The VAK410 (
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, "Section 410") was a Dutch
Ultras
Ultras are a type of association football fans who are renowned for their fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tende ...
group associated with
AFC Ajax
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the l ...
. The name comes from the name of their initial stand in Ajax's home stadium, the
Amsterdam Arena
The Johan Cruyff Arena ( nl, Johan Cruijff Arena ; officially stylised as Johan Cruijff ArenA) is the main stadium of the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam and the home stadium of football club AFC Ajax since its opening. Built from 1993 to 1996 ...
.
Background
VAK410 was founded on 26 January 2001 by fanatic supporters of the club who were tired of being on the waiting list for the already existing hooligan firm
F-side
The F-side is a Dutch football hooligan group associated with AFC Ajax. The name came from the stand in Ajax' former stadium De Meer Vak F.
Background
The F-side was founded in 1976. The biggest rivalry was between the F-side and Vak S of ...
. On that day, young ''Ajacied'' Karel organized the first meeting of the group's in the
Amstel Cup home match against
SBV Vitesse in row 114. The match resulted in a 1–2 loss. However, the club took a positive stance towards the initiative to create more of an atmosphere in the North side of the stadium, and so VAK410 was born.
Originally known as the Ajax Ultras, with ajaxultras.nl being the official website, the group relocated to row 415 on 11 February 2001 ahead of the home match against
Willem II, right next to the "Away row" for visiting supporters. Ajax' fanzine ''De Ajax Ster'', otherwise known as ''DAS'', reported on the development of the row, despite the low turnout of the ultras during the match. However, two weeks later, on 25 February 2001, the group celebrated its first big success when a large gathering managed to silence the visiting crowd during the home match against
FC Utrecht.
The first match in their current location in the stadium, from which they took the name VAK410, was held on 19 August 2001, at which point the group had approximately 400 members. Considered one of the most famous
Tifosi
Tifosi () is a group of supporters of a sports team, especially those that make up a tifo.
Etymology
It is erroneously claimed that "In Italian, literally means those infected by typhus disease, a reference to someone acting in a fevered man ...
groups in the sport, the group considered itself to be an
ultra fan group, and it distanced itself from
hooliganism
Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a d ...
.
The group dissolved in the summer of 2016, after disagreements with Ajax Amsterdam's management, over the decision of the club's board to move them away from their years long location at VAK 410 of the Amsterdam Arena.
Incidents
Since the formation of the group, there have been several incidents that have led to negative press or even to the club being fined. In August 2010, Ajax was fined €10,000 for the group's behavior during a
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. ...
away match against
Juventus due to severe destruction inside the stadium, the lighting of fireworks, and for injuring an Italian steward in the stadium. Ajax was fined €10,000 once more in 2013 during the
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
home match against
Manchester City after VAK410 revealed a massive banner showing a crossed out
Sheikh holding a bag of money, with the phrase 'Against Modern Football!' under it.
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
called the banner tasteless and completely unfitting. During the final of the
KNVB Cup in 2014, the group sabotaged the match by throwing fireworks onto the pitch in the vicinity of their own goalkeeper. They did this because the final was held in 'De Kuip', the stadium of rival club
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club (association football), football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names bef ...
. The match was stopped twice with Ajax leading 1–0. After resuming the match, Ajax eventually lost 1–5 to
PEC Zwolle
PEC Zwolle is a Dutch football club based in Zwolle, Netherlands. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2021–22 season. They have played in the Eredivisie for a total ...
. The group first stated that throwing fireworks is an inalienable part of such finals.
After pressure from authorities and the F-side, the group eventually did apologise for its behaviour in what would get known as the ''
Vuurwerkincident''.
Judaism
Ajax is popularly seen as having "Jewish roots". In the 1970s, supporters of rival teams began taunting Ajax fans by calling them Jews. Ajax fans, few of whom are actually Jewish themselves, countered this by embracing Ajax's "Jewish" identity: calling themselves "super Jews", chanting "Joden, Joden" (Jews, Jews) at games, and adopting Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David and the Israeli flag. This Jewish imagery eventually became a central part of Ajax fans' culture. At one point, ringtones of "Hava Nagila", a Hebrew folk song, could be downloaded from the club's official website. Starting in the 1980s, fans of Ajax' rivals started their antisemitic rhetoric, chanting slogans like "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas" ("Hamas, Hamas, joden aan het gas"), hissing to imitate the flow of gas, giving Nazi salutes, etc. The eventual result was that many (genuinely) Jewish Ajax fans stopped going to games. In the 2000s, the club tried to persuade fans to drop its Jewish image, but to no avail. Supporters, both on and off the pitch, employ imagery associated with Jewish history and the Israeli nation to this day.
Tottenham Hotspur's Yid Army use similar symbols.
Amsterdam Journal - A Dutch Soccer Riddle - Jewish Regalia Without Jews
''NY Times''
See also
*North Up Alliance
The North Up Alliance ("N.U.A.") is a Dutch football tifosi group associated with AFC Ajax. The name is from their location the stand in Ajax' home stadium Johan Cruyff Arena, namely rows 409 to 414 in the 2nd ring of the Stadium.
Background ...
* South Crew
*Barra Brava
''Barra brava'' () is the name of organized supporters' groups of football teams in Latin America, analogous to British hooligans in providing fanatical support to their clubs in stadiums and provoking violence against rival fans as well as ag ...
*Casual (subculture)
The casual subculture is a subsection of football culture that is typified by hooliganism and the wearing of expensive designer clothing (known as "clobber"). The subculture originated in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s when many hoolig ...
* Curva
*Hooliganism
Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a d ...
*List of hooligan firms
Hooligan firms (also known as football firms) are groups that participate in football hooliganism in European countries. For groups in Latin America, see barra brava and torcida organizada.
Belgium
*Club Brugge – East Side
* RSC Anderlech ...
*Major football rivalries
This list deals with football rivalries around the world. This includes club teams who compete in local derbies as well as matches between club teams further afield. It also lists international rivalries and rivalries between individual players ...
* Torcida
References
External links
VAK410
Official website
{{AFC Ajax, state=collapsed
AFC Ajax
Association football hooligan firms
Gangs in the Netherlands
2001 establishments in the Netherlands
2016 disestablishments in the Netherlands