Football Travel: FC Twente

In this guest post, reader Matt Dolan runs the rule over his travels to FC Twente in the Dutch second tier, the Eerste Division.

When it comes to the powerhouses of Dutch football, many people know Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord, but few may be familiar with FC Twente, even though Steve McClaren (yes, doing that Dutch accent) led them to their first Eredivisie championship less than ten years ago.

FC Twente was formed in 1965 from a merger of two local clubs, Sportsclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys. The team takes its name from the Twente region, which neighbours Germany and the German border is just 10 miles from the Grolsch Veste stadium, named after the nearby Grolsch brewery.

Throughout its history, FC Twente were the nearly men. Besides two KNVB Cup (equivalent to the FA Cup) triumphs in 1977 and 2001, an Eredivisie runners-up spot in 1974 and a losing appearance in the UEFA Cup final the year after – despite holding Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-0 in the first leg in Germany – were its most notable achievements. The club motto even bears testimony to their underdog status: One day we will be champions.

McClaren changed all that in 2010 when a 2-0 win at NAC Breda confirmed FC Twente’s first championship. Within weeks, however, “Shteve” had left for Wolfsburg and since then, a second-place finish in the championship and a third KNVB Cup, both in 2011, remain the high watermarks.

A brief and probably unwise return from McClaren, an ongoing financial argument with debtors and the local council, and poor form on the pitch eventually conspired to see Twente relegated to the second tier in 2018.

Meaning that tickets are easier and cheaper to obtain right now. Attendances have averaged 25,000, a remarkable figure for a second-tier team frequently playing top-tier reserve teams, which constitute nearly a quarter of the Eerste Divisie.

Matchday at De Grolsch Veste, home of FC Twente

Getting to and from the ground is a pleasant experience. It’s a six-minute train journey to outside the stadium entrance from Enschede rail station and there are also numerous buses. If you’re travelling from the UK, why not do the Rail and Sail deal?

The stadium, a steep-sided, 30,000 seater cauldron bounces vibrantly to the drums that are beaten furiously throughout the match. The noisiest supporters are high behind the West goal. Nobody sits down here. Tickets on the half way line can go up to €45 but most tickets range from €10 to €18, laughably cheap for a UK visitor and made more pleasant by the ability to take decent (and decently priced) beer back to your seat.

Be sure to take your place before kick-off, though, to enjoy the fast-paced version of You’ll Never Walk Alone, which the Tukkers belt out before each match. If you have time try to see the club museum, located inside the official shop.