‘If we still give away promotion, hand in contract’

Tonight it can happen. A draw at Almere City FC (8 p.m.) is enough for PEC Zwolle to return to the premier league after one season in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

A week ago, Bram van Polen already seemed to have made an advance on promotion. In the seventeenth minute, all season ticket holders of PEC in the 2-0 won home match against Telstar received a bag with a consumption token. Gift from the captain, but for a different reason.

Indeed, Van Polen has extended his contract with the club he has played for for seventeen seasons – hence that seventeenth minute. “I am assuming this will be my last contract year, so I wanted to give something back to the supporters. I thought giving a round would suit me.”

So in his final season with PEC, the 37-year-old defender will almost certainly play in the premier league. “I can assume that, yes. We are thirteen points ahead of Almere City with five games to go. If we still give that away, we’d better hand in our contract.”

The numbers one and two of the first division promote. PEC is leader, Heracles Almelo follows on five points and Almere is third. If it is up to Van Polen, the title will follow promotion. “Promotion is nice, but the championship is more unique.”