Pelé and other celebrities on the floor at Wastora: “It was never boring here”

Whoever says Wastora usually says AZ in the same breath. The Alkmaar football club led a marginal existence, even balancing on the edge of bankruptcy when the Zaanse Molenaar brothers extended the club a helping hand in 1972. The brothers have always said that they did it out of love for the club, but it was also an ideal opportunity for them to advertise their store Wastora a lot.

Along the stadium on signs, for example, but famous is the procession of supporters buses from AZ’67 to Utrecht in the 1972-1973 season during the cup tournament. 140 buses filled with Wastora logos towards Utrecht; it was the early days of large-scale advertising in football.

De Molenaars also invested in the selection and over the years the supporters saw new players pass by: Kees Kist, Ronald Spelbos, Eddy Treijtel… the list of names goes on. And what about Willem van Hanegem or Bert van Marwijk? “Yet I never felt the pressure that those investments had to be performed,” says Van Marwijk now.

He explains: “Klaas and Cees were first and foremost supporters. They behaved that way already. We all knew that they provided that good, broad, financial basis. They were emotionally involved with the club and sometimes with the result. But I have never seen an angry Klaas or Cees come into the dressing room. Never.”

Text continues below the photos.

The involvement of the Millers was also visible among the supporters. During a car-free Sunday it was not possible for them to come to the away match against Haarlem by car. So it became the bike. The drivers Molenaar led the way, followed by a large group of supporters.

Text continues below the photo.

The connection with AZ ’67 resulted in famous people visiting the Zaanse West side. “Pele also came to the store. I met him there”, former AZ ’67 player Ronald Spelbos remembers well. “He later came to watch an AZ match, then I saw him again and we talked for a while. That was a very nice experience.”

“It’s never been boring in the 22 years that I’ve worked here,” grins Hans de Wolf, former director of Assumo (the insurance branch of Wastora).

Text continues below the photo.

The famous singer Charles Aznavour also came by. “We were here, I think even in this room,” points out Klaas Molenaar jr. He is standing in a room of the restaurant D’Swarte Walvis on the Zaanse Schans. This is where the Millers always held their business dinners.

This time the players of AZ ’67 were also there. “Of course that was special, but it happens to you. He was such a friendly, ordinary man. He also talked a lot about football. That was so much fun, I really enjoyed that afternoon.”

Text continues below the photos.

View the second episode of the triptych ‘Wastora, imperium aan de Zaan’ at the top of this article. It includes images of the championship party in the West side after AZ’67 became champion in 1981.

Tomorrow the last episode will follow, with attention to the fire in 1993, one of the largest fires that the Zaanstreek has known.