Garden of Edon
Words: Han Balk
Images: Han Balk
You won’t find their fixtures or results in the local newspapers. You can’t even find them in the groundhop app. Simply because they do not have a first team in the regular Dutch football pyramid.
VV EDON, full name: VV Energie Distributiebedrijf Oost- en Noord Nederland (FC Energy Distribution company East- and North Netherland) was founded in 1937 by employees of the local power plant: IJsselcentrale as VV IJC, later renamed to VV IJsselmij and now called EDON.
Sportpark Weteringkade in Zwolle, home to VV EDON is nicknamed Garden of EDON as it breathes history like no other ground.
It’s surrounded by trees and both the wooden dressing rooms and clubhouse look great but their goal posts make it one of kind. EDON still has wooden goal posts and for younger readers, these are square.
“A few years ago the posts were replaced by new oak posts, but the crossbars are still authentic”, says Olaf Janson, chairman and left back of EDON 2.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
Today’s opponents are DOS 3rd team from Kampen and they are enjoying their visit too.
Why sit in a concrete dug-out in the shade when you can grab a chair and sit in front of the dressing rooms?
There’s no scoreboard and the clock in front of the clubhouse isn’t running.
When the referee blows the final whistle there’s no need to run to the showers, because there are no hot showers.
Having a beer with your team mates comes first.
Life in the Garden of EDON is good.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. VV EDON.
You can find Han on Twitter and Instagram: @hanbalk
