The reach of FC Groningen extends to the very edges of the Dutch map. A fascinating piece of evidence for this is the advertisement for Notariaat Ter Apel, operated by mr. R.T. de Vries, found in the early 2013 matchday programme.
Ter Apel is located in the extreme southeast of the Groningen province, nestled in the heavily forested Westerwolde region, right on the border with Germany. It is a significant distance from the city center. Yet, for a notary—a profession built entirely on absolute trust, discretion, and regional authority—having a presence in the Euroborg was a strategic masterstroke. The stadium’s business lounges are the ultimate melting pot for regional real estate developers, agricultural magnates, and entrepreneurs. When a business owner from the city needed to finalize a land deal or a corporate merger near the border, the name of the notary they saw every two weeks in their football programme naturally came to mind.
![Notariaat Ter Apel advertisement scan from FC Groningen matchday programme 2013]](https://footballonpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/fop_20260924_093825_ye9p.webp)
A Look into the Future
Viewed from 2026, the town of Ter Apel has taken on a highly complex national profile, primarily known across the Netherlands as the central registration hub for asylum seekers—a situation that has often brought intense political and social pressure to the border town. However, beneath the national headlines, the local economy of Westerwolde continues to function, driven by agriculture, cross-border trade, and real estate. The quiet, stabilizing presence of local legal professionals, like the notary who advertised at the football club over a decade ago, remains the invisible glue holding the regional business community together through turbulent times.