HELMOND SPORT ENJOY READING WIN AT TURF MOOR

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Club celebrate long-standing relationship with Helmond Sport at Reading fixture

2022-10-31T17:30:00.000Z

HELMOND SPORT ENJOY READING WIN AT TURF MOOR

Club celebrate long-standing relationship with Helmond Sport at Reading fixture

2022-10-31T17:30:00.000Z

Club celebrate long-standing relationship with Helmond Sport at Reading fixture

Burnley Football Club were delighted to welcome Helmond Sport Chairman Philippe van Esch, Technical Director Ari de Kimpe and Hospitality Director William Verkoelen to the Clarets game against Reading on Saturday afternoon.

Helmond Sport, based in Helmond, North Brabant in the Netherlands, have enjoyed a 25-year relationship with Burnley FC.

The connection dates back to 1993 when Clarets fan Darran Wooller moved to the Netherlands. Upon his move, in addition to supporting local club Helmond Sport, who compete in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football league system, he continued to return to Lancashire to watch his beloved Burnley, encouraging his new friends in Helmond to join him.

Word in the football community spread and the journey to Turf Moor turned into an annual event, which in turn saw a fantastic relationship between the two clubs’ blossom.

Sadly, Darran died in 2014 but the special link between the clubs and the fans, remains to this day. Helmond host the Darran Wooller Cup indoor tournament every year in his memory and this season the club released a claret and blue away kit in tribute to Burnley.

HELMOND SPORT ENJOY READING WIN AT TURF MOOR - Image 1

Alan Pace, Chairman of Burnley FC said: “It was wonderful to welcome our friends from Helmond Sport to Turf Moor on Saturday, and what a game it turned out to be.

“As clubs we have enjoyed a great relationship and we share many similarities in terms of our vision and club ethos. It’s fantastic to see the support for Burnley in Helmond and vice versa, it highlights what a powerful language football can be.

“It was fantastic to spend time together at the stadium and to celebrate our friendship.”

Philippe van Esch, Chairman of Helmond Sport said: “This weekend we celebrated 25 years of friendship between Burnley FC and Helmond Sport. 25 years of shared football history and deeply rooted fan relationship between ‘Burnley from the North’ and ‘Helmond from the South’, bringing our clubs together.

“Helmond Sport is a pro football club in the second division in the Netherlands. We strive to play for promotion to the Dutch Honours Division, just as Burnley is playing for a spot back in the Premier League.

“Together we can learn and build, making young and old proud, giving them hope and future. We hope to strengthen our ties on all aspects of modern football, including culture and youth academy’s.

“We would like to thank Alan Pace and the Burnley club officials for the very kind reception. It was a great experience and a great match. We loved every second of it.”