Sportpark Middenmeer
Radioweg 86
1098 NJ
Amsterdam
www.wvhedw.nl

After our remarkable second appearance last year, we have been invited back for the 13th edition of the WV-HEDW International Fraternization Tournament.

If you haven't heard of this tournament before, it's two days of glorious football, our own dressing room, 6 or 7 pitches (some grass, some artificial), Dutch Football Association referees (which means nothing, but sounds good), and a huge, free BBQ with live music of the one and only ‘Not Band’ (or something like that) on Saturday evening.

In the words of the organisers: "the intention of the tournament is quite simple: To let people from all over Europe have a good time, take a beer (or two), have a talk, and meet each other as friends. We preferably invite teams from the very lowest football divisions in their respective countries. So please no ‘all-star’ teams, but teams with a slight or rather explicit preference for the famous Third Half. So, if you have some minor injured, severely crippled, 50+, and/or even debuting players in your team, don’t worry – your opponents probably will have too. Besides this, as for the more ‘educated’ players in your team, you might be able to exercise your international sports languages a bit during the tournament, too. Because Schwalbe, catenaccio, lateral passing, and tunneling – you name it, we might have it...."

As the tournament this year is taking place on the May Bank Holiday weekend we all have the Monday off, so the intention is to fly out on Friday evening, and return Monday lunch time, given us an extra night in Amsterdam to party without having to think about playing football the next day.

The tournament fee is € 175 per team, or about £9 per player. Costs for flights and accommodation are to be determined, but last year we spent about £170 each on this. As we are planning to stay the extra night, the budget for this should be upped to £220. The sooner we book, the cheaper it’ll be, obviously, and the weak Euro should help our cause a bit as well. And we'll probably need another set of shirts, so budget some cash for that too. The rest of your pocket money can be spent on delicious Dutch beer.

Amsterdam veterans such as Royter-Hatfood, meths, dan_thw, oenso, JuxtaposedJames, Jamienaz, Edd, 84joe, Jawstheshark, Splenic_Artery and ElthamsmateOwen have already provisionally put their name down, and here is your chance to add your name to this illustrious list by replying below. Space on the plane permitting, obviously.

Hup Holland Hup.