The final home match before the winter break is a special occasion, not just for the first team, but for the entire club ecosystem, including its youngest members. Page 30 of the December 2013 matchday programme features the Junior Club‘s end-of-year message, reflecting on a successful year and immortalizing the final group of children to receive the ultimate matchday honor.
Under the headline “Laatste wedstrijd voor winterstop” (Final match before the winter break), the club looks back on a year filled with activities, from autograph sessions to away day FanTours. It proudly notes that the Junior Club had surpassed the milestone of 10,000 members, a massive achievement for a regional club. Before wishing all its young fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, the programme takes a moment to print the names of the 14 lucky kids chosen for the prestigious “Line-up” duty against NEC Nijmegen.
The final honor roll of 2013 included: Job Lukey, Jayden Evenhuis, Remko Jongsma, Gijs Geurtsen, Stijn Velthuizen, Milan Timmer, J.P. Zijlstra, Jordy de Jonge, Jarno van Sonkema, Roan Westerveld, J. Uiterwijk, Dane Jesse Meijer, A.M. Tuijl, and N. Uiterwijk. For these 14 children, seeing their names printed in the final programme of the year was the ultimate Christmas gift.
A Look into the Future
By 2026, the children listed on this page have grown into adults in their early to mid-twenties. The strategy outlined in this 2013 programme worked flawlessly. Those kids who walked onto the pitch in the cold December air are now the lifeblood of the club, likely holding season tickets and standing in the vocal sections of the Euroborg. While the club’s activities have evolved, the core philosophy remains unchanged: a football club that invests in its youth today, and treats them like absolute VIPs, secures a sold-out stadium for tomorrow.