SoloBagging

Solo Travel - Stories, Gear/Tech Reviews, Tips and Pics

  • U.S.
    • Jelly Mill Falls – Southern Vermont
    • Finding Hamilton Falls – Vermont
    • 5 things to do in Vegas without Gambling
    • Hiking Pico Peak Mountain in Vermont
    • Fenway Park – A Boston Can’t Miss
    • Summer Chicago Visit
    • 2 Day Vermont Cabin Getaway
    • A visit to Wrigley Field
    • How flight attendants make or break the “friendly skies”
    • Travel vs The American Dream
  • Europe
    • Visiting The Ghent Altarpiece – The World’s Most Stolen Painting
    • Toast your stay in Dublin with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse
    • Getting from Prague Airport (Václav Haveld) to the City
    • KGB Museum Prague
    • Shaking Hands With A Mummy In Dublin
    • Street Food Prague – Trdlo
    • Celtic FC Supporters Show Strong In Amsterdam
    • 1st Visit Borussia Park Mochengladbach Germany
    • 5 Awesome Things to do in Bruges
    • Getting from Schiphol Airport to Central Amsterdam
    • 72 hours in Tallinn, Estonia
    • Amsterdam in January
    • Back to the CZ
    • Bruges
    • Dining in Prague
    • From Prague my Love
    • Getting from Tallinn to Riga
    • January in Riga
    • In Bruges
    • Red light myths and realities
    • When in Amsterdam
    • More from Bruges
    • Parisians are actually nice
    • Marseille
  • Scandinavia
    • Besseggen Ridge – Hiking Norway
    • Hiking in Ringebu Norway
    • Ringebu Stave Church – Norway
    • Helsinki in Winter
    • Helsinki to Tallinn via Viking Line XPRS Ferry
    • Lillehammer not Lilyhammer!
    • Norway in Winter
    • Oslo
  • Middle East
    • Top 5 Most Interesting Places To Visit In Bahrain
    • A Visit to The Cistern Basilica Istanbul
    • A Few Days in Tel Aviv
    • One Day Through Palestinian Eyes
    • Walking Around Jerusalem
  • Asia
    • Where to rent a motorbike in Kanchanaburi
    • Where to go for a tailored suit in Bangkok
    • Haji Lane, The Coolest Street in Singapore
    • How to get to Seoul City Center from Incheon Airport
    • I shared a bathroom with a transexual and I survived….
    • Kandal Market – Phnom Penh
    • Traveling to Bangkok after the Coup d’état – Is It Safe?
    • Coming Across A Monitor Lizard In Bangkok
  • Travel Gear & Tech Reviews
    • Travel Tech
      • How Apple Pay and Samsung Pay help you in Europe
      • Why you may need your credit card at the airport when you book online
      • TSA and Keeping Your Tablet and Phone Charged
      • Why Google Flights Should Be Used For Your Next Flight Search
      • T-Mobile international plan tested and reviewed
      • Understanding Southwests Seating Policy
      • Why The Kindle 3G Can Be A Travelers Ace In The Hole
      • Beginners Guide to Booking Flights on Kayak
      • Writing App, A Review for the Traveler
      • Backup Battery Power for The Traveler
      • XE Currency Exchange – Best Travel Apps
      • Tech Review- CityMaps2Go -Using your phone for maps offline
      • Filtered or unfiltered? Photos not beer
      • Writing with iPhone & traveling
      • Verizon, iphone and Europe, a quick guide.
    • Travel Gear Reviews
      • A travelers review- SunGod Classics Sunglasses
      • Zen and the Art of Traveling Strictly Carry On
      • The Bar From Jackery – A Travelers Review
      • Gear Review – Day Trek With The Osprey Comet
      • A Travelers Review of the Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
      • 6 Must Have Items For A Winter Trip To Europe
      • The Grip V – Gear Review
      • Gear Review – Going strictly carry on with Osprey Porter 46
      • Travel Laundry Soap Review
      • The North Face Half Zip Fleece for Travel
      • Some Pros and Cons of a Rail Pass
      • Gear Review- North Face Apex Bionic Jacket
      • Travel Gear Review – Rothco Urban Explorer Shoulder Bag
      • Gear – Lewis N. Clark Inflatable Travel Neck Pillow
  • Contact US
  • Pics
    • Pic of the week – Petronas Towers
    • Amsterdam’s Red Light District at Night – Rated PG
    • Awesome Thailand Afternoon Sky – Pic of the Week
    • Lighthouse at Dusk – Pic of the Week
    • Norway Mountain Fog – Pic of the Week. Beautiful view of a fog line in the mountains
    • The Blue Mosque Istanbul at Night – Pic of the Week
    • Chain Bridge Budapest – Pic of the Week

Celtic FC Supporters Show Strong In Amsterdam

By

I have been in Amsterdam many times and usually avoid the weekends there. So many people it gets to be a bit much if it’s not your first visit. To my lack of knowledge, I was in Amsterdam during the week when AFC Ajax was hosting Celtic FC.

