A bird's eye view. Up in the floodlights at Go Ahead Eagles

Words: Han Balk

Images: Han Balk

Go Ahead Eagles’ stadium, De Adelaarshorst, is undergoing significant renovations this summer.

The replacement of the B-side and IJsseltribune will will take at least another year, but the site is a hive of activity.

Everything must be ready by Thursday, July 25th, when the team from Deventer will face SK Brann Bergen from Norway in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.

A state-of-the-art drainage system with heating has been installed under the pitch, and the seats and standing areas of the B-side terrace have been replaced with safe standing spots.

©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. Go Ahead Eagles. The Netherlands.

The iconic floodlight towers, which were originally high-voltage masts brought from a field near Deventer just before the European Cup Winners’ Cup match against Celtic in 1965, also had to be updated.

The lighting is being replaced by energy-efficient LED panels.

“Do you want to go up with the cherry picker?” asked Martin, director of Sports Lighting Group, the Deventer company that provides the best possible lighting for sports facilities throughout the Netherlands.

“Are you sure you’re brave enough?” the technicians asked as I, armed with two cameras, joined them and hooked myself on. “I might need to get used to the height for a moment”.