Column | ‘Mission completed’ for Telstar’s largest supporter

Minute 63 was his moment. The founding year, 1963, of the club. Then Peter Zoontjes aka ‘Jomanda’ got up from his chair, first row of box K, and ran along with the club flag in front of the East stand. Every home game. And when he got old and had no longer so sharp, his fellow supporters of 62.50 counted down. « Ten … nine … » And when he could no longer run, the entire stands focused on 63 and sang « standing when you are for Telstar. »

« He thought it was fantastic, » says Jacco Korbee, who overlooked his good friend at the top of course I at the top. « Because he knew: we are not only singing for Telstar, but also for him. »

Gosh, what are this for days, Korbee (50) sighs at home in Velsen-Noord, while in the shirt of De Witte Leeuwen he puts a cup for the guest-« Senseo or Dolce Gusto? ». On a tile in the hallway says’Smile and the world is with you‘And with his fun eyes and broad smile, Korbee does his best. But « it’s a rollercoaster. »

The home game against Willem II on Ascension Day. Then the 85-year-old ‘Jomanda’ was still stood up old-fashioned, in the front with his horn. Korbee spoke the day after and then there was nothing wrong. Yes, his back. He had to miss the away game on Sunday in Tilburg. All those steps to the branch … For the first time in 47 years, Telstar was able to promote to the Eredivisie, but the supporter should have missed the competition. « He thought it was terrible. »

Sunday’s euphoria. With ten buses accompanied by motorcycle agents to Tilburg. « Mighty feeling. » Korbee had to think back to Zwolle-out, when he once stood in the Hartje Winter with six men in the branch. They got again with so much-zero on their flicker and back that whole end. But chagrin? No. « We made a nice day out of it. »

Telstar is a cúltclub and that is precisely the reason that Korbee, once a fanatic Ajax supporter, closed the white lions in his heart. In Amsterdam there was a headache after every loss because the big Ajax had to win. And after the riots in Beverwijk in 1997, where a dead fell, the rules also became stricter and then Korbee no longer felt at home. « I felt like a song. »

While, with Telstar, players say goodbye to the training. No hassle with clubcards, a season ticket for 162.50 euros – « at the center spot! » – and dozens of volunteers who make the club. Such as ‘Jomanda’, so called because he once predicted the result with a Billboard inraded by the medium.

The pink, no, white cloud after the win in Tilburg. « Géweldig. » But Korbee is also worried. Can Telstar soon retain his identity among the big boys? And all those new supporters – « Glory Chasers » – Not ruining? Already he sees the rules becoming stricter.

« Mission completed, » « Jomanda » had said to Korbee last week when he congratulated it on his 86th birthday. But was that about Telstar, or about himself?

The white cloud is now a dark one because on Friday his comrade died. Getting up in minute 63 will stay, Korbee is convinced of that. And for the farewell this week in the stadium all supporters took a white rose. And Korbee also a small, white lion, « for his chair. »

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