set you back about € 42 euros ( www.ns.nl ) . Our preferred option was a direct train from Dusseldorf’s Hauptbahnhof that take just over an hour to Venlo. 2nd class returns were also cheaper at €25 (www.bahn.com ). Judging by the Germans who got off the train with us, visitors seemed to be either heading for a smoke in the ‘coffee’ shops in the centre or cycling to scenic countryside outside. Venlo’s tourist office (40-2 Nieuwstraat), a few minutes walk from the train station, can provide information on bike rentals but not the quality of ‘weed’ on sale at the coffee shops.
Venlo’s most popular bars and trendiest hotel are all handily located in one street, Parade. There is the ubquitous Irish bar called ‘Shannons’(69 Parade), ‘Cafe de Gouverneur’ (27 Parade) and ‘Kefee d’n Erme’ (23 Parade) before you retire to bed at the trendy ‘Hotel Puur’ (7 Parade) . Venlo’s younger football crowd apparently hang out at ‘Baer de Woers’ (3-9 Steenstraat). There does not appear to be an established ‘away’ bar in Venlo, as most visiting supporters have to travel directly to VVV’s stadium on organized coaches.
Getting to de Koel
Getting to VVV from Venlo centre or the train station is a doddle. Simply follow the throngs of yellow shirted VVV supporters walking /cycling along Kaldenkerkenwerg for about 15 minutes and the stadium’s floodlights are popping up over the trees to guide you in. You can also pick up the bus from the central station. The number 3, direction “Casinoflat” or number 5 or 6, direction “Veegtes”. Jump off at “Maagdenbergplein” and it’s an 8 minute stroll to VVV. This brief tour around Venlo’s residential suburbs will set you back about 2.50 euro return. Parking in the area around the stadium appears to be at a premium and probably explains why so many choose to walk or cycle from Venlo centre.
About the de Koel
VVV have been playing football at the Seacon Stadion or de Koel, since 1972. Although it may not be Holland’s oldest football stadium, it distinct design helps makes watching dutch football there an enjoyable experience. Despite this part of Holland being flat as a pancake, two of de Koel’s four stands (including the main stand) appear to be set into a hillside. Consequently VVV supporters have to go down to reach the stands and even the players have to negotiate flights of steps to get to the pitch. This probably explains why de Koel translates as ‘the pit’.
De Koel has only a capacity of 8000 maximum, of which 1500 can stand on the home terrace sections O1-4. Here, you will find VVV’s main supporter group, “D’n twellefde man” providing most of the de Koel’s noise and colour. At the opposite end, 500 away supporters will be tucked up safely behind the high metal fences in sections W1-3. I hear de Koel will close in a couple of seasons when VVV Venlo will move into a “multifunctional complex” also hosting music concerts, trade-shows and other events. I only hope “D’n twellefde man” can persuade VVV and the new stadium owners to incorporate a terraced section into the design. If safe terracing works at de Koel and across the border in Germany where the day before I had watched 25,000 Borussia Dortmund supporters bouncing on the Sud Tribune, why get rid of it?
The club shop is located in the same white building as the ticket office, both outside De Koel’s main entrance. Be the talk of the pub back home and pick up a yellow and back VVV home shirt, with ‘Scelta Mushrooms’, the shirt sponsors and not the name of their star striker. VVV souvenirs can also be purchased at sport shops back in Venlo centre. The club issues a match programme called “de sloef”. Costing a mere €1, the magazine can be picked up from a number of vendors dotted both outside and inside de Koel.
Between the club shop and de Koel, you will find a statue of Jan Klaassens, VVV’s most famous player. Klaassens first stint at VVV led the club to their only piece of silverware, when they beat ADO Den Haag 4-1 in the 1959 KNVB Cup. Klaassens then went on to pick up two league titles wearing the red and white of Feyenoord, 57 caps wearing the orange of the dutch national team, before returning to finish his career in the yellow and black of his beloved VVV. After hanging his boots up in 1967, Klaassens ran a small cigar shop and I only know this after stumbling across the tiny premises, back on Venlo’s Parade. It was now crammed full of memorabilia from Klaassens’ distinguished football career and must be a contender for the smallest football museum in Europe.
VVV supporter’s club bar can be found at the left corner as you walk towards de Koel. Thankfully, you do not need exchange euros for any of those annoying club ‘tokens’ or ‘cards’ to enjoy the local tipple, Lindeboom. Knowing dutch football supporter groups trend of friendships with other groups I was surprised to hear VVV’s “D’n twellefde man” did not have any supporter friendships, especially with any of clubs just over the border in North-Rhine Westphalia. The only other ‘football tourists’ appeared to be a Japanese couple there to support fellow countryman and VVV defender Maya Yoshida.
The match itself was less one-sided as the VVV supporters were predicting before kick-off. Although Ajax started off strongly, they failed to take numerous chances. Two goals from VVV’s talented midfielder Ahmed Musa early in the second half had de Koel rocking and VVV on course for their first home win over Ajax, since 1989. Ajax coach Frank De Boer made some tactical substitutions and the reigning champions soon pulled a goal back. Christien Eriksen ran almost the length of the pitch before feeding the ball through to Theo Janssen to score on 68th minutes. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson then levelled the score a minute later. VVV’s goalkeeper Gentenaar pulled off some crucial saves towards the end, but points would be shared. Both the VVV supporters and myself went back down Kaldenkerkenwerg, happy with what we had seen at de Koel.
Getting a ticket for de Koel
VVV epitomizes the Venlo folk in their hospitality to visitors and if you contact the club via ticketing@vvv-venlo.nl , they should be able to sort you out a ticket. Simply email the club/supporters club and make arrangements to collect ticket from ticket office about an hour before kick-off. Ticket office is outside De Koel’s main entrance and some photo ID or passport will normally be needed when collecting tickets.
Views of the pitch are excellent from all parts of the de Koel, but sections O , Z , N and W 4 , 5 , 6 are season ticket holders and doubtful you will get a ticket in these sections. Try and ask for tickets in sections VN4-5 which will not only give you good views of VVV Venlo’s home terrace, but also the players entering the pitch from their changing rooms high behind you in the main stand. Many home supporters (including me) took the opportunity to stand behind their seating sections and I strolled around half of de Koel, to cheer on VVV attacking the other end in the second half. Ticket prices are cheapest in the VW and VN sections at €20 euros and although you are close to the pitch, also note you are open to the elements.
VVV ’s big rivals are as expected clubs from the province of Limburg. Fortuna Sittard and MVV Maastricht are both in the ‘Eeste Divisie’ or Jupiler league. Limburg’s other Eredivisie representative Roda JC Kerkrade, will guarantee a full away supporters section, an 11.30am kick-off and a great match atmosphere at de Koel. Tickets for Eredivisie fixtures normally go on sale about three weeks before and refreshing to see VVV do not increase ticket prices for the visit of Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV Please get there early if Ajax the visitors. I missed a kick-off for the first time in 15 years, due to crowd congestion outside de Koel. This did not happen queuing up outside Wembley, Camp Nou, San Siro or La Bombonera…
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor
Thanks to Freek van de Kerkhof for the ticket and patiently answering all my questions on VVV.
Sportclub (SC) Heerenveen.
Address: Abe Lenstra Stadion, Abe Lenstra Boulevard 19 , 8448 JA Heerenveen . Netherlands
Email: info@sc-heerenveen.nl , info@niewnoord.org
Website: www.sc-heerenveen.nl
Supporters Websites: www.nieuwnoord.org
Getting to Heerenveen
This would be my first visit to Heerenveen or indeed the province of Friesland and to be honest my knowledge of this part of North East Holland, was limited to what I had learnt at school. I had read that this independent-minded province was unique in Holland in having its own language and apparently the Frisian dialect is closer to our very own English, than the ‘throat-clearing’ tones of Dutch. Although I would never be able to confirm this, as with the rest of Holland, the Frisians I met spoke better English than myself. Also, the highlight of my schooling in English Literature was discovering ‘The Riddle of the Sands’ by Erskine Childer. This classic tale of adventure of yachting, espionage and german imperialism was set amongst Friesland’s beautiful coastal marshlands and islands. Finally this mainly agricultural region is home to the famous black and white Frisian cow, that is now an iconic feature in the English countryside and on Inspiral Carpets album covers.
Accommodation in Heerenveen is very limited and the guide books advise to base yourself in Friesland’s provincial capital, Leeuwarden or Amsterdam. Direct trains run every half hour from Leeuwarden to Heerenveen. Journey times are only 20 minutes and 2nd class day returns are €10. From Amsterdam Central to Heerenveen, you have to change trains at Hilversum or Amersfoot. Journey times are about 2 hours and 2nd class day return will set you back about 42 euros. If you have access to a dutch friend with an OV chipkaart , you should get upto 40% off this ticket price. Note the trains from Hilversum split into two at Meppel. The front part of the train heads to Groningen, whilst the back part goes on to Heerenveen and finally Leeuwarden.
Heerenveen’s VVV tourist office is at Minckelersstraat 11. Its weekend opening times are Saturday 10am-4pm and closed Sunday, which is helpful if you are a football tourist visiting arguably Heerenveen main tourist attraction, SC (Sports club) Heerenveen. If you fancy watching extraordinarily athletic dutch men and women, whose legs are as thick as Frisian calves, bent double and sweating in latex suits. Then do not go to Amsterdam’s red light area, but head instead to Heerenveen’s famous speed skating ice stadium, called Thialf. This indoor arena is located at Pim Mulierlaan 1, has a capacity of 12,500 seats and annually hosts numerous dutch, european and world Speed Skating events.
My first impression of Heerenveen was an eerily quiet and deserted . Which is a bit unfair, considering I had spent previous 24 hours celebrating Queen’s Day with friends in Amsterdam. Queen’s Day or ‘Koninginnedag’ is not some Tranny Convention, but instead Amsterdam’s very own Mardi Gras and Oktoberfest all rolled into one big street and canal p#ss up. Apparently its to celebrate the official birthday of Netherland’s reigning monarch, Queen Beatrix.
A few minutes walk from Heerenveen train station we found friendly and welcoming locals enjoying a post-Koninginnedag/pre-match ‘Pils’ at a number of cafes and bars. There were plenty of visiting Ajax replica tops spotted outside Cafe de Wereld or Cafe Bak at de Koemarkt. SC Heerenveen’s most fanatical supporter group, Nieuw Noord (New North) were happily being filmed by police spotters, drinking outside Cafe de Skoffel at de Nieuwsstraat.
There is not an SC Heerenveen fanshop in the town centre, but some shops did sell a small amount of football shirts and scarves. If you are after an unusual gift to take home, then on the way back from the match, pick up a bottle of Heerenburg from any of the bars at de Koemarkt. It’s the local ‘fire water’ and at 30% volume alcohol, probably explains why some Frisians like to pole vault over water (called Fierljeppen) in their spare time. Locals advise mixing Heerenburg with coke (cola) like bacardi & coke, so as not to get drunk too fast.
Getting to Abe Lenstra Stadium
SC Heerenveen’s home is the Abe Lenstra stadium and is an easy 10 minutes walk from the train station or 5 minutes from the bars at de Koemarkt. From the train station, you can either follow a series of white stones set into the pavement, that guide you to the stadium. If you have had too much beer, jump on a no 15 , 17 or 48 bus outside the train station to take you to the short distance. It will only cost you a €1, but be warned post-match traffic congestion around the stadium normally means long delays or no bus at all.
About the Abe Lenstra Stadium
The Abe Lenstra stadium may not win any architectural design awards, but you cannot help but be impressed with the sheer size of this modern and functional stadium. Ok, so Abe Lenstra stadium’s 26,800 capacity is certainly smaller than the ‘Arena’ or ‘De Kuip’, but unlike Amsterdam or Rotterdam, Heerenveen’s entire population of 28,000 could almost squeeze into its football stadium. SC Heerenveen attracts support from all over Friesland, south of Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel and north Flevoland.
The Abe Lenstra stadium was opened in 1994 and named after the 1950s dutch international player, who led a Heerenveen side to win six league titles in a row. Coincidentally, the visit of Ajax gave SC Heerenveen the perfect excuse to reprint a match programme and report from an historic fixture that took place on 7th May 1950. An Ajax side containing Rinus Michels went into a 1- 5 lead with only about 25 minutes left of the match to play. Then in one of the most noted fight backs in dutch domestic football history, Lenstra inspired Heerenveen to a stunning 6-5 win. No wonder the grainy photographs from that day showed jubilant supporters carrying Lenstra and the other Heerenveen players shoulder high, off the pitch. SC Heerenveen today were finishing the 2010-11 season in mid-table, whilst Ajax were the in-form team and chasing three points towards their first Eredivisie title since 2004.
