Crusaders roll back the years in Holland

Former Weston Crusader players returned to Holland as they relived their junior football days.

A team of 40 somethings rolled back the years by recalling the 1980s when they relived their junior football days.

Back in 1984, a Milton Crusaders junior led by Derek Craddock embarked on a football tour to Haarlem in Holland.

The tournament was hosted by TYBB (The Yellow and Black Boys) and after winning in the first year they were invited back to compete against the likes of Ajax and Arnhem the following year, with Crusaders teams following the tradition of going on tour