While the “Essent Speler van het Jaar” SMS voting is often dominated by flashy wingers, creative playmakers, or heroic goalkeepers, the FC Groningen fanbase occasionally uses their 60-cent texts to reward pure, unadulterated loyalty. Page 18 of the December 2013 matchday programme captures exactly such a moment, announcing local boy Tom Hiariej as the Man of the Match for the previous home game against PEC Zwolle.

Hiariej, a product of the club’s own youth academy who had been battling for his place in the first team for years, claimed 28% of the vote. He narrowly beat out the defensive rock Eric Botteghin (24%) and the tireless Slovenian winger Andraz Kirm (21%). The photo shows a beaming Hiariej holding his bouquet of flowers, a well-deserved moment of recognition for a player who often operated in the shadows of more high-profile signings.

For the fans in the Euroborg, voting for Hiariej was an acknowledgment of his grit. He wasn’t the most glamorous player on the pitch, but he was their player—a guy from the region who understood exactly what it meant to wear the green and white shirt. His victory in this poll proves that the northern supporters value hard work and local connection just as much as technical brilliance.

A Look into the Future

Tom Hiariej‘s career at FC Groningen was defined by his incredible perseverance. He spent over a decade at the club, surviving multiple managerial changes and constant influxes of new signings, always managing to fight his way back into the starting lineup when needed. He eventually left the club in 2017 to play in Australia and later returned to the Dutch lower leagues. But for the fans who voted for him in 2013, he will always be remembered as the ultimate reliable local boy—a player who never complained, always worked hard, and occasionally got the spotlight he truly deserved.