900 Reasons to Love Utrecht

FC Utrecht has always been, and will always be one of the most influential and resilient clubs in the whole of the Netherlands. It is the only club outside of the “Big Three” Dutch football powerhouses to have never suffered relegation from the top-flight Eredivisie, even though it has participated in it for more than 50 years. This is mostly due to the special connection it has with both its amazing city and its own players, allowing the club to rise from difficulty, commemorate tragedy and celebrate success.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯
The early years of FC Utrecht saw steady growth, but in the 80’s the club entered various financial difficulties and bankruptcy seemed inevitable. The municipality of Utrecht decided to save the team by covering the financial debt with the help of local support, allowing them not only to escape insolvency but also to participate in European football for the first time, in that same year.
In 2003 the club faced bankruptcy again due to an underestimation of the expenses resulting from the renovation of the new stadium. Again, the municipality of Utrecht decided to buy various pieces of property from the team, including the new stadium, in order to, again, avoid insolvency.

This 11th November, the city of Utrecht celebrated the 900th anniversary of acquiring its city rights. FC Utrecht decided to celebrate their unique connection with the city by adding a special "Utrecht 900" badge at the centre of the chest of the shirt. The badge is placed close to the beating heart of the players and the fans, without them the team would not exist.

𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀
FC Utrecht is closely bonded to its players, starting from David Di Tommaso. French defender and fan-favourite, Di Tommaso joined the club in 2004 and won the “Player of the Year” in his first season. Tragically, Di Tommaso died suddenly at the age of 26 on the 29th of November 2005, due to a cardiac arrest. The club retired his kit number 4 and named the Player of the Year Trophy, the “David Di Tommaso Trophy” in his honour.
The club faced tragedy again in 2011 when Romanian full-back Mihai Neșu suffered a spinal cord injury during a training session, forcing him in a wheelchair ever since. The tragedy formed an everlasting bond between the club and the player. After his accident, Neșu started a personal foundation dedicated to helping youth and adults with neuro-motor disabilities in Romania.

The same 900th anniversary worn and signed shirts are currently on auction, including two special Mihai Neșu shirts. The proceeds raised will be donated to the Mihai Neșu Foundation, own a piece of the game and show your support.