End of March saw the regional derby against FC Oss. As a few of our hardcore fans got hold of one of their main flags (not in a fight or at a match), it was shown to them at the start of the match with the M-side holding the flag upside down! It caused commotion amongst Oss fans but everything remained relatively calm.
Results of FC Den Bosch started to improve and the team was slowly starting to move up the league table. The away match against PSV Eindhoven U-23 was played in the stadium of FC Eindhoven due to safety reasons.
The next week it was the first ever away match to newly promoted Achilles’29 of Groesbeek with resulted in all away tickets being sold. The ‘stadium’ is amateur style and the away block old skool: covered and uncovered standing at the long side of the pitch!
At Easter Monday a reunion was planned for the Old Skool Fanatics and hooligans of FC Den Bosch of the early 80’s till mid 90’s. About 130 gathered at a pub near the stadium. Police were around everywhere, especially when a flare was launched at a passing police car! It was a great reunion seeing people from the age of 35 to over 50!
At 1.45pm everybody started walking towards the stadium, the police immediately moving in with horses and vans. At the same moment the younger generation, about 120 strong, started walking from another pub towards the stadium. The 2 groups met at the roundabout in front of the stadium causing confusion to the police and together everyone went to the stadium, singing and cheering. Everyone was together in the M-side (Block M), a tifo show was put up and the atmosphere was great, all the songs from the past were being sung. Everyone had a great time, except from the few people who were arrested. Standard Liege fans were also present with 15 mainly young fans which was also great! The party after the match lasted until the early hours!
The last away match of the regular season to Helmond Sport, saw also a full away block with all tickets being sold. Before the match there was a small fight between 10 Den Bosch and a group of Helmond, when the Den Bosch took a wrong turn to get to the stadium. The police arrested 10 people. This match was won, so FC Den Bosch finished 4th in the 2nd Division, which resulted in qualifying for the 2nd round of the playoffs.
A home and away match against Excelsior Rotterdam was up, the away match tickets were sold out very quickly. It turned out that FC Den Bosch had refused 200 extra tickets because of doubts of selling them, a real pity. At the home match the M-side put on a great tifo show again (video), Standard de Liege were present with 20-30 lads which was again great! FC Den Bosch lost 1-3, but that didn’t prevent a good party going on in the pub after the match with the Standard lads. The away game was also lost, so that was end of season for FC Den Bosch.
A small number of Den Bosch lads went to the Standard-Zulte Waregem match and also to the final home game of Standard against Genk, and at both matches the pub party was great (again)!
