No public at FC Groningen matches this season

Supporters of FC Groningen are not welcome in the stands at the last two matches of the premier league season. For both the away match against Vitesse and the home match against Sparta, no Groningen supporters are allowed. Mayor Koen Schuiling of Groningen said this during the council meeting on the misconduct of Groningen hooligans.

The mayor took the measure after a conversation with the board of FC Groningen. The issue was on the council’s agenda after Sunday’s match between Groningen and Ajax was stopped after nine minutes because smoke bombs had been thrown onto the field repeatedly and a protesting supporter had walked onto the field. This was a deliberate action by part of the club’s supporters.

Today the Dagblad van het Noorden wrote that Groningen hooligans were threatening club personnel. As a result, security guards would, for example, turn a blind eye to fireworks for fear of reprisals.

For next season, Schuiling wants to see how allowing the public is possible again. “The club is dear to us and the good supporters did not deserve this,” the mayor spoke. He announced an independent investigation into security at the stadium.