Former FC Emmen director Johan Stuulen passed away last week at the age of 78. From 2000 to 2004, Stuulen was director of the Drenthe professional club, then still BVO Emmen. In 2011 he temporarily returned as interim director.
Before becoming director, Stuulen had been on the board of FC Emmen for some time. “I’m not starting completely blank,” he said in January 2000 about his new position in conversation with Newspaper of the North. Yet he did not make his choice overnight. Stuulen said he had to think about the offer for months.
The period in which Stuulen was at the helm can safely be described as a turbulent period. For a while, Stuulen was even the only board member. The club was in such financial bad weather that FC Emmen was heading for bankruptcy. The municipality of Emmen came up with a rescue plan, on the condition that Stuulen would resign.
A research report by UNO Bedrijfsadviseurs and Trip Advocaten argued in favor of Stuulen staying on. A departure would make the organization vulnerable. Moreover, Stuulen had to take the lead at a time when there was no government. In short: Stuulen has never been able to show how a professional club functions ‘normally’.
Stuulen himself also wanted to stay on, but that was not to be. A majority of the city council agreed to the rescue plan in May 2004, which stated that there was no more room for the director. Stuulen was the bitten dog.
By the way, he didn’t give up. For example, he could have called in sick, but he didn’t. The morning after the Emmer council’s verdict, he was back at De Meerdijk. Get to work. He officially left the club in July of that year.
In 2011, Stuulen surprisingly returned to FC Emmen as interim director. The then 63-year-old Stuulen took over the management duties from Gerrit Volkers, who had to slow down due to heart problems. “I actually never left,” Stuulen said about his temporary job Radio Drenthe. “I have a warm heart for the club. I was already active behind the scenes. That ultimately led to this.”
He was not afraid that the unrest of 2004 would haunt him. “I don’t believe that at all. It’s a different situation now,” he said matter-of-factly. Stuulen was temporary director of the club until 2012.
Stuulen was also active outside of football. For example, he was chairman of the VVD in Emmen for some time and was committed to the Living Industry Foundation, the owner of the colorful work of art De Stip.
The director through and through was also chairman of ‘t Volk van Grada. This is an organization that draws attention to Drenthe culture and folklore.
Even after leaving as interim director in 2012, he certainly did not turn his back on the club. As a supporter, he was a loyal visitor to De Oude Meerdijk for many years. “His love for FC Emmen and football in the region always remained as great as ever,” says FC Emmen about Stuulen’s death.
FC Emmen will play with mourning bands in the home match against Jong FC Utrecht next Monday. There will also be a minute’s silence before the match.
