Page 21 of the February 2014 matchday programme is a monument to the chaotic, aggressive, and deeply fascinating disciplinary history of FC Groningen. For months, we have tracked the club’s unbelievable streak of receiving at least one card in every single league match. Finally, under the quiet header “GELE SERIE VAN 75”, the editors announce the death of the anomaly.

The text reveals that in the away match against AZ Alkmaar, referee Kevin Blom kept his cards in his pocket. “Because of this, a unique series of 75 consecutive league matches has ended,” the programme notes. For nearly two and a half years, Groningen had not played a clean game. The page leans into this bad-boy reputation with another block titled “TWINTIG JAAR ROOD” (Twenty Years of Red), noting the team already had 6 red cards that season. It invokes the ghost of the ultimate enforcer, Raymond Atteveld, who collected a staggering 6 red cards between 1997 and 1999 alone.

But the most intriguing detail on this page is found in the “Arbitraal Kwartet” box. While the famous Bas Nijhuis was appointed as the main referee for this fiery Derby van het Noorden against sc Heerenveen, the fourth official was Siemen Mulder. Mulder was born in Uithuizen, a village deep in the Groningen province. Assigning a local northern boy to manage the touchline, separate the angry managers, and absorb the fury of the derby was a brilliant, high-pressure test by the KNVB.

A Look into the Future

The end of the 75-match card streak marked a psychological turning point; the team slowly traded reckless aggression for tactical discipline, a shift that would win them the KNVB Cup a year later. The ghost of Raymond Atteveld‘s red card record remains safely intact in the history books. As for the local fourth official, Siemen Mulder, he passed his touchline tests with flying colors. He went on to become a highly respected, full-time Eredivisie referee, proving that the northern provinces produce not just great footballers, but top-tier match officials as well.