We all follow Van Hecke, over land and sea

Albion 0-0 Wolves. After an enterprising opening 20 minutes, perhaps the least memorable matches of the Seagulls’ 2023-24 season. Unless you happened to be one of the 60 Dutch football fans who travelled over land and sea from the province of Zeeland to watch hometown hero Jan Paul van Hecke in action for Brighton.

This is the sort of footballing story we love at WAB. It is reminiscent of a decade ago, when a couple of us started going to Germany regularly to watch Wolfsburg games for the sole reason that Schteve McClaren had been appointed manager.

When Schteve got sacked and no longer spoke English with a terrible attempt at a foreign accent, we sill kept going to watch – having become friends with a semi-pro footballer, a fireman and several other fellow Wolfsburg fans who were probably fiddling emissions data at VW.

Trips to Germany progressed to trips across Europe when Die Wolfe qualified for the Europa League and then the Champions League, with a certain Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield.

No English TV company covered our bizarre odysseys to the Fatherland, which was probably just as well. Unlike Dutch station Omroep Zeeland, who joined the Van Hecke Barmy Army on their trip from the Netherlands to the Amex.

The Dutch contingent also had a much better reason to be visiting than some spurious link through a former England manager most famous for watching the Three Lions fail to qualify for Euro 2008 whilst holding a brolly.

The trip was organised by Jan Paul’s eldest brother Guus and Coor Traas, a long-term friend of the late Guus Van Hecke senior.

JP and Guus lost their father 18 months ago. Coor and Guus senior had put together a similar adventure from Zeeland to watch Southampton play some 15 years ago.

After leaving the Netherlands in the dark, waved off by a couple of women and two dogs, the Van Hecke Party Bus made its way to Dunkirk and across the English Channel.

There were minimal problems at customs (in stark contrast to what most Albion fans experienced flying into Amsterdam for the Europa League game against Ajax). Once docked at Dover, it was full steam ahead to Good Old Sussex by the Sea.

Upon arrival in Brighton, this group of Van Hecke’s family, friends, neighbours and coaches who taught the young JP everything he knows did what all self-respecting Seagulls fans do before watching the Albion – drink beer and sing songs.

These songs though come with a difference – no Brighton supporter we are aware of whips out a harmonica in the pub to lead a singalong… more is the pity.

Music done and suitably oiled for the evening ahead, the Dutch contingent boarded the train for Falmer. Although most were watching Brighton live and in person for the first time, none were unfamiliar with the Albion.

The amateur football club back in Van Hecke’s hometown of Arnemuiden shows all Brighton matches in which Jan Paul van Hecke plays on its big screen.

They even seem to have adapted the natural tendency of Seagulls supporters to accept or expect some sort of almighty cock up.

“Let’s hope he doesn’t score an own goal or something,” remarks the interviewer from Omroep Zeeland. “No, please not,” says one of the travelling party enjoying the fan zone outside the Amex prior to kick off.

Instead, Van Hecke came closer than most to breaking the deadlock in the 0-0 draw against Wolves. He beat visiting goalkeeper Jose Sa to a first half Pascal Gross free kick, heading just over the bar.

Van Hecke would have known exactly where his compatriots were located in the West Stand Lower thanks to the presence of the flag of Zeeland. But what does he make of a bus load of people travelling from the Netherlands to support the Albion?

“I think he’s proud,” says one of the bus load. The same woman hoping Van Hecke did not score an own goal adds: “I think he secretly really enjoys the fact a whole bus is coming to Brighton.”

The feeling is mutual. Van Hecke’s former youth coach says: “We are proud, really proud. Back in Holland, sometimes he comes to me for a beer. That guy plays football in the Premier League. Isn’t that lovely? Yes, I think so.”

We think so too mate. Who wouldn’t want to share a Heineken with Van Hecke, or any of the 60-strong bus load of new Albion fans from Zeeland?

And although they are very much the stars of this show, Omroep Zeeland also spoke to Van Hecke himself. All the important questions get asked, starting with the most important of all.

“The bus got honked three times ‘very loudly’ on a roundabout in Brighton. What is the biggest difference you have needed to get used to living in England?”

Van Hecke laughs. “I had to get used to that at first,” he says. “I had two flat tyres on the first day. I had a flat tyre, went to the garage, came back. I thought, well, now I’m going to give it another good try. And then I immediately got a flat tyre.”

Moving from driving to eating, Van Hecke adds: “I still think Dutch food is better. My girlfriend always brings entire groceries with her.”

“So every time she comes to the Netherlands, she takes four or five bags with. And then we will be fine again for a while.”

Jan Paul van Hecke also talks to Omroep Zeeland about much less interesting aspects of life in Brighton, such as actual football and how he has gone from frustrated bit-part player last season to one of the first names on the team sheet in 2023-24.

If that is more your cup of tea over problems with roundabouts and substandard gouda, then you can check out the full interview and feature on the Van Hecke Barmy Army from Omroep Zeeland below.

Come for the talk of Jan Paul van Hecke marking Erling Haaland out of Manchester City’s visit to Brighton last season, stay to hear about the Dutch defender’s pet dog.