FOREST AWAY: FC Utrecht, Europa League Game 6, Thursday 11th December – Fan Guide
Originally, I began this latest Europa League guide with a mild rant about what I witnessed on Saturday at Everton. Having delayed the issue of this by 24 hours (for reasons I explain below), I thought again. I’m off to Europe again this week to follow my football team, and it’s nearly Christmas. Let’s keep it upbeat.
Let’s be straight, Saturday was terrible and the previous Wednesday at Molineux wasn’t a great deal better, soothed enormously by three points which had the same effect as a couple of neat brandies. Yet, there isn’t much point in panicking just yet. There has just about been enough positivity in the Dyche reign to allow a little pocket of faith to set up camp in my head and give any more fearful thoughts the cold shoulder. For now, at least.
Onwards, and hopefully upwards.
***
You could argue that another Europa League game isn’t really what we need right now, but it should prove a welcome distraction for those of us making the trip over to Holland. I have again tried to pull together a comprehensive guide that will hopefully provide some useful recommendations for your time in Utrecht.
For a couple of reasons, the guide is perhaps more in depth than the previous offerings for Betis and Graz. There has appeared to be a bit more uncertainty with this particular fixture and so I sound myself on Sunday evening writing out an e-mail to someone in the Utrecht authorities trying to put a bit more meat on these bones. So I’m hoping a few of you will take something from this particular edition, as an awful lot of work has gone into it!
I am informed that demand for this fixture was significantly higher than the previous two away fixtures in Europe, and that a considerable amount of people responded to the club’s recent request to advise they were intending to travel without a ticket. So a sizeable following, beyond the official allocation, looks very likely. It is positive that the Dutch authorities have been willing to consider these fans with the creation of a fan zone that will include a big screen for those fans to gather together and watch the game.
With thanks once again to PC Simon Travell of Nottinghamshire Police who is responsible for sending every image shared in this guide, and a lot of the key information.
AWAY DAY No.12 – Utrecht, Thursday 11th December, Europa League Game 6, 6:45pm KO (Dutch time)
~ There is a strict requirement to show your passport to collect your tickets from the designated location (more on this below), but as with Graz there is no requirement for a passport to be shown at the ground. It is, however, recommended to keep some form of I.D on your person.
~ Advice shared in the Graz issue of this away guide and elsewhere regarding the collection of biometric data at passport control to meet new security requirements created a little bit of worry. There was no obvious logic to how this was applied; most of our flight into Vienna had their face scanned and fingerprints taken, but some landing at the same airport on other flights did not. I would say it did increase wait times, which I know is a worry if landing on the day of the game, but I didn’t hear of anyone getting stuck for ages. If you have yet to have this biometric data taken then there is a fair chance it may happen when arriving into Holland but if you had this done previously it won’t be taken again.
~ In the unfortunate event you get into some kind of difficulty while out in Holland then hopefully there will be help on hand. Nottinghamshire Police and NFFC will have a presence in Utrecht. The NFFC Supporter Liaison Officer is Alex Tatner who can be contacted on 07729 090 881 or [email protected]. The club ‘recommends that you save this number to your phone’ ahead of travelling to Holland.
~ The club operated a successful WhatsApp channel which worked well for key updates while out in Seville and Graz, and they have advised that fans travelling to Utrecht join.
~ While certainly not acting in any official role I’ve agreed to be the nominated fan representative in the UEFA information documents that Nottinghamshire Police submitted back in the summer. I don’t believe this has any specific role attached to it but I’ll help wherever I can, or at least try and get you in contact with people who can. A number of people asked me out in Seville and Graz if anything had come of this role but it didn’t thankfully, bar a little bit of co-ordination and discussions with Nottinghamshire Police and their local counterparts, and nor do I expect it to, but feel free to keep it in mind. I’d suggest the best option is to e-mail us at [email protected] or DM us on social media, preferably Twitter / X should you need to.
~ Travel insurance – don’t forget to sort this; I’m not an expert in it but you can shop around a little and can also look at getting cover which lasts over a certain period which can then cover the further games. I’ve paid around £21 for cover that lasts me an entire year.
~ Graz was perhaps a little milder than anticipated, but it did get cold in the evening. It will be colder in Utrecht although daytime temperatures are currently showing 9/10°. A note from PC Simon Travell during their earlier visit to Utrecht ended: ‘P.S It’s freezing. Tell them to bring their big coat.’
Getting to Utrecht
I’m aware of supporters using various means to reach Utrecht. The majority appear to be on flights into Amsterdam but there are others using ferries, the Eurostar / mainland Europe trains and aboard coaches. I dare say there may be a few of you driving too. You’ll forgive me for not covering all bases here but I suspect you’ll have your travel plans sorted now anyway.
