Ultras get their way: no Standard – Westerlo due to persistent fan protests

No Standard-Westerlo tonight. Hard core supporters of Standard set up a blockade at the youth academy and thus prevented the Standard player bus from driving to Sclessin. As a result, the players did not show up and the match could not start. Westerlo, the debuting ref and the fans who showed up returned home without an evening of football.

No Standard players to be seen at the scheduled start time for the home match against Westerlo.

The players of Westerlo and the debuting ref in our highest football class, Marco Simonini, were waiting for them until the very last minute.

But the home team was stopped by a hard core of Standard fans at the youth complex a few kilometers from Sclessin. A blockade prevented the players bus from passing and despite a frantic attempt by Standard CEO Pierre Locht to reach an agreement, the supporters did not budge.

The supporter actions came after details became known this week about the activities and cash flows of the club’s American owner, 777 Partners. Things looked anything but rosy for the club.

The fans wanted an answer and they got it. 777 Partners said it would restructure and cease football activities. Standard will therefore be for sale again.

Because the Standard players were not in the stadium, the match could not take place.

What now?

The file will now end up with the Belgian Football Association. There, the competent disciplinary authorities will make a decision on the consequences of this match with the help of the referees’ match reports.

Related:

Standard: “We regret this situation”

• Statement Standard: “Our team, which was blocked in our training center by certain supporters who prevented them from reaching the stadium, was therefore unable to participate in the match scheduled for tonight against Westerlo. Attempts to consult with those supporters have not led to the find a solution to lift the blockade. Standard deeply regrets this situation and apologizes to both KVC Westerlo and the supporters of both sides who were present in the stadium tonight.”

Bolat: “Standard will always remain in my heart”

• Sinan Bolat (goalkeeper Westerlo): “It feels strange, it is the first time I have experienced something like this. Very painful to see for my ex-team. The club will always remain in my heart. It is nice that I still “The love is mutual. It’s a shame that this has to happen to the supporters, because they don’t deserve that. They have always supported their team in the hope that things would improve, but now something urgently needs to change.”

Yoni Buyens (T2 Westerlo): “It quickly became clear that it was serious”

• Yoni Buyens (Assistant coach Westerlo and ex-Standard): “It was strange for the players because they didn’t know what was going to happen. The balls weren’t there yet. They are provided by the home team, replacement balls were found in a We quickly received signals that what the supporters were doing was serious and that it was already clear that there would be no play. I understand that the supporters wanted to give a signal, although it is difficult to determine which one to continue to insist on foreign investors. This situation is not nice for a club like Standard. Always having to play top 3 in Belgium, I understand that as a supporter it still hurts a lot, it remains true for the club I have experienced the best and longest time as a football player. I hope that a solution will be found soon.”

Phase by phase

This contains inserted content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies (𝕏). You have not given permission for this.

Click here to still allow this

Statement Standard: “Regret this situation”

A French-speaking and Dutch-speaking announcer address the supporters:

“Dear supporters,

Our team, which was blocked in our training center by certain supporters who prevented them from reaching the stadium, was therefore unable to participate in the match scheduled for tonight against Westerlo. Attempts to consult with those supporters have not led to a solution to lift the blockade. Standard deeply regrets this situation and apologizes both to KVC Westerlo and to the supporters of both camps who were present in the stadium tonight.”

The announcers read a statement from the club to the supporters present: “Standard regrets this situation.”

Let’s recap…

An action was taken by the Standard fans to block the passage to the Standard youth academy, so that the players bus would not reach the stadium. That worked. The match should have taken place at 8.45 pm, but the Standard players were not present.

The dissatisfaction of Standard fans came after the dubious activities and money flows of the club’s American owner, 777 Partners, became known this week. The fans wanted a response and they got it.

777 Partners has announced that it will restructure and cease its football activities. As a result, Standard is for sale again.

Meanwhile, the Westerlo players return to the field. They approach the fans who traveled with them to expressly thank them for being there for them at Sclessin. The Standard supporters also make themselves heard: “Oh, ooh, Sinan Bolat”, echoes.

It feels strange, it’s the first time I’ve experienced something like this. Very painful to see for my ex-team. The club will always remain in my heart. It’s a shame that it has to happen to the supporters, because they don’t deserve that. They have always supported their team in the hope that things would improve, but now something urgently needs to change.

Sinan Bolat, goalkeeper Westerlo

Marco Simonini explains his observation.

Another 30 minutes wait

In order to be in order according to the regulations, we now have to wait about half an hour for a possible appearance of the Standard players. The Westerlo players return to the changing rooms to wait there. Once the half hour is complete, the match will be officially postponed and it will probably be a forfeit defeat for the home team.

We arrived here with a delay of 45 minutes due to the actions of Standard fans. We checked everything, the Westerlo players were present. By regulation we still have to wait 30 minutes for the Standard players.

Marco Simonini, referee tonight

The RTL team has been sent away by the hard core of Standard:

This contains inserted content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies (𝕏). You have not given permission for this.

Click here to still allow this

It’s sad for this Standard. It’s a pity that those who did show up may not get to see football. Such a forfeit is always a shame. But things are not going well with this Standard, we can see that too.

Standard supporter on Sclessin

CEO Pierre Lochte is said to have tried to convince the hard core of Standard to let the players bus pass, but that ultimately came to nothing.

Fifteen minutes before the start of the match there are still no Standard players to be seen. Referee Simonini was expected to provide an explanation at 8.45 pm, but it now looks like tonight’s match will not take place. That would mean a forfeit for Standard and a victory for Westerlo.

Balls found

Still no Standard players, but there are balls. Although they are not the official match balls. It looks like someone still had them in the suitcase. The Westerlo players enter the field, to a small whistle concert from the fans who have gathered, while they warm up as if the match will continue as normal.

Westerlo has found balls.

Referee present

In the meantime, the ref who has to manage tonight’s match has arrived at Sclessin. Marco Simonini would officiate his first match at the highest level, will his debut be postponed by himself? Speaking of a baptism of fire…

Blockade in progress

About a thousand supporters would block the passage at the youth academy through which the team bus must pass to drive towards Sclessin. We are now about 45 minutes before the match and still no one from Standard has been spotted in the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

2024-05-10 21:42:29
#Ultras #Standard #Westerlo #due #persistent #fan #protests