Roda JC is not allowed to welcome away supporters in the next three home games. The local authorities have decided to do this due to various disturbances during duels by the Keuken Kampioen Division club from Kerkrade.
By our sports editorsIn and around the stadium of Roda JC, things recently went wrong during the Limburg derby against VVV-Venlo. The two groups of supporters clashed and fans of Roda JC pelted the supporters buses of the opponent from Venlo. The tourist office has reported this.
This was enough for the local triangle (police, mayor and Public Prosecution Service). In the cup match against Heracles Almelo on October 18 and the competition matches against Jong FC Utrecht (October 28) and Helmond Sport (November 11), Roda JC’s branch will remain closed.
According to the municipality of Kerkrade, the “time-out” is mainly intended to visualize and punish the rioters of Roda JC. Mayor Petra Dassen-Houten sees an important task for the fans in this.
They can report information about rioters to Roda JC or the police, the mayor says. “That helps to get back to a situation where we can all enjoy football as soon as possible.”
More irregularities in professional football
The events at Roda JC-VVV-Venlo are not isolated. In recent weeks there have been disturbances at various matches in professional football. Willem II-FC Den Bosch was shut down for about eighty minutes last week because fans of FC Den Bosch threw fireworks. The ME then swept the outbox.
On Friday there were again disturbances in the Kitchen Champion Division. PEC Zwolle-Heracles Almelo had to be interrupted in the final phase because fans of Heracles threw fireworks and chairs.
Since the corona crisis, the KNVB has seen an increase in violence in the stadiums. Last season, twice as many stadium bans were issued in professional football as was customary in the ten years before, the football association announced on Wednesday.
Roda JC is number five in the Kitchen Champion Division. On Friday evening, the club lost the away match against Telstar (2-1). The Limburg fans were not welcome at that game. According to the authorities, there would not be enough police capacity in the event of any escalations.
