Bruse Boys v Volendam
Early Eurostar over to Brussels for a jaunt round the diesel lines in Northern Belgium. Plan was to go to the Patro Eisden v Eindhoven friendly but on arrival, the gate on the track to the ground was firmly locked and a check of the club notice board informed that the game was the following Wednesday. Soccerway were duly informed
Bus back to Genk where a night out in a western Belgian industrial town was exactly as imagined. Nearest guide pub was in Hassalt. Next morning, early train down to Liege.
Then headed across to Narmur for the scenic route down the Semois valley to Luxembourg. Last did this route when it used to be SNCB 5500s on kayak specials. Stations have been taken over by small Carrefours, which surprisingly had reasonable Leffe, mimolette/bruge cube mixes, and pickled onion crisps. This was my diet for three days.
Heading for Luxembourg for the Differdange 03 v Trabzonspor Europa League game. Stade Parc des Sports is a winner as I’d only previously seen Red Boys and 03 at Stade du Thillenberg. Passing the stadium on the train, something did not look right…
….nor was the station a haven of activity…
…and finally confirmation at the ground, that the game had been moved to the national stadium in Luxembourg City, due to the demand for tickets from the away supporters. I did find an e-mail from the club in my trash folder, as I had gone to the effort of getting a ticket in advance.
Back to the closer Oberkorn station and some consolation with a CfL 3000 standing in for a 4000 on the Tisch push-pull circuit. I got back to the capital and headed for the stadium. However, the ground was awash with police as there had been a lot of trouble at the previous evenings Fola Esch v Dinamo Zagreb game. With Differdange losing, and only ten minutes left, I couldn’t be bothered to carry on, which was a shame as they then equalised and only lost to a 93rd minute goal.
Next day was one of the through SBB services to Bruxelles, for the service train to Rotterdam. Since the Fyra farce, these have operated with Traxx 186 locos and runs on the conventional lines.
And so tonight’s game, Bruse Boys v Volendam. Bruse Boys provides some very dubious Google results, but eventually they were found to play in Bruinisse in Zeeland, which is the collection of islands to the South West of Rotterdam. No trains, so a very convoluted metro/walk/bus journey.
Outbound from the delights of Rotterdam Zuid bus terminal.
The route was mostly on causeways and bridges that connected the islands.
Finally arriving at the strange fishing/towage port of Bruinisse. The football ground was part of a newish complex right on the coast…
….immediately next to the towage quays (the fishing port was further round the coast). The bus journey had taken us past the Dutch national Tug museum, which was noted for a future visit.
Rather than a perimeter fence, the club instead had gone for a moat. I for one wish there were more moats in football.
Bruse Boys 0 v Volendam 7, pre-season friendly
Bruse Boys were founded in 1955, having previously having the brilliant name of Perseverance. In the 1970s, the club moved up to the KNVB and were promoted to the 2nd class division. In 1999, they were promoted to the first class, winning the league in 2003, although they then droppend down to the 2nd.
Volendam were founded in 1920, originally as Victoria, by local fishermen. They joined the Catholic Football Association, winning it in 1935 and 1938. In 1955, the club joined the professional football league, where they are currently in the Eredivisie. Their most famous products are Wim Jonk and Arnold Mühren.
The ground had one stand on the far side, a changing room/clubhouse behind the goal, hard standing on all sides…
…and a rather ornate carved wooden bench on the remaining side.
Bruse Boys are slaves to 1970s clip art, both for the club badge and most other artwork around the ground.
Unexplained was an exhibition of Volvo cars through the years behind one goal, until a wayward warm up shot wiped out the wing mirror of a p1800, hence the empty space infront.
Good to see the warm up balls were classic black and white hexagonal panel.
The club declared a number of partnerships with Feyenoord, but the only kits seen around the ground were three Messi Barcelona offerings.
The teams coming out through a myriad of bikes…
….accompanied, again unexplained, by a bride….
….who also kicked the game off.
Which lasted for about thirty seconds before one of the benches complained about a drone that was filming the game, and amidst much pointing, was eventually grounded.
Volendam are in the Erste (second) division, whilst Bruse are in Tweede klasse (fourth level of amateur leagues). Volendam seemed to consist solely of players who were 6 foot 2 and 10 stone, except for the goalkeeper, who was 5’8”. Games was all Volendam, mostly the left winger who soon gave up playing overlaps with his fullback as he would play the ball through, turn, and still reach it before him. The Volendam forward seemed to have the sole purpose of looking perplexed when yet again he was flagged for being five foot off side.
Eventually Volendam scored, and then scored six more. Scoreboard looked like it should be displaying the price of unleaded.
Headed back to Rotterdam where the rest of the evening was spent avoiding Cardiff supporters who had been playing Sparta and were now just trashing bars.
Next day, it was the ferry back to Harwich, though not after a visit to Meyer & Blessing Hobby B.V, Southern Holland’s premier model supplies.
A Piko DB Autozug liveried 215 and a Rivarossi Silberling push-pull set was purchased for the office railway. A quick examination in the hotel...
…and back at work today, so a chance to give it a run out on the office train set, which is allegedly a learning age to teach controllers hand signalling, but becomes more populated each day.
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