Celtic FC in Amsterdam

Pre-match night. I’ve never seen so many police in Amsterdam. “Paddy” wagons, riot and mounted police. When a city has legalized what most cities ban, there is little need normally. for so much police presence. Sound precaution though, as Celtic FC supporters are representing in full effect. You cannot walk by any bar without hearing Celtic chanting. That and the sound of sirens are filling the air.  An estimated 10,000 strong Celtic fans are in Amsterdam the night before the match with an additional 5,000 expected for match day. Fans are spilling out onto the streets with song and chants. The style in the U.S. usually reserved for post World Series, or Super Bowl wins. Celtic fans are arguably, some of the most loyal, ultra, die-hard fans you will ever meet.

Celtic FC in Amsterdam

A late night attack occurred at the famous pub Old Sailor in the RLD, in which masked Ajax supporters attempted to provoke violence inside the pub filled with Celtic fans. It was quickly broken up while security at the pub secured the doors as the attackers fled when police arrived, as seen in the CCTV footage below.

Scuffles are breaking out sporadicly and it is difficult to determine if it is between Celtic fans or with Ajax supporters. But the streets are filled with Celtic green and not Ajax red. This is the center of Amsterdam and I imagine the streets surrounding are a flood with Ajax supporters. It is a spectacle of fans at their best (or worst) but you can’t stop and not admire the unity among Celtic fans. Like a family reunion the men in green are here to support their team and bonded by this allegiance. Sure there will be some pushing and shoving but throw any large group of guys out in a bar and it’s what you get. The Bhoys will be The Bhoys.

Game day. The streets in central Amsterdam are filled with the green and white of Celtic supporters and that of thousands of empty and smashed Heineken bottles. Beers half empty are flying through the air and what sounds like M-80’s are exploding intermittently. Flares are burning in the streets and bagpipes are playing somewhere in the vast crowd. Like thousands of others here, I don’t have tickets to the game. So many are here just to show their presence in support if their club.

image (5)

Being in Amsterdam during this match up gave the city an entire different look.  If you are planning a visit, it can appear to be a very different place when Amsterdam is hosting a rival. It may not make the average traveler to comfortable walking through some mobs of fans, but the majority of action is focused around Dam Square and the RLD.  For me it was one more thing to experience while in the “Dam”.   Win or lose, I host a pint to the men in green. Celtic FC supporters, I met a bunch of you. I couldn’t learn your songs fast enough but appreciate my attempts and thanks for the memories. Go Green!
Click Here for the Best Amsterdam Hotel Deals!

share Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on tumblr
Tumblr
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on stumbleupon
Stumbleupon
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on linkedin
Linkedin

Tags: AFC Ajax, Amsterdam, Celtic FC, Football, Soccer, Sport, travel Categories: Amsterdam, Europe, Travel, travel Europe

Prev
Next

Comments

  1. Neil says

    December 9, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    Great to read an account of what actually happened in Amsterdam for that game. Their was quite a media furore here in Glasgow but Celtic fans tend not to get into too much controversy when they travel so it potentially tarnished their good reputation. Glad to see they won you over though 🙂 You need to come to Scotland for a Celtic-Rangers game next!
    Neil recently posted…Does Glasgow have some of Europe’s best architecture?My Profile

    • SoloBagging.com says

      December 9, 2013 at 8:02 pm

      Thanks Neil. Yes, I read a lot of articles in the mainstream media that portrayed a lot of things in a bad light about Celtic in Amsterdam, that simply not true. I am not knocking Ajax fans at all though. I just met so many Celtic fans and I had a blast.

      I would live to see the legendary rivalry of Celtic vs Rangers firsthand!

Trackbacks

  1. Rampage Blog says:
    May 22, 2017 at 12:10 am

    For The Die Hard Celtic Fc

    […] ed Ajax supporters attempted to provoke violence inside the pub filled with Celt […]

Keep Up To Date

Adventurous Traveler? Stay up to date! Have a post to share? Head over to contact us in the header bar
no worries no spam :)

Meet The Author -

Karl is a ferry boat captain by trade. Traveler and hack writer while he's not piloting boats. Born in the U.S. to a German father and a Norwegian mother, Karl has been traveling internationally since he was just 2.
Trying to see as much of the world through the eyes of locals. Budget minded solo travel. An avid obstacle racer, skier and former motorcycle racer.










SoloBagging
Follow on
Twitter
Copyright © 2025 SoloBagging · (in)SPYR Theme by Genesis Developer: SPYR Media