The West Ham fan who single-handedly defended his fellow supporters from Dutch ultras at the West Ham/AZ Alkmaar game in Holland has been rewarded with a ticket to the Hammers’ Europa Conference League final next month.
Here’s a reminder of the heroic scenes last week, in which Chris ‘Knollsy’ Knoll refused to allow violent Dutch hooligans to storm the seating area where players’ families were also seated:
That fat West Ham Dude defending alone against the mob is too big. I guess he is the hero in his town now 😂 pic.twitter.com/Spj6xWY5y9
— rufus666 (@fumanchu6666) May 18, 2023
Knollsyy, who has since been dubbed the ‘Angel of Alkmaar’, said he was overcome with emotion when he got the news. The father-of-four, 58, said:
‘I am at work and when I got the call today, I nearly cried. I am, so pleased, so happy. I am made up.’
He revealed he had been contacted by a club official who he had met during Thursday’s match:
‘She said she was sitting two rows behind me and saw what happened. She said I had been very courageous and that I deserved a ticket.
It’s ironic that she was the one who phoned me today. I remember joking with her earlier about whether she could get me a ticket if we got to the final.
I know how difficult it is to get a ticket. I am so happy at this.’
Knollsy also received a standing ovation over the weekend during West Ham’s game with Leeds United. The London Stadium was on its feet for the big man with thousands of fans chanting “Knollsy is massive”:
‘What a reception, a standing ovation, my own song and I never bought a single beer.
It took me the best part of a hour to walk half way around the stadium at the end of the game on Sunday.
I was made to feel like the people’s champion. I noticed the amount of women thanking me for looking after their families.
I’m on the crest of a wave at the moment.’
What a feeling! And well-deserved too after he basically transformed into Hodor from Game of Thrones and dispatched with all those Ultras. He should never have to buy a pint at a West Ham game ever again. Probably a bigger West Ham legend than Declan Rice at the moment, especially as Knollsy will be sticking around after the summer.
At the end of the day, Knollsy is just too big and too strong to mess with so he’ll be an asset in the crowd at the Conference League Final in Prague too. Good luck storming the West Ham section with this beast of a man around. Go Knollsy Go!