The main train station in Amsterdam is Amsterdam Central but there are other stations within the city. Trains to Utrecht Centraal are very regular across Thursday (matchday) with around six services an hour through the day which take between 25 and 30 minutes, bar the occasional service which involves a change. The cost of a single fare is £8.62 on Trainline and this doubles for a return fare. You can buy via Trainline or via Dutch rail providers, and I suspect you will be able to purchase tickets at the station on the day, but I’m not absolutely certain on this.
As it has been stated that fans will need to board coaches after the game which will return us to Utrecht Centraal (more on this below), I have listed some of the times for the later evening when we are likely to return:
21:09 (Arrives Amsterdam 21:36)
21:22 (Arrives Amsterdam 21:49)
21:39 (Arrives Amsterdam 22:06)
22:09 (Arrives Amsterdam 22:36)
22:22 (Arrives Amsterdam 22:49)
Services continue every 20 minutes or so until 00:55 when they become one an hour through till the morning. Although, as the official advice is that fans will not be welcome in any Utrecht bars after the game then there may not be an option to get anything apart from the first train that arrives.
Collecting Match Tickets
The designated collection point will be the official fan area at Janskershof, 3512 BN Utrecht. This is 0.5 miles (10-minute walk) from the Utrecht Centraal Station. There will be a booth with a ‘TICKETS’ sign set up for collections. At the same time as collecting your ticket, supporters will be issued with a wristband which will allow you to board the free buses that will transport fans to the stadium and back to town afterwards.
Unlike in Seville and Graz, for this one the ticket collection point will only be open on matchday between 12pm and 4pm. As a result it may be busier than previous trips so early collection is recommended.
You will need your passport in order to collect your tickets, but a passport is not required at the stadium to gain entry. However, as the collections at only available on the afternoon of the game it is likely that many of us will have no choice but to keep our passports on us. Not an ideal situation, and one I’d encourage Forest to think about going forward, so do consider a fastened pocket or bag to keep it safe.
The collection points in Seville and Graz were extremely well organised with friendly and helpful staff, and I’m sure it will be the same again in Utrecht.
Stadion Galgenwaard – About the Stadium and How to Get There
Stadion Galgenwaard is situated 1.8 miles from the fan zone at Janskershof.
It first opened in 1936 but was extensively rebuilt in 1982. It was cited in the Taylor Report, published in the aftermath of the Hillsborough Disaster as an example of modern stadium designs that could be followed. In the early 2000s the stadium again underwent redevelopment. It currently holds around 24,000.
Forest supporters will be accommodated in a strip of seats in the City Side stand, at one of the stadium. The away allocation was approximately 1,200 seats, which are unreserved allowing fans to sit / stand where they like on Thursday. The section is narrow but, as you will see on the pictures, is also quite deep. I am told that fans will all access from the front of the stand up the stairs shown in the enclosed picture.
As with Graz, the away section has the perspex screens as the segregation and will have netting in place.
There is no alcohol on sale in the away end. I did make a futile attempt to change this, pointing out that if they want to encourage Forest fans to arrive at the ground early then the sale of alcohol would be one obvious incentive. Sadly, this idea was rejected. But I did try!
Forest supporters will need to board buses at the designated fan zone at Janskershof to reach the stadium. This is a compulsory requirement and will be the only way to gain access to the away turnstiles. Buses were initially stated to begin to depart 4pm to start to take Forest fans to the ground which seemed very early for a 6:45pm KO and with the stadium being only a short distance away.
I subsequently passed on comments to Nottinghamshire Police and Dutch authorities that a departure 2hrs 45 mins before kick-off and with no alcohol on sale at the ground is too early for most and this will likely lead to some unwillingness to board the initial buses. The idea of 2 hours+ at the ground with no alcohol is only going to lead to supporters looking to prolong our stay at the fan zone, which then puts greater demand on the later buses. I have now received confirmation that buses will depart at 5pm (with the first buses beginning to load at 4:45pm). I’m honestly not sure whether this was changed after I queried it, or if perhaps they were always due to depart at 5pm and the original information was incorrect, but it’s good news as 4pm was too early.
What I haven’t managed to establish is how quicky we will need to board a bus. My guess is that many won’t budge initially but before too long some pressure will begin to get fans to board after the initial wave of buses have departed, so I suggest making sure you aren’t too far away from the fan meeting point at 5pm to avoid not getting on a bus at all.
The enclosed image shows the drop off point and we will then apparently have to head down what appears to be a fairly narrow stairwell to reach the turnstiles. I’m fully aware that nobody will listen to this, but off the coaches and to the turnstiles it would be worth just taking our time and not adding to what already seems to be a bottleneck and a cramped turnstile area.
As noted above, buses will transport fans back to Utrecht Centraal. I am aware that some fans are staying in Utrecht overnight, some actually very close to the stadium, so I have enquired whether there will be any relaxation of rules for those in this situation. The response I received from Dutch authorities is that they are willing to look at some flexibility to prevent fans staying near the ground being shuttled a couple of miles away only to then have to make their way back. I have been asked to provide any information on fans in this situation, including the hotel they are staying at and group size, so these supporters can hopefully be taken care of. Unfortunately, I can offer no assurances right now what will actually happen but do get in touch if unsure.
If you are staying centrally in Utrecht you will be required to board a bus back to the station. I have pointed out that not everyone will be wanting to board a train and will instead want to head back into the middle of Utrecht. I have asked for clarity on whether these fans will be free to disembark the bus and walk freely into town (given we are being informed that no bars will welcome Forest fans after the game) and will update if / when I get a response. Similar applies to those without tickets watching in the fan zone and whether those staying in Utrecht are expected to return to their hotels. I expect there will be a large degree here of just seeing what happens; there may be some flexibility for Forest fans to head into bars across town, especially if being discreet and not in large groups, but the official line appears to still be that this will not be permitted.
PUBS & BARS
It seems likely that there will be contingent of Forest fans in both Amsterdam and Utrecht on Wednesday evening, the night before matchday. In Amsterdam, there is an abundance of pubs & bars across the city. I dare say many of you may have visited previously but the Leidesplein area has plenty of good options.
For the Graz guide, I mentioned the EuropeanBarGuide.com which had several great recommendations. This includes numerous suggestions for Amsterdam so I have picked a few out, largely at random that looked good and were highly rated, but if I have accidentally picked out some famous cannabis café I assure you it was unintentional!
~ De Pilsener Club – very small and compact
~ De Druif – a little larger but still not the biggest place
~ Hoppe – seems to be a good bet and is based on what looks like a bit of a square so likely to be a few other places around here.
~ Café de Dockter – this was the top-rated place, but it extremely small and only holds 15/20 people. Would be a cracking place to try though if you can get in.
Wherever you end up in Amsterdam, you won’t struggle to find some good spots.
***
In Utrecht, the advice is to head to the official fan area at Janskershof. This appears to be a network of venues around the central square. I had originally assumed this, as with Graz, was just a loose area for fans to gather in, but I am led to believe this will now be an enclosed area. Asking for more info on the fan area I received this response from the Utrecht authorities:
‘There will be sufficient food and drinks available, a DJ will be present. They (Forest fans) can play their own music, and their own flags will be displayed.’
I further asked whether Forest fans will be allowed to leave the fan zone area once they have entered. In particular, I am thinking of fans wanting to collect their match ticket from noon but potentially then depart the fan zone, maybe to check in at their hotel / drop their passport back, or simply head somewhere else. This is the response I received:
‘Forest fans are not legally prohibited from leaving the fan zone once they have entered; however, we strongly advise them to remain at the FMP (fan zone). Remaining in the fan zone ensures a safe and well-organised lead-up to the transport to the stadium.’
A quick look shows a fair few bars around Janskershof. It’s hard to tell which bars fall within the fan zone perimeter. Immediately surrounding the main square (if you are unsure where this is just search for St John’s Church) there are the following venues that all look okay on first glance, although some may be more restaurants than bars:
~ Ruby Rose
~ Mick O’Connells Irish Pub
~ Wijnbar Kurk (wine bar)
~ Hofman – this looks like the best place, more of a pub and pretty sizeable inside (likely not in the fan zone)
~ Dikke Dries – a little bit south of the main square but another that seems a good shout (likely not in the fan zone)
There looks like there are plenty of other options across Utrecht and so I enquired whether there would be any restrictions on Forest fans drinking in other bars across the city:
‘Forest fans are not prohibited from visiting other bars in Utrecht before arriving at the fan zone. However, we strongly advise against doing so. The safest and most convenient option is to go directly to the FMP (fan zone), where all facilities are in place… Staying within the organised programme helps ensure a smooth and safe matchday experience for everyone.’
While not specifically referenced in the correspondence, I think it is possible that there is the threat of trouble from local supporters and that the guidance from police and authorities is given within this in mind. When you are outside the fan zone then I would certainly advocate a level of discretion and common sense. But hopefully authorities will also understand the desire of Forest supporters visiting a new city to not simply drink in the same area all day.
I hope some of this is useful. Should any further updates be forthcoming I will update best I can. Likewise, if there is anything I haven’t covered then feel free to let me know and I will endeavour to help.
A few of us are flying to Amsterdam from Luton on Wednesday morning, so we might see a few of you on board or in Amsterdam.
Have a safe trip and we’ll definitely see you in Utrecht. Enjoy yourselves and as the great man would say, ‘Be good’.
You Reds
Matt
*All pics provided by Nottinghamshire Police