A vibrant and noisy procession of hundreds of AZ Alkmaar supporters, known as 'ultras', marched through the streets of south London this evening, marking their arrival for a crucial European football match.
Smoke and Fireworks in Croydon
The march commenced from Queens Gardens in Croydon, with an estimated 2,000 travelling fans embarking on the 45-minute walk to Selhurst Park stadium. The scene was dramatically illuminated by fireworks and red smoke flares, the latter representing the club's colours, as chants echoed through Park Lane.
The organised event, which took place on November 6, was heavily policed, with officers in high-visibility clothing flanking the crowd to ensure safety. The match itself, a UEFA Europa Conference League group stage fixture, was scheduled for an 8pm kick-off.
Pre-Planned 'Corteo' by Ben-Side Alkmaar
The march was not a spontaneous event. The club's influential ultras group, Ben-Side Alkmaar, had publicly called for the 'corteo' – or procession – in a social media post two days prior. Their message on Tuesday, November 4, urged all travelling fans to join the parade to arrive at the stadium "in style" before 6pm.
This kind of organised stadium march is a trademark of AZ Alkmaar's passionate away support, designed to create a formidable atmosphere for the evening's contest.
Stakes on the Pitch
The match held significance for both teams in the European competition. Ahead of the game, the group table showed Crystal Palace in 19th position and AZ Alkmaar in 23rd place out of 36 competing teams, with each side having played two matches. This added pressure to the encounter, fuelling the anticipation amongst the vocal Dutch contingent.
The spectacle of the marching fans, complete with banners, scarves, and pyrotechnics, provided a colourful and intense prelude to the night's football action in south London.
