Building a resilient fanbase means teaching the next generation that supporting a club isn’t just about cheering at home; it’s about following the team on the road. Page 30 of the March 2014 matchday programme highlights how the Junior Club actively trained its young members in the art of the “away day.”
The page advertises the upcoming FanTours to PSV in Eindhoven and Roda JC in Kerkrade. These are not short trips; traveling from the deep north to the deep south of the Netherlands is a massive logistical undertaking. Yet, for €22.50, kids were provided with a bus ride, a match ticket, and snacks. “Traveling with the FanTour means: a cozy bus trip, tasting the atmosphere in another stadium, and seeing your favorite players play a match,” the text reads. It was a supervised apprenticeship in hardcore fandom.
But the most heartwarming detail on the page is found in a small grey box titled “KIDS UNITED”. The programme announces that for this massive clash against Feyenoord, the traditional player escort line-up would be replaced by members of Kids United, the club’s adopted “G-team” (a team for children with physical and mental disabilities). Walking out onto the pitch of a sold-out Euroborg for a top-tier Eredivisie match gave these children an unforgettable moment of pure joy and inclusion, proving that the club’s heart was as big as its ambitions.
A Look into the Future
The children who took those long bus rides to Eindhoven and Kerkrade in 2014 are now the vocal leaders of the Groningen away support, organizing their own trips across the country. Meanwhile, the partnership with Kids United has only grown stronger. By 2026, the G-team is fully integrated into the club’s identity, with their own official kit presentations and dedicated tournaments. This page from 2014 captures the club successfully executing its two most important social duties: educating the next generation of fans and ensuring that football truly is for everyone.