A lot of hard work is being done to follow up the fanatical supporters at FC Emmen. Members of the Kids Club received a lesson in making banners from experienced makers of the Zuidtribune on Friday.
Smoke bombs, wild field invaders and banners full of curses with the most nasty diseases. Hooliganism seems to be plaguing the stands in professional football. At FC Emmen they want to keep that misery as far as possible outside the stadium.
Shake well
The hard core of the Drenthe club is busy with completely different things. Such as training a new generation of supporters. Fifteen young Emmen residents sprayed encouraging pictures and texts on Friday under the guidance of experienced cloth makers. On Sunday they will show the results to full stands and television viewers prior to the home game against Feyenoord.
,,Do not spray against the wind”, ,,shake well first” and ,,only color on the canvas”. While artist and supporter Hein, the spiritual father of many a canvas in the Emmen stands, explains to the youth what to do and what not to do, it suddenly sounds ‘shit’ right behind him. His companion Wim has his hands black with paint. ,,Security cap was no longer on it”, Wim washes his hands in innocence. ,,See here how not to do it”, Hein teases.
Club colours
After blinking a few times, Alicia (11) and her brother Rowan (9) have already finished their banner. “It’s really our first time,” the eldest swears. ‘A+R’ is signed by her brother in the bottom corner of the otherwise full canvas. “Like real artists.”
In addition to them, Bram, Cyriel and Nick take longer to come up with a good design. After much deliberation, it becomes the logo of the club. First practice on a piece of cardboard, then a blueprint in blue, then the red and white of the club colors. The cooperation runs smoothly. Not surprising, the trio plays together in the under 12 of the professional club and is therefore well attuned to each other.
South tribuner Wim, meanwhile, comes along with a heavy box of vowels. They are not to be thrown in Emmen, but to be placed on the corner of the corners against fluttering by the wind.
77 & 32
12-year-old Sofie from Emmen dragged her nephew David from Haren in Groningen to her favorite stadium. And they didn’t come without a plan. ,,We want to recreate Jeroen Veldmate’s goal against Ajax.”
,,Oof. I don’t even dare to do such a job,” says club artist Hein. In the end it will be a ball in the goal, a big red heart and a shirt with number 77. ,,The number of Ole Romeny, our best player.”
At the neighbors there is now a discussion between four supporters about the same idea. The two girls would like number 4 from Veldmate on their canvas, the boys go for the 5 from Araujo. They find a compromise in the form of keeper Micky van der Hart. So a 1 on the shirt? ,,Not at all. Micky has number 32. Everyone knows that.”
Hein nods satisfied from a distance. Club love, knowledge and originality. The young guard is fine. “We can stop it.”
On the field on Sunday
On Sunday, the creatives can show the canvases themselves to the public and players of Emmen and Feyenoord. The latter then walk onto the field between the colorful cheers.
It is the second time that the club brings together new and experienced fans in this way. Last year, banners were made in school classes and on the stadium. The makers of it were then allowed to follow a competition in their own profession. You can’t do that on Sunday. It is the first time that opponent Feyenoord plays a match outside Rotterdam as national champion. The tickets for it sold out quickly.