Although SC Heerenveen have never won the Eredivisie in modern times, success has come off the pitch with financial stability. This has been achieved by the strong and loyal supporter base, whom ensure the club benefits financially from having the fourth highest attendance in dutch football. SC Heerenveen also runs an excellent player scouting network, that has regularly produced (and sold on) many great players. These include Ruud Van Nistelrooy (PSV), Jon Dahl Tomasson (Newcastle), Afonso Alves (Middlesbrough), Miralem Suljemani (Ajax), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Daniel Pranjic (Bayern Munich) and Georgios Samaras (Manchester City).
Before you rush into the Abe Lenstra stadium, check out the SC Heerenveen fanshop which is located under the main (west) stand. Here you can pick up nearly anything with the club colours of blue and white stripes, together with those distinctive red water lily leaves (which I initially mistook for ‘hearts’). These club colours are also seen on the club emblem and represent the districts of Friesland. The match programme is called ‘It Pompebledsje’ which translates as ‘the lilypaper’, costs a mere €1 and can be found on sale by vendors inside and outside the Abe Lenstra stadium.
The SC Heerenveen supporters club bar can be found under the east (oost) stand. If you hear German or Welsh accents at the bar, this is because of Heerenveen’s friendship with supporters of Bundesliga club Hannover 96 and the Wales national team. I understand the latter was developed after bumping into each other at a European supporter football tournament in Ukraine. Please note that you have to buy SC Heerenveen club tokens if you want purchase drink or food inside the stadium.
Inside, Abe Lenstra stadium’s steep, two-tiers of stands, its canter-levered roof and a passionate Heerenveen support, combined to make a great matchday atmosphere. The Abe Lenstra stadium is also one of the few football stadia in the Eredivsie (Heracles and NAC Breda being the others) to have a standing terrace section. SC Heerenveen regular Mechiel, explained why terraces are a rare sight in the Eredivise:
“In the period when a lot of Dutch clubs rebuilt their stadium, the rules were very strict. That is why many clubs do not have terrace sections like the Bundesliga. Rebuilding the stadiums were also expensive, and clubs can earn more revenue with supporters in a seat than standing. Also the football culture is different in Holland. Here, there is also more aggression between supporters, than in Germany. Many clubs are thinking. ‘lets play it safe with seats’.”
Our tickets were for the terrace section and I am pleased to report that like watching football in the Bundesliga, standing on the Heerenveen terrace was a very safe and enjoyable experience. About 1200 Heerenveen supporters can stand in this section for Eredivsie and domestic cup matches only. UEFA’s ongoing campaign to alienate the traditional football supporter means that seats have to be installed during european competition matches, but at a cost of reducing the section capacity. UEFA have also banned the Frisian national anthem from being played before European competition matches, when apparently the SC Heerenveen supporters duly ignore and sing it anyway. For my visit, both SC Heerenveen and Ajax teams lined up like at a international match, as the Frisian national anthem was played by the brass band and sung passionately by the crowd around us.
We were also in the centre of the impressive and well-planned pre-match choreography (that can be seen on the link http://www.feanfans.nl/fotos/1011/heeaja/heeaja.htm ). The display was to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Nieuw Noord supporters group. The choreography is funded by the subscriptions of Nieuw Noord’s 1100 members, club sponsors and €8000 generously donated by SC Heerenveen itself. Although Nieuw Noord have to email details of displays to the club’s security staff, there seems to be little interference from the club. Nieuw Noord also used the choreography to highlight the ‘Tegen het Moderne Voetbal’ or ‘Against Modern Football’ campaign.
This supporter-led protest is active at clubs throughout the Eredivise and Jupiler leagues and the central aim is to get football back to its supporters through normal kick-off times , lower ticket prices and better aways sections. In particular, the campaign wants to end the draconian travel restrictions that currently hinder many dutch club supporters. For example if Ajax, Feyenoord, FC Twente or local rivals FC Groningen want to support their team at the Abe Lenstra stadium ,they can only purchase a ticket in combination with organised travel by train, bus or car. For example if supporters wish to drive, they can only collect match tickets 2 hours before kick-off at a petrol station, en route to Heerenveen.
I am always amazed that Dutch have the ingenuity to keep the North Sea from flooding large parts of Holland for hundreds of years. Yet seem unable to deal effectively with a few hundred football hooligans, without restricting the matchday experience of the majority. Anyway, I wish the ‘Tegen het Moderne Voetbal’ campaign at Heerenveen and other clubs all the success for a cause many of us supporters here can relate to.
As for the match itself, SC Heerenveen got off to a great start on 18 minutes with Vayrynen’s speculative 30 yard shot, beating Ajax goalkeeper Vermeer. Immediately Ajax equalized when former Heerenveen player, Sulejmani chipped over Stur-Ellegaard. Ajax then took the lead at the start of the second half, when the highly-rated Dane Eriksen slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the Heerenveen goal. Despite the continuous “heh , heh , heh” shouts of encouragement from the home support, Heerenveen missed countless opportunities to not only equalize, but win the match themselves. How they could have done with an Abe Lenstra or a Ruud Van Nistlerooy, to finish the many chances given to them by a hesitant Ajax defence. Instead, the final score remained 1-2 and the three points went back to Amsterdam, as did we.
Getting a ticket for SC Heerenveen
To buy tickets for SC Heerenveen matches, you will need to purchase a member card. Applications and online ticket sales can be found on the club website here.
Match tickets go on sale about three weeks and unfortunately tickets for the terrace section are only available with a season ticket. Ticket prices are cheapest at the Hoektribunes (corners) and the most expensive seats are in the Main (Oost) stand. I understand ticket prices do not increase for particular fixtures. When the Abe Lenstra stadion is not sold out, you can purchase tickets on match day at entrance E, between North (Noord) and West stands. To collect reserved tickets, go to entrance B at the Main (Oost) stand. Unless you have a soft spot for a particular opponent, the matches played on Saturday evenings tend to have the better atmospheres.
Thanks to Stephane Lievens for the ticket contact, Mechiel Zantema for the tickets and telling me everything about SC Heerenveen, Ajax Paul for the education in dutch football and Winnie for spell-checking.
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor.
