Stephan Brandhorst’s sporting moment: from European dream in London to Maastricht

The European victory of the Alkmaarders brought us all kinds of extra jobs. In the weeks towards the end of the season, it is always very busy. The trip to London was also squeezed in. I had previously been to Brussels with colleague Erik-Jan Brinkman for Anderlecht – AZ. That was disappointing with a 2-0 defeat. After an insane denouement in the home game, AZ still qualified for the semi-finals. West Ham United became the opponent and we also had to go to England.

In Brussels it was still ‘we’, because then there were just the two of us to make items, conduct interviews, write down stories, catch up on the radio and visit the competition. I went to London alone. We didn’t have a crew for a variety of reasons, so I took on the challenge myself. That did bring some extra pressure, but the agreements were clear: focus on the supporters traveling with you and take as much as possible with you if possible.

Day 1 – arrival

I arrived in London on Monday May 8. The day after King Charles III was crowned in Westminster Abbey. The entire city was still recovering from the festivities and there was absolutely no football atmosphere yet for the semi-final. You can’t see the city of London more beautiful than that day. Everything was clean, the frills were still visible and it was so quiet that the usually busy The Mall towards Buckingham Palace was just a footpath.

Day 2 – sightseeing

On Tuesday I had one sightseeing day taken. Because yes, while you’re there… Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Borough Market, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. They were all crossed off that day. The pedometer ended at 20,649 steps. It was the prelude to the semi-finals.

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Day 3 – racing around London

The madness finally started on Wednesday. So also racing through the metropolis. And also racing against the clock. After a delicious English breakfast with scrambled eggs and white beans in tomato sauce, the journey first took me past the West Ham United training complex. Among the players’ Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Range Rovers, I talked about the club on the radio. After the training – which was only public for fifteen minutes – I interviewed a number of journalists from Sky Sports and The Times.

Everything was quickly forwarded to Hilversum and continued straight away. I had contact with some AZ fans who were already in the city on Wednesday. Assembling myself in the back of the taxi, I was dropped off along the Thames on the other side of Big Ben. A number of enthusiastic fans were waiting for me there.

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Meanwhile, the clock was happily ticking away. In English time of course. Despite the tight planning, the first mistake was made.

I received a call from AZ that the AZ press conference was about to start. I unsuspectingly walked on the bridge towards Big Ben with my camera bag, tripod, laptop bag, backpack and radio equipment and I could have let everything fall out of my hands.

How stupid, but I couldn’t get to the London Stadium in two minutes. Then you are alone for a moment, but the thought quickly came to mind. Focus on the fans. With that in mind, I didn’t have time to be disappointed and I continued happily. At Stratford tube station, I put the item together and completed it successfully on the first day.

Day 4 – match day

It became clear during my breakfast that the city was slowly filling up with three thousand AZ fans. A group was already decked out at the table with plates scrambled eggs passed through in large numbers.

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Early in the morning I wanted to take a look at the battle scene of the semi-final. The London Stadium. Built for the 2012 Olympic Games. I could literally park the car in front of the door. I was looking for some passers-by and even though I was standing underneath the stadium, I wanted to get to the track. A security guard sent me up a flight of stairs, after which I was suddenly in the stadium. Click. The door behind me fell shut.

On match day I suddenly found myself at the West Ham United stadium. Nobody noticed. But I just wanted to go outside. That just wasn’t possible, because padlocks were blocking the exits everywhere. I was stuck. Help! I thought. Suddenly I turned into a vlogging reporter, stuck in the stadium where the Conference League semi-final was scheduled for later that day. A unique experience.

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Although I was locked up in the stadium for almost an hour, after visits to the business lounge, a look at the stands, and the morning walk of the West Ham selection, I was able to leave the stadium via a system of corridors in the bowels of the stadium. And then back to the fans.

All AZ fans gathered well before the match in the Peoples Park Tavern, about two kilometers from the stadium. The pub and garden were completely packed with fans. It was a great football party. The beer flowed freely, the atmosphere was good, there was a lot of singing and the sun shone.

Among all those fans I found two men who have had season tickets for forty years. They asked if I would also like to walk to the stadium, but I was full and tired so I had arranged a taxi. “But we will carry your things,” said one of the two. Then I had a deal and I wouldn’t have missed that walk from the pub to the stadium for anything. Singing and torches created the atmosphere and the match tension increased by the second among the AZ fans who traveled along.

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There was an absolute European Cup atmosphere in and around the stadium. The setting had the allure of a final between West Ham, with the budget of a champion, and AZ, with the creativity to surprise. AZ took the lead via Tijjani Reijnders. All those people you contacted were jumping for joy. The away section was in charge of the stadium for a while. Until West Ham accelerated and won 2-1. It was a blemish on a great adventure in London.

In the hotel I drank another beer, because I absolutely couldn’t turn down one, with the group I met in the morning. They sat there resignedly. They enjoyed it and still saw plenty of opportunities to reach the final. That also applied to the players. Their focus soon turned to the home game. Mine at De Geusselt.

Day 5 – with Telstar to Maastricht

Around half past three in the morning I was in my bed in the hotel and at half past eight the alarm went off again. Duty called, because AZ in London had to make way for Telstar in Maastricht. Within 24 hours I went from the semi-finals in the Conference League to a game of Telstar in the first division. Things can change quickly. I jumped in the car, caught the train in the Channel Tunnel on time, did a lap Straight through Flanderseventually arriving in Maastricht around half past five.

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The stadium was deserted, but of course the pie was ready. I could really use that after such a trip. With West Ham – AZ still fresh in my memory, I was preparing for MVV – Telstar at a breakneck pace. On the radio I quickly looked back on the unforgettable days in London, but after that I focused on Telstar.

Also in Maastricht, the score was 2-1 after ninety minutes of football. The White Lions produced 28 shots, but drew the short straw. Glynor Plet was crowned Telstar’s club top scorer of all time. This also meant that this match had something unique. Twice the clubs for which I had traveled across town and country were empty-handed. Still, I will remember both matches forever. Because one cannot exist without the other. Semi-final or first division. Regardless of the level of the matches, football always remains an experience.

Stephan Brandhorst