After West Ham qualified for the Europa League Conference final, AZ Alkmaar supporters violently attacked Hammers supporters. Amid the chaos, Chris Knoll, nicknamed ‘Knollsy’, a father of four, stepped in to put the brakes on Dutch fans. He was hailed as a hero this Friday in England, notably by Alphonse Aréola.
West Ham’s qualification for the Europa League Conference final took a back seat on Thursday, when a fight broke out in the bays of the AFAS Stadion. After the final whistle, Dutch supporters tried to enter the stand where the Hammers fans were seated, but also the families and friends of the players and staff of the English club.
In the midst of these scenes of chaos, a man made a lot of noise: Chris Knoll, nickname “Knollsy”. The 58-year-old electrician, father of four, turned into a hero by standing up to supporters of the local club, who wanted to do battle with the Hammers box. On videos published on the networks, we see him doing everything possible to prevent fans from attacking relatives of West Ham players, who are very upset about the situation.
Areola’s Tribute
Contacted by the Daily Mail the day after this turbulent evening, Chris Knoll recalled that he was not “a hero” despite the scars on his face and his torn t-shirt. “I just did what I had to do. There was another guy who was pushing them away, he says. I don’t like bullies and I just had to try to stop them. I thought that the best way to defend was to attack. They intended to cause trouble and I didn’t want them to get to those behind us.”
“Knollsy” went on to explain how the situation quickly escalated. “I saw them all gathered at the side of the pitch. They broke the barriers and headed towards the first group of West Ham fans. They weren’t going to let it happen. It was pretty obvious what was going to happen. come by because they were planning on coming to see us. They were the ultras, it showed by what they were wearing. I just decided that I wasn’t going to let them ride. I just thought the best form of defense would be to get to the top of the stairs where they were going up, stand there and try to stop them. They were throwing punches and I just did my best to stay there and take the hits.”
His actions were hailed by Alphonse Areola and his wife Marrion, present at the stadium on Thursday evening. “The biggest hero last night was this man, Knollsy. He did his best to defend the players’ families against the home fans. Thank you Knollsy,” Marrion Areola wrote on Instagram. The French international, for his part, hailed a “legend”. A hero who hopes to obtain places for the final organized in Prague on June 7, where he crosses his fingers to “enjoy a fantastic match”.