Club Basics – ADO Den Haag
ADO (an abbreviation of Alles Door Oefening) Den Haag
Address: Kyocera Stadion, Haags Kwartier 55, 2491 BM, Den Haag
Email: info@adodenhaag.nl , Info@fansupportdenhaag.nl
Website: www.adodenhaag.nl
Supporters Websites: www.northside.nl, www.ADOfans.nl , www.groengeelhart.nl ,
Getting to Den Haag
Den Haag is located in Zuid-Holland and is the third largest dutch city after Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Despite being the home of dutch government, Den Haag is not the Netherland’s capital. For any pub quiz regulars amongst you, that is Amsterdam. Den Haag is the capital of the province of Holland. Direct trains from Amsterdam Central Station take about 50 minutes and a day return will set you back about 20 euros.
Den Haag has two train stations: Den Haag HS (Hollands Spoor) and Den Haag CS (Central Station). Jump off at Den Haag CS to get to ADO Den Haag’s Kyocera Stadion and also to see most of the city’s principal tourist attractions. You can pick up a free transport map at the tourist office (VVV), a five minute walk from Den Haag CS, at Hofweg 1. Opening times Sat 10-5pm and Sun noon-5pm.
A good ’football’ bar for a pre-match beer in Den Haag centre is the ‘Fiddlers’ on Riviervismarkt 1, 2513 AM, Den Haag. Please do not be put off by the fact it looks like a modern British pub chain, complete with cr#p tacked to the walls.
Getting to the Kyocera Stadion
ADO De Haag’s Kyocera Stadion is too far from Den Haag CS to walk, so the best option is to use the city’s tram system, the Randstadrail. You will find the HTM (Hague Tram Company) ticket window in Den Haag CS and ask for a ‘Dalurenretour Den Haag plus’ ticket, costing €4. Jump on any tram on lines 3 or 4, heading to Zoetermeer Centrum-West and jump off at Forepark. Exiting the station, turn left and a 10 minute stroll through a retail/industrial park will bring you to Kyocera Stadion.
About the Kyocera Stadion
ADO Den Haag did have an unenviable reputation for hooliganism and an Ajax- supporting friend did little to reassure me, with tales of horror away days to their old Zuiderpark Stadion in the 1980/90s. Simon Inglis’s excellent ‘The football grounds of Europe’, section on Zuiderpark Stadion painted an equally depressing picture of ADO Den Haag. Inglis mentioned that a pass was needed to stand on the infamous Midden Nord terrace during this period, which was ‘akin to possessing a hooligan’s medal’. Although to be fair, Inglis did conclude it would be unjust to judge ADO Den Haag on the behaviour of a minority of its regulars.
It was not surprising to read ADO Den Haag looked to address the issue of supporter behaviour when they designing a new home. Although the resulting Kyocera Stadion is not the most aesthetically pleasing stadia from the outside, it is now reputed to be one of the safest football stadiums in Europe. Other clubs apparently visit ADO Den Haag, to learn about their state of art security systems and supporter friendly stewarding. A good indicator of its success was the noticeable lack of any police presence to speak off, when I arrived outside the Kyocera Stadion.
The stadium ticket office (marked KASSA) is under the Haaglanden Tribune. If you are after the fanshop for some green and yellow coloured merchandise, simply follow the stadium clockwise round to the Aad Mansveld Tribune, named in honour of one of ADO Den Haag’s greatest players.
Heading back towards the Haaglanden Tribune you will see the Den Haag Supporter’s clubhouse. Its bar opens a few hours before kick-off and looked a popular place for supporters before and after the match. I grabbed a Heineken inside and marvelled at the impressive display of scarves and photographs from clubs across Europe, that apparently share supporter links with ADO Den Haag. These include Club Brugge, Legia Warsaw, Juventus and Swansea City who apparently have been playing pre-season friendly matches with ADO Den Haag for over 20 years. Most of the fashion-conscious ADO Den Haag supporters appeared to be sporting “Viking” (a Juventus Ultra group) hats and coats, rather than any similar attire from the fashion catwalks of South Wales.
At the Haaglanden tribune turnstiles, I mistook a sophisticated security system for a simple metal detector. Apparently when season ticket holders pass through this point, they can keep their clubcards in their pockets. A scanner will recognise the card holder and a camera from a facial recognition system will check the person is the same on the card. Once inside a small army volunteer stewards in high visibility Day-Glo Coats will politely frisk you before pointing you in the right direction for your seat.
I was pleased to see I did not have to transfer my euros into a money club card just so I could buy some refreshments . The club issued a 32 page match programme costing a mere €1 can be picked up from a number of mobile sellers outside the stadium.
Getting a ticket for ADO Den Haag
Despite operating a very slick security operation at the modern and safe Kyocera Stadion, ADO Den Haag currently have an agreement with Ajax and Utrecht not to send supporters to their respective fixtures. I am still struggling to understand how a country that has managed to keep the North Sea at bay for centuries, is unable to provide a practical solution to a domestic hooligan problem that does not impede the law abiding majority. Anyway, until such bans are lifted, if you want to experience the best ADO Den Haag atmosphere with away supporters present, then try and get to a ADO Den Haag – Feyenoord fixture. Unless you know someone with a spare club card, contact the club/supporters direct.
For low profile fixtures against teams like Willem II Tilburg, a club card is not required. Simply email the club/supporters club and make arrangements to collect ticket from office or supporters’ clubhouse about an hour before kick-off. Bring some photo ID.
As with every modern stadium, views of the pitch are excellent from all parts of the Kyocera Stadion. You will find younger supporters behind the goal in the Aad Mansveld Tribune, the older supporters who used to frequent the Midden Nord at the Zuiderpakstadion, have relocated to the mural decorated Haaglandden Tribune.
I took my seat on the Haagladen Tribune to enjoy a prematch snowball assault on the referee who was daft enough to warm up in front of us…………
………………and ADO Den Haag’s 2-1 win over Willem II Tilburg.
Thanks to Koos at the ADO Den Haag Supporters club for sorting out the ticket and everyone at the club for showing Ajax how to ensure snow would not postpone the Willem II Tilburg fixture. (The Ajax-Feyenoord fixture at the roofed Amsterdam Arena was postponed due to similar adverse weather conditions!)
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor.
Club Basics – NEC Nijmegen
N.E.C (an abbreviation of Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie)
Address: Stadion de Goffert, Stadionplein 1, 6532 AJ Nijmegen, Netherlands
E-mail: info@nec-nijmegen.nl
Website: www.nec-nijmegen.nl
Supporters Website: www.detrouwehonden.nl , www.svnec.nl/
Getting to Nijmegen
Nijmegen is located in the south eastern part of Netherlands, close to the border with Germany. Getting there is fairly simple, with direct trains from Amsterdam central station taking about 1 hour 30 minutes and a day return will set you back approximately 30 Euros. On arrival at Nijmegen train station, the tourist information office is well signposted, but was unfortunately closed on the Sunday I was there. Officially Netherlands’ oldest city, Nijmegen had the misfortune of being directly on the frontline towards the end of World War Two. Consequently most of its old town was destroyed, but its modern replacement is both walkable and charming enough. There are plenty of choices for a pre-match beer in Nijmegen centre. Café Van Buren on de Molenstraat seems as good a place as any.
Getting to the Stadium
NEC’s De Goffert stadium is a good 45 minutes walk from Nijmegen train station. There are a number of bus options from the train station to the ‘Sportspark de Goffert’ where the stadium is located. Choose any bus from 3 , 4 , 8 or 9. Purchase a ‘Kan Kaartje’ costing 2.20 Euros and you can also use the ticket on your return. Jump off the bus when you see the stadiums huge floodlights that tower over the trees of surrounding Goffert park. Do not worry about which side of Goffert park you were dropped off, as all paths/roads into the park lead eventually to NEC.
About the De Goffert Stadium
The original De Goffert was opened in 1939 and not an ideal stadium to watch football, mainly due to a large grey cycle track that ringed the pitch. The extra space created by the track did allow NEC the unique opportunity to build a new stadium within it original boundaries and simultaneously improve match atmosphere by moving the supporter stands closer to the action on the pitch. The resulting ‘McDos Goffert stadion’, is a 12500 capacity smart and modern stadium that opened in 2000. With many matches now a sell-out, NEC are planning to increase its capacity.
Both the ticket office and club shop can be found on either side of McDos Goffert’s main entrance, which I can confidently predict did not win any architectual awards . The club shop is small, but well stocked and sells all the usual stuff as long as you want it in the club colours of green, red and black. Complimentary match programmes (Strijdplan) can be found stacked up on the club shop sales counter. To reach the turnstiles of McDos Goffert stadium, you have to walk down the sides of the original De Goffert. At the entrance to the Hazenkamp tribune of the stadium you will see the old stadium clock, but little else of the original stadium survives.
Refreshment options are a little sparse outside De Goffert. A few wooden huts dotted under the stadium dispense beer, chips with mayonnaise and stroopwafels. If your leisure activities extend to beer, drugs , fireworks and apparently a urinal trough painted in the colours of yellow and black (the colours of NEC local rival’s Vitesse Arnhem), check out the NEC supporters/hooligan bar called the ‘Goffertzicht’. Take Steinweglaan road out of Goffert park towards Slotemaker de Bruineweg and follow the noise of dutch dance tunes and football chants to Hazenkampseweg.
Getting a ticket for NEC Nijmegen
The McDos Goffert stadium is sold out for all home games against Ajax , Feyenoord , PSV and Vitesse Arnhem , but a limited number of tickets are made available for other matches. As with other Dutch clubs, to obtain a ticket you will need to apply for a NEC clubcard. Registration is free and the card will be valid for 5 years. Please note that you should be able to buy tickets at other Dutch clubs using your NEC clubcard. See specific club websites for details. Registration can be done at the NEC ticket office or a form can be downloaded from www.nec-nijmegen.nl . Tickets can be sent to your address or collected on match day from ticket office, located next to McDos
Prices vary, but cheap seats in Goffert Tribune start at 17 Euros, leading up to 27 Euros in OSRN Tribune. Prices increase for visit of ‘big three’ and Vitesse Arnhem. Views are good throughout the stadium, unless you happen to be stuck behind the perspex glass of the away section in West Stand. Following views are from Hazenkamp tribune during recent NEC v Ajax match.
Thanks to Danny, Pat and Pierre van Rossum for ticket and additional information.
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor
Philips Sport Verenigeng (PSV) Eindhoven
Address: Philips Stadion,
Frederiklann 10a,
5616 NH, Eindhoven
Website: www.psv.nl
Supporters Websites: www.psvfansunited.nl , www.super-psv.nl
Getting to Eindhoven
From Amsterdam Centraal Station, there are trains every 20 minutes to Eindhoven and journey time is about 1 hour 20 minutes. 2nd class day return approximately €35. Eindhoven is located in the south of Netherlands and is the largest city in the province of Noord-Brabant.
My guidebook informed me that Eindhoven Centraal Station is apparently designed in the shape of a Philips transistor radio and the name and logo of this multinational electrical giant, seemed to be everywhere during my visit. Philips most successful platform in spreading its global brand name is also Eindhoven’s largest football club, Philips Sport Verenigeng (or PSV) Eindhoven. The city’s second professional club is EVV Eindhoven, who play in Eerste Divisie at Jan Louwers Stadion (Charles Roelshaan 1, Eindhoven) .
The VVV or tourist office is located right outside the train station and is a great source of information on ideas about what to do in Eindhoven. Which is good, because unless you are a visiting football supporter, design student or Philips employee, there seemed little else of interest here. Perhaps my first and brief impression of Eindhoven is incorrect, as the Brazilian superstar and party animal extraordinaire Romario, played for PSV and partied in Eindhoven for 5 seasons in the 1990s.
Eindhoven planners have conveniently concentrated most of the fashionable (re expensive) beer establishments on Stratumseind. This street has the dubious honour of having the largest number of bars in the Netherlands. If you are after more PSV-orientated chat, then check out the bar on the corner of Gagelstraat and Mathildalaan , directly opposite the gated entrance to Philips Stadion. Did not catch the name, but you cannot miss the PSV colours outside and the din of dutch dance tunes, inside.
Getting to the Philips Stadion
You can see the Philips Stadion as your train draws into Eindhoven Central Station. Leaving Central Station plaza, simply turn right and go along Mathildelaan for about 10 minutes until you can see the Philips Stadion. The neighbourhood where the stadium is located is called Philips village or Philipsdorp.
About the Philips Stadion
Although Netherland’s third most successful football club after Ajax and Feyenoord, I only became aware of PSV in 1988, when Gus Hiddink’s team containing Ronald Koeman, beat Benfica in the European Cup Final. Hiddink was then replaced by the former England manager Bobby Robson, who despite getting England to World Cup semi-finals in 1990, was duly hounded out by the English FA and media. England’s most ‘successful’ manager in recent times, went on to win the Eredivsie title for PSV two years running, helped by the goals and flair of Brazilian playmaker Romario.
Philips financial clout was most evident in 1994, when PSV beat off many clubs to sign 19 year old brazilian goal machine, Ronaldo for £3m. Since then PSV sides with star players like Wim Jonk, Jaap Stam and Ruud Van Nistelroy have won the Eredivsie title in 1996–97, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08 . PSV have arguably replaced Ajax, to become Netherland’s dominant side.
Philips Stadion is a superb modern stadium, designed to put the supporters close to the action on the pitch and also give them plenty of leg room, food kiosks and stadium stewards. The Philips brand logo was literally everywhere inside and on the Philips Stadion. The advertising hoardings , the floodlights, the stewards and players clothing, supporters merchandise and banners, food kiosks and toilets.The high stands with those famous gas heaters in the stadium roofs, provide protection against Eindhoven weather and also make for a great match atmosphere. Photo below taken from West Trbune, section L.
Small complimentary match programmes were available from food kiosks inside Philips Stadion and ‘PSV Inside’ magazine is on sale at PSV Fan Store outside gate 12. The PSV Supportershome can also be found here.
PSV offers tours around Philips Stadion including to the dressing room, press centre and pitch. A tour can also be done in conjunction with a visit to a PSV training session at their Sportcomplex De Herdgang, about 5 minutes from the Philips Stadion. If you fancy watching players stretch, play head tennis and sprint with bibs on, training sessions are normally scheduled a week in advance. Tours around Philips Stadion only are €12, but day-trippers please note there are no tours run on matchdays.
Getting a ticket for Philips Stadion
As with Ajax and Feyenoord, unless you can borrow someone’s ID card, you will have to take advantage of the scheme where tourists can purchase match tickets. PSV operate the grand sounding ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ Package scheme. Being from Yorkshire, I naturally picked the cheaper silver package. For this, I paid €60 and for my package, I got a €21 match ticket in West Tribune. Although this was better for the atmosphere, it was not so good if you want to see the West tribune’s impressive pre-match choreography. I also get a €20 voucher for the PSV Fan Store, if you want to surprise your loved one with a PSV duvet or lampshade. Finally there are €10 worth of tokens to exchange for food/drinks. I managed to resell the Fan Store voucher and any unused food/drink tokens on Ebay, no problem. Check out club website, for more details.
Fortunately, PSV have no restrictions on away supporters visiting Philips Stadion, so you can enjoy good match atmospheres, especially when Ajax, Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar or Twente are in town. Away supporters are safely behind Perspex fences and netting way up on the upper tier of the North-west corner.
PSV’s most ‘excitable’ supporters are the Vak T and can be heard in lower tier, Section T, next to the North-east Corner. The West tribune seems to be location for the supporter choreography and in for the PSV- Vitesse Arnhem 2009/10 fixture, they put on an impressive display with the message “In other cities dark/but this is Eindhoven, city of light”. Philips would no doubt have been proud of such indirect advertising.
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor
AFC Ajax
Address: Amsterdam Arena,
Arena Boulevard 29,
1101 AX Amsterdam Zuidoost
Email: ajax@oad.nl (for tickets)
Website: www.ajax.nl
Supporters Websites:www.afca.nl , www.vak410.nl
When to go to Amsterdam.
Even if Ajax are playing away, I highly recommend a visit to Amsterdam for Queen’s Day. No its not some Transvestite convention, but Amsterdam’s very own Mardi Gras and Oktoberfest all wrapped in orange to celebrate the official birthday of Netherland’s reigning monarch, Queen Beatrix. Wear something orange and join Amsterdammers for a 24 hour street and canal p#ss-up, from evening of 29 April to 30 April.
Getting to the Amsterdam Arena
The most convenient and therefore busiest route from Amsterdam Central station to Amsterdam Arena is on metro line 54 (direction Gein). Stop at Strandvliet or Bijlmer. Get yourself a dagkaart or 24 (€7), 48 (€11) or 72 (€14) hour metro card in advance, to beat the queues after the match. Amsterdam Arena is also reached from outlying districts by buses 29, 158, 174 and 175. Jump off at Bijlmer stop with the Ajax supporters.
As with other modern out of town stadia, options for a pre-match beer are limited around the Arena. Personally I would do what most Ajax supporters do and drink in central Amsterdam. If you do get to the Arena early, there are some dull-looking sports bars around Bijlmer metro stop. For a bit more atmosphere, carry on to the training ground next to the Arena where you will see the graffiti-decorated Ajax Supportershome (Arena Boulevard 1). I understand the Supportershome bar is open 3 hours before kick-off and 2 hours after final whistle on matchdays.
About the Amsterdam Arena
If you have trudged the well worn and crowded tourist paths to the Sex, Hemp, Torture, Heineken and Anne Frank museums , may I suggest a tour around the Amsterdam Arena, Ajax museum and fan shop. There are normally between 5-7 Arena tours daily, but as ever check the website for opening times and prices.
My tour began from the middle tier of the Noord section, with a local guide who naturally spoke better English than me, enthusiastically lecturing us on the ‘multipurpose usage’ of the Arena. Below us the ground staff were busy utilising rows of UV lights, to minimise the number of times the turf would be dug up and re-laid, mainly because of the effect of the ‘multipurpose usage’ and the sun-restricting roof above us.
We then moved down into the bowels of the Arena and the press room where I spotted a fantastic arty farty photograph of Ajax players (including a youthful Johan Cruyff, complete with a Beatle mop hair cut) in a classic 1960s pose. Unfortunately, we were not allowed into the dressing room and the obligatory walk onto pitch-side was again done from the Noord section. So there was no opportunity to admire the graffiti art on display in the lower tier of the Zuid section, home to Ajax’s fanatical F-Side supporters. The tour ended with free entry to the Ajax museum. It is possible to visit the museum without a tour, again check the website.
This compact museum is well organised and stuffed full of great artefacts which chronicle the history of Netherland’s most successful football club. Ajax have won 29 Eredivisie titles , 2 Intercontinental Cups, 4 European Cups and have been entertaining the Whitaker family for two generations, now.
My father was stationed at an RAF base on the dutch/german border in the early 1970s and fondly recalls not only the great Borussia Monchengladbach team led by Gunter Netzer, but also the Totaal Voetbal of Ajax team containing Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens. This may explain why the England national team’s poor qualifying record in the 1970s, if this was the quality of opposition at the time.
By the 1980/90s, I had joined the dutch footie appreciation society, thanks to Marco Van Basten’s time at AC Milan. Advances in media technology (i.e youtube) has only recently allowed me to enjoy Van Basten’s career at Ajax. Scoring on his debut as a 17 year old in 1982, Van Basten spent 5 seasons at Ajax and was top scorer in the dutch league for 4 of them. Van Basten chalked up some 128 goals in 133 matches and my favourate was this cracker against Den Bosch, at De Meer in 1986.
Van Basten’s 128th and final goal for Ajax was the winner, scored against Lokomotive Leipzig in the 1987 UEFA Cup Winners final. Amongst the medals and European Golden Boots lent to the museum, was a school football diary and photograph of Marco Van Basten as a spotty teenager . Although I did not share Van Basten’s prodigious goalscoring talent, at least I could empathise with the teenage acne and a 1980s casual haircut.
The Ajax youth academy or de Toekomst (the Future) that produced the likes of Marco Van Basten, Denis Bergkamp and Wesley Sneijder, is still churning out prodigious talent now. Unfortunately for clubs like Ajax, the Bosman ruling meant these best players are now quickly sold onto richer, if not necessarily bigger clubs. Even imports that were bought in to fill the void, players like Ibrahimovic and most recently Suarez, no longer hang around. I doubt Ajax will ever be able to repeat their last European Cup win of 1995, when Van Gaal’s team containing Kluivert, Bogarde , Overmars, Kanu , Davids , Seedorf and the de Boer twins beat AC Milan.
The Ajax museum is located at the main entrance of the Amsterdam Arena, next to the official Ajax fan shop. If you are after purchasing some Ajax clogs, this may well be your only chance as after numerous visits to Amsterdam, I have never found an Ajax fan shop in centre of the city. You can pick up the 40 page colour Kick Off match programme for €1.90 here and from booths around the Arena entrances.
Getting a ticket for Amsterdam Arena
As with PSV and Feyenoord, unless you can borrow someone’s ID card, you are obliged to take advantage of the scheme where tourists can purchase match tickets as part of an expensive package. Ajax offer packages to Eredivisie, Dutch Cup and Champions League fixtures that include a match ticket, an ArenA-card worth €10 and an ‘unspecified’ (i.e something from slow-moving stock in the fan shop) Ajax souvenir. Depending on the package, seats are normally available in section 409 (corner top tier) or 113 (middle tier behind the goal) and go on sale about 3 weeks before. You can collect your tickets from the Arena’s main entrance, some 2 hours before kick-off. Further details and Arena seating plan can be found at www.ajaxtravel.nl/ . Below is view from section 409.
Locals tell me the best atmospheres at Ajax matches used to be der klassieker, with Feyenoord. I say ‘used to be’, as Feyenoord supporters are currently banned due to repeated outbreaks of violence between both sets of supporters, in previous visits .Their absence may well mean less police around the Arena, but it has also had a negative effect on recent der klassieker atmospheres. Looking at the photo below from the 2009/10 der klassieker, even the Ajax hoolies seemed to be missing their Feyenoord counterparts, to chant at. The banner reads “ The Classical without colour”, bemoaning the absence of rivals supporters.
I understand the banning of away supporters is only into the second of a five year exclusion order, so do not expect to Feyenoord supporters back at the Arena for a while. Despite operating some of the most draconian supporter control measures in Europe, the authorities have now also decided to ban ADO Den Haag and Utrecht supporters from Ajax matches as well. At least, you should get some traditional match atmosphere in the Arena when teams like PSV , AZ Alkmaar or Twente are visiting.
Match Extras
If you get to the Ajax Supportershome about an hour before kick off, you can also witness the impressive display of Ajax supporters marching to the Arena. The choreography of chants, fireworks, drums and banners outside the Arena for the 2009/10 der klassieker , seemed to be led by the VAK410 supporters group, usually located inside the Arena in the upper tier of the Zuid section
One aspect of dutch football I had not witnessed in the English game was when former Ajax player Thomas Vermaelen returned to say ‘goodbye’ to supporters in the Arena at the 2009-10 Ajax/Feyenoord fixture. Vermaelen led the Arena crowd in an a typically dutch singalong, received bouquets of flowers from various supporter groups and then did a final lap of ‘farewell’, throwing Ajax shirts into the crowd. In age of modern football where most former players here would receive chants of Judas etc., it was refreshing to see a positive relationship between supporter and player. It would be interesting to see if Vermaelen would have received a such a warm reception if he was wearing the away shirt of Feyenoord rather than current club, Arsenal.
Thanks to Stephane Lieven for organizing the ticket and ‘Ajax Paul’ for the Ajax and dutch footie history lessons.
Paul Whitaker , Maracana Manor.
Feyenoord
Address: Stadion Fijenoord, Van Zandvlietplein 1
Email: info@feyenoordnet.nl
Website: www.feyenoord.nl
Supporters Websites: www.lunaticnews.nl , www.hetlegioen.nl
Getting to Rotterdam
From Amsterdam Centraal Station, there are trains every 15 minutes to Rotterdam Centraal Station. Journey times are about 40 minutes and 2nd class day returns are approximately €26.
If you reside on or near the M62 corridor and you fancy an awayday with a nautical theme, then check out P&O ferries for any 2 for 1 deals, on the Hull-Rotterdam route. You dock at Rotterdam’s Europoort in the morning and catch the bus, dropping off at Rotterdam CS. In theory you could attend ‘der Klassieker’ between Feyenoord and Ajax, as the fixtures normally have lunchtime kick-offs and still catch the afternoon bus back to Europoort , for the evening sail.
Either side of this ‘European Football Day’, you get 2 nights sampling the delights of the ‘Pride of Rotterdam/Hull’ ferries. Once the bright lights of the Europoort or humber estuary are left in your wake, retire to the Sunset Lounge on the upper deck and chill out to the club singer belting out 80s hits. If you are lucky, there could be an impromptu performance on the dance floor, when the ferry security guards break up a drunken brawl between two hen parties from South Yorkshire.
On arrival at Rotterdam CS, seek out the VVV Info Cafe (Stationsplein 45. Open Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm) for free mini-guides, city and public transport maps. Rotterdam is not the easiest of cities to get around, due to uneven layout of modern office buildings and shopping streets. We used the Erasmus Bridge as focal point of visit. From here, you catch one of the many Spido cruises for a tour of Rotterdam’s vast expanse of waterways and port. The Harbour tour cost about €9 and lasts an hour. Also check out the amazing series of cube shaped houses or kubuswoningen , near Blaak metro stop. You can even go inside one of these ‘upside down’ houses for €2.50.
Do not even think about jumping on the train to Amsterdam for a good night out, as Rotterdam has plenty to offer. I highly recommend the Bazar (Witte de Withstraat 16), which is an excellent cafe-restaurant , serving North African and Middle East food. Stay on Witte de Withstraat afterwards and there are a number of bars, ranging from pretentious arty-farty cafe bars cum galleries, to traditional dutch pubs whose walls and decor ooze history. Nearest metro stop is Eendrachtsplein.
Getting to de Kuip
Feijenoord Stadion or De Kuip (The Tub) is located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas River in the Ijsselmonde district. From Rotterdam CS you can catch Tram 23 or on match days only, Tram 29. Rotterdam public transport operate those disposable OV chipkaarts that you see in Amsterdam and you have a choice of 1 (€6), 2 (€9) or 3 (€12) day passes. OV chipkaarts can be bought at Rotterdam CS and Tram 23 can be picked up at or just over Erasmus Bridge. You can catch Connexxionbus 157 to De Kuip from Zuidplein. There is also a football special train or Voetbaltrein that runs on match days, every 20 minutes from Rotterdam CS to Stadion stop. Journey times are only 10 minutes and maybe an option after the match, if you are rushing to catch the Europoort bus.
About De Kuip
Rotterdam is rare in the Netherlands, in it being a three professional football club city. Feyenoord’s local rivals are Sparta Rotterdam who play at Netherlands oldest stadium, Het Kasteel (Spartastraat 7). Excelsior is effectively a feeder club for Feyenoord and play at the Woudestein stadion (Honingerdijk 110).Feyenoord may be the biggest football club in Rotterdam, but within Netherlands has always struggled to get out of the shadow of its main rival Ajax and more recently PSV Eindhoven.
Not many football supporters outside Netherlands (well the straw poll I conducted) know, that Feyenoord was the first dutch club to win the European Cup (beating Jock Stein’s Celtic in 1970), the Intercontinental Cup and later the UEFA Cup. Famous players to have worn the iconic red and white halved shirts include Ruud Gullit , Ronald Koeman , Dirk Kuyt and a certain Johan Cruyff who moved from Ajax prior to the 1983/4 season and helped Feyenoord to their last ‘double’. Feyenoord have won the Eredivsie 14 times, but the last title came back in 1999.
Unlike Feyenoord the club, Feyenoord the stadium does stand out from its Amsterdam and Eindhoven rivals. Yes, this classic and functional stadium looks a period piece which has changed little from its original 1937 design. Yes, the seats, leg room and toilet facilities maybe inadequate for 21st century football supporter. De Kuip is still a favourate football stadium for UEFA for staging European finals, even beating its Amsterdam Arena rival to host the 2000 European Championship Final. At the risk of upsetting my Amsterdam friends, I have to say it is also my favourate football stadium in Netherlands for the match atmosphere generated by both Feyenoord and dutch national team supporters.
My previous visit to De Kuip and Rotterdam was for the 1993 World Cup Qualifier between Netherlands and Graham Taylor’s England. It was to be a classic “I was there occasion” with the dutch support the star attraction off the pitch. De Kuip shook to the ompah-band drinking songs and a rendition of “You’ll never walk alone” that reverberated around the stands. It almost made me forget the scenes of pre match violence and firing of rocket flares into our stand from the dutch hoolies, although not the injustice of Ronald Koeman only getting a yellow card, after the professional foul on David Platt. Then Koeman going straight up the other end and chipping a precision free kick past a flapping David Seaman. My plans to be part of Graham Taylor’s Barmy Army in 1994 World Cup in USA, were firmly b#ggered up that night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HpShwkrWtk
Fast forward to 2010 and if De Kuip had changed little apart from new seats and a roof, the atmosphere was good and the locals friendly. Options for a pre match pint seemed to be limited directly around the stadium. The Feyenoord supportershome can be found next to the club’s training pitches. From outside the Olympiatribune part of De Kuip, simply go along the Olympiaweg under the Marathonweg and turn left towards Feyenoord’s training complex and pitches.
There are a number of merchandise and food vans outside the Olympiatribune. You can also pick up two match programmes here. There is the complimentary pocket-sized ‘Feyenoord wedstrijdmagazine’ which includes tiny player posters that would take a young Feyenoord supporter years to cover his bedroom wall. The club also produces the ‘Stadion Sport Nieuws’ in traditional match progamme size and costing €1.50.
Feyenoord do 60 minute guided tours of De Kuip on matchdays, that cost about €10. The Home of History museum is also open. Price is €5 Tues-Sun from 10.0-1600. As ever check the club website for more details. Once inside De Kuip, you will have to swap euros for Feyenoord tokens if you want to purchase more food/beer
Getting a ticket for de Kuip.
As with PSV and Ajax, unless you can borrow a Feyenoord friend’s Club card then you will have to apply to the club direct for a ticket. For high risk matches, you will need a valid club card. You can apply by downloading application from club website. Please allow 3 weeks for card to be processed and sent to your home address.
In theory you can also apply for away ticket, but bear in mind all dutch clubs run a ‘combi’ system, where you can only buy a match ticket with a train or bus ticket. This means you start and finish a Feyenoord awayday at Rotterdam, regardless where you live.
For low risk matches, simply register with the club by email . You can then access Feyenoord Ticket service and apply for match tickets online. Tickets go on sale about three weeks before match. You can have tickets posted to you or simply collect from hut on the Olympiatribune. Do not forget to bring valid ID. For Feyenoord v AZ Alkmaar fixture, picked €23 seats in the upper tier of Marathontribune, section HH. This was close to away supporters in section GG and views can be seen below.
Feyenoord matches at De Kuip can have some of the best atmospheres in Netherlands and this is due to the club’s supporters who are known as Het Legioen or The Legion. As a nice touch, Feyenoord do not use the squad number 12, as this has been given over to their loyal supporters. The boisterous element can be found in the Stadiontribune and have called themselves ‘Vak S’. With Ajax supporters currently banned from Feyenoord matches, you may want to delay your ‘Der Klassieker’ experience for a few years, until authorities chill out. For the best match atmospheres, time your visit to De Kuip when ADO Den Haag, PSV Eindhoven or Utrecht are in town.
Paul Whitaker, Maracana Manor
