Reda Kharchouch was allowed to participate in the last ten minutes on Saturday at Excelsior in the relegation cracker against FC Emmen. The striker, who was still employed by the Drents last year, turned out to be still loved by the fans of FC Emmen after the match. That love is mutual.
After Kharchouch completed a run-out training with the other Excelsior substitutes on the field of De Oude Meerdijk, he made a round past FC Emmen supporters for a series of conversations and selfies. Special was the meeting with Jasmijn, the young FC Emmen fan who was diagnosed with bone cancer last season and who was allowed to take the stage at the championship party. Kharchouch gave her his competition shirt.
Round past the fans
,,Jasmine is still in my heart”, says Kharchouch when he has made his rounds among the fans. “She supported us tremendously last season. She is a figurehead of this club. When I see her, I fall in love with that smile all over again. She was allowed to go on the field with Miguel Araujo today, which really affected me. I’m glad I was able to talk to her for a while and give something of myself.”
It is clear that Kharchouch still has warm feelings for the club he scored seven times for last season. ,,I became champion of the first division with FC Emmen. It was the club’s first time winning the title. I will take that memory with me for the rest of my life. It’s nice that the fans haven’t forgotten me either.”
Of course Kharchouch was disappointed that his return to De Ouder Meerdijk was accompanied by a defeat. “We have a good, fresh team, but it is often not quite there. I hope we can show it in the rest of the games of this season and get the necessary points. It would be nice if Excelsior and FC Emmen also play in the premier league next season.”