Go ahead to Luton — Terrace Edition

Words: Han Balk

Images: Han Balk

An away trip to England with Go Ahead Eagles had been high on my bucket list for years. For a long time, it felt like something that would never happen.

For years our pre-season schedule consisted of anonymous friendlies on an amateur ground near Deventer against uninspiring opposition. If there was an away game, it was usually played behind closed doors.

That finally changed in 2022 when Go Ahead travelled to Oldenburg for a friendly against VfB Oldenburg.

Strangely, only around a hundred supporters made the 250-kilometre journey to Germany to watch a draw. It was refreshing to have a proper away day again without the endless restrictions of Dutch football.

No mandatory coach travel, no police escort—just the freedom to drive or take the train.

©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. Go Ahead fans at the Wheelwright Arms. Luton.

Perhaps the low turnout was down to the holiday season, but it still felt surprisingly quiet.

Then came Brann Bergen in the 2024 UEFA Conference League qualifiers. For the more than 1,000 Eagles supporters who travelled to Norway, it was an away day that will probably never be topped. I know it won't be for me.

Of course, last season spoiled us even further with four unforgettable Europa League away trips.

Winning in Athens in the pouring rain remains my personal highlight. Beating Aston Villa at home was surreal, but as strange as it may sound, getting comfortably beaten 6-0 at Villa Park might have been even better.

As long as the away end keeps singing, the result almost becomes secondary.

©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. Go Ahead Eagles fans. Luton.

The UEFA draw wasn't exactly kind to us. France away... twice. As if once wasn't enough.

If I could have swapped Lyon for Nottingham Forest or Aston Villa away, I wouldn't have hesitated.

So when it was announced towards the end of last season that Go Ahead Eagles would face Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in a pre-season friendly, excitement spread quickly among the supporters.

For years, fans of Luton and Go Ahead have regularly crossed the North Sea to visit each other's clubs. I'd already been to Kenilworth Road, but this time I would finally experience it from the iconic away end.

Around a thousand Eagles supporters made the trip. Like me, many turned it into a longer football weekend. I chose to go to Southend on the Saturday, which will feature in another Terrace Edition report.

©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. Go Ahead fans at Kenilworth Road.

By the time our group arrived at the hotel in Luton on Saturday evening, dusk was settling in.

Just a hundred metres away stood The Wheelwright Arms, where supporters of both Luton Town and Go Ahead Eagles were enjoying pints together outside on a warm summer evening.

Oddly enough, Luton’s Wetherspoon wasn't quite prepared for a small Dutch invasion the following morning.

After waiting more than an hour for breakfast, we had to accept defeat. They had simply run out of much of what was needed for a proper Full English.

No problem. Time to head towards Kenilworth Road instead, where pies and burgers would do the job.

There was no organised march to the stadium. Small groups of Luton and Go Ahead supporters wandered there together, chatting, drinking and soaking up the atmosphere.

The away end—and especially the narrow staircases and cramped corridors leading to it—didn't disappoint in the slightest. It's almost impossible to believe that only recently every Premier League club had to squeeze through these same passageways.

Go Ahead won 1-0, but the football almost felt incidental.

Back in the sunshine outside the pubs, another beer appeared. Someone started singing Don't Take Me Home.