They always carry the club with them, literally. West Ham United supporters Aart Vijfvinkel from Oostwoud and Jeroen Koomen (Midwoud) have had a tattoo of the club put on their body after a bet. And let that club take on AZ tonight, in the semi-finals of the Conference League. “In the end I cheer for AZ.”
An internal conflict at Jeroen Koomen today. Because besides being a fan of West Ham United, he is above all an AZ supporter. “As a child I was allowed to go on the field with the players. I stood next to Barry Opdam. Then you quickly fall for a club.”
Almost every year he goes to London with 5 other family members to see West Ham at work. Brother-in-law Aart Vijfvinkel is also always present. About ten years ago the band was formed with the ‘Hammers’, as the nickname is. “If my brother-in-law Leon passed his final exam, we would all go to a match in England. He didn’t pass, but we still went,” says Vijfvinkel with a laugh. “And that’s how we ended up at West Ham.”
Love for the club
The love for the club was born. Matches have been watched ever since, developments closely followed. “Football is not always that good”, says Jeroen, who has been playing in the first team of the local MOC for years. “And sometimes they struggle to stay in the Premier League. But that also makes it nice. It’s nice to be for the underdog.”
A bet with Aart – captain of MOC 1 at the time – even led to a West Ham tattoo. Black ink as the ultimate act of support. Aart has the logo on his calf, Jeroen has it on his side. “It was about how many goals we would score”, Aart remembers. “We both couldn’t do it, so off we went.” The duo has no regrets. “I think it’s a nice picture too,” he says cheerfully.
And then there’s tonight’s game. A difficult dilemma, because will it be cheering for West Ham or AZ? Jeroen: “I still choose AZ. That has been mine for much longer club. And then it will be a little less sour if West Ham United wins.”