Friday, October 14, 2022 at 6:51 PM• Jonathan van Haaster • Last update: 18:56

Clubs and the KNVB see nothing in Jan Gösgens’ proposal to ‘stop publicity’, according to research by the General Newspaper. The technical manager of FC Den Bosch made this statement in response to the behavior of the Bossche supporters during the away game against Willem II. Den Bosch supporters threw fireworks during the game in the Kitchen Champion Division and tried to confront supporters of WIllem II.

Gösgens stated that things go wrong not only with supporters of his club, but that it also happens at ‘a lot of other clubs’. That led to a remarkable statement from the driver. “We just have to stop publicizing.” The KNVB handed out a stadium ban to 1250 supporters last season. That is a doubling compared to the previous year. In the meantime, support for visiting supporters among local authorities is diminishing. For example, the branch during NAC – ADO Den Haag remains empty due to previous disturbances between the two groups of supporters. In addition, the supporters of Roda JC Kerkrade are not welcome at the game against Telstar by order of the mayor of Velsen. Fans of FC Groningen are also only allowed to visit the match at FC Twente via a bus combination arrangement.

General director of RKC Waalwijk Frank van Mosselveld speaks of ‘a sad development’. “Without wishing to trivialize the incidents, ‘those football supporters’ are too often pointed out. No, it is not the supporters who misbehave. It is a small group of citizens who come to football to cause problems. we keep making, I think. Instead of being guided by that group, you should reason: how can we be hospitable to the 99 percent normal football supporters?”

Jordens Peters, general manager of Roda JC, agrees with his fellow director. “It is the easiest way to say: ‘because of a small group of annoying supporters, we don’t allow away supporters at all’. It would be better to choose the right solution. In other words: in consultation with the clubs ensure a person-oriented approach, where you just don’t allow the few bad apples in. At least that way the real fans aren’t the victims.”

Jan Bluyssen believes that a lot has been invested in the past year and a half to make stadium visits safer. The KNVB’s competition affairs manager states that there are strict penalties for throwing beer and fireworks and that racist expressions are also dealt with harshly. Since this season, the KNVB has also been taking stricter action against supporters with face-covering clothing. There is now the possibility that stadium bans can be issued for having or wearing that type of clothing. Bluyssen states that the above measures work, given the sharp increase in the number of stadium bans. “If we continue along this line and tackle the spoilers, I believe we will further reduce incidents.”

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