Willem II opens special stand for visually impaired supporters

Willem II opens special stand for visually impaired supporters

Willem II supporter John van Schijndel (54) thought he would have to say goodbye to his season ticket for many years as he became blind due to an eye condition. He took the plunge and asked his favourite club to introduce a special stand for visually impaired people. After months of preparation, the time has come: as of this season, the blind stand at Willem II has opened, giving supporters live coverage of the match through a special headset.

John van Schijndel, born and bred in Tilburg, has been a Willem II supporter from the very beginning. He experienced all the highs and lows of the club with the ultimate highlight being the participation in the Champions League in 1999/2000. In recent years, John was afraid that he would have to miss his fortnightly outing to the stadium with his best friend Martin due to his eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. This reduced his vision and led to blindness. This had a huge impact on his life: “When I went blind, my enjoyment of Willem II was also a lot less,” says John.

Knowing that other clubs have special facilities for visually impaired supporters, John went to investigate. He writes and calls Willem II with a request for a special stand with live coverage, but this requires a lot of time and investment from the club. He is afraid of having to cancel his season ticket. Fortunately, in early 2021, the liberating word from his beloved club comes: the blind stand can be realised after all. “As a football club, you are at the centre of society and with the blind stand we are able to achieve something to do our bit as a club,” says Willem II defender Freek Heerkens.

During the first home match of the anniversary season, in which Willem II celebrates its 125th birthday, John will be wearing a special headset for the first time in the stadium. Volunteers at the press stand will be covering the match against Feyenoord live, allowing John to not only stay with his best friend and smell the grass but also follow the match in detail. “To be part of the supporters around you, I’ve really missed that in recent years. Really fantastic, that feeling again. It just gives me goosebumps,” says John.

Football Gives
Together with the 18 clubs and Social Partner Vriendenloterij, the Eredivisie is committed to making a positive impact on society every day by working towards a healthier, more inclusive and stronger society. In the special ‘Football Gives’ (‘Voetbal geeft’ in Dutch) video series, the impact that Premier League clubs have on society and what this can mean for an individual is highlighted. Watch all other episodes here, made by ESPN, Vriendenloterij and the Eredivisie CV.