In De Oude Meerdijk, not only sporting successes are celebrated or defeats collectively processed. In moments of mourning, the club’s supporters form a front of comfort. Likewise Sunday night.
The 17-year-old supporter Roy is commemorated for the playoff final against Almere. The young Emmenaar died last week in a tragic accident while working as a pizza delivery driver.
FC Emmen players wear mourning bands. This is normally only the case in the event of great suffering for players or administrators, but according to the club, this token of gratitude and compassion is appropriate this time for this ‘super volunteer’.
Pacemaker
Roy breathed football and was a welcome guest at the club. He was a talented keeper of FC Meerdijk, the joint youth branch of VV Emmen and SC Angelslo. As a member of the latter association, he would probably have made the step to the first next season. His teammate and one of his best friends Milan (18) would have done that together with him.
Milan was present in the stadium together with his friends: ,,Roy was always there. When there was fun to be had, he was the great pacesetter and if someone needed help he was always there. We spoke every day. It’s a very long week and Sunday night is extra emotional.”
Roy was part of a young group of supporters who sold program booklets at FC Emmen before the match and asked other supporters to predict the result. As a flagger, he was regularly on the field to increase the atmosphere in the stadium. That fanatical encouragement continued from the stands during the match.
Smile
His friends and co-volunteers of supporters club Rood Wit wear shirts with the text ‘Toast to Roy’ on Sunday. On the fence in front of section 21 hangs a banner saying ‘Rest in peace, Roy.’
Friend Deon (18) feels the attention of their club as support. “It is special that the players wear a mourning band. That’s good for us as a group of friends.”
In addition to the black belts, FC Emmen honors Roy’s life with a full-page memorial in the match’s program booklet. ,,We are happy to have experienced Roy in our midst and are grateful for all the joy he brought to our club and the stadium. He was a nice boy and we remember him with a smile.” In the clubhouse of Rood Wit, supporters could sign a condolence book before the match.
Cuddly toys
There is also a memorial table in the canteen of SC Angelslo with the gloves and club shirt of the deceased youth keeper. During the past school week, a special quiet room was set up at Drenthe College in Emmen in memory of the Sport and Exercise student.
It is not the first time this year that FC Emmen supporters have to commemorate a deceased club member. In January against PSV at home, the death of clubman Bert Bosman (75) was commemorated.
The week before there was an impressive campaign for the deceased daughter Shania (14) of supporters foreman Maickel. Cambuur supporters threw hundreds of hugs on the field from the club as support for the family. The images made an impression among football-loving Netherlands.
It shows that FC Emmen is so much more than a weekly game of football. For many supporters, the club is a second, or sometimes even first, home where support is sought from each other in joy and sorrow. Because sometimes the result of a match is not the most important thing.