The Anglo Dutch Trophy

We’ve dotted the i's and crossed the T’s.
8 weeks today we meet in Queens and set sail for VOC.

God bless Albert ෴

Clive Tyldesley & John Motson.

Here's a panorama of the hotel location in central Rotterdam.

Scheepsvolk 2022

11,000 years ago we could have walked there!!

Doggerland, now submerged beneath the North Sea, connected Britain to continental Europe around 11,000 years ago.
The area was inhabited by ancient humans and a variety of wildlife - a skull fragment of a Neanderthal, dated at over 40,000 years old, was found here.

The VOC Rotterdam facilities are second to none. A fabulous glass walled bar overlooks the main stadium and 9 grass pitches.
Phil Vine seen here modelling the Newland 2022 home kit and Moustache Van Der Barnacles modelling the 'Away Strip' !!

When in Rotterdam... we stay at the NH Atlanta on the Coolsingel. The hotel was one of the few buildings to remain standing after WWII.

"In 1938, the Ukrainian nationalist Yevhen Konovalets was killed in a bomb attack on the Coolsingel, after he had received a bomb package in the form of a box of chocolates in Hotel Atlanta from Soviet Security Service (NKVD) member Pavel Sudoplatov".

The 2022 ADT was contested in Rotterdam on the grass. A fairly even match was interrupted when the VOC goalkeeper had to retire. Lacking a replacement the opposition asked if it would be okay to allow a 16 year old academy keeper to have a run out. This was accepted in the spirit of the game. Well, he was good, very good.

Following the match and a VOC victory we shared a 'few' beers in their bar overlooking the stadium. The young keeper's coach had watched the match and with beer in hand joined us to discuss the game. It was Ed de Goey Dutch former professional goalkeeper.

In a 20-year career, he played for Sparta Rotterdam, Feyenoord, Chelsea, Stoke City and 31 times for the Netherlands national team. He is now the goalkeeping coach at VOC Rotterdam.

Flushed with pride, Albert went to his tattooist straight after the 2015 encounter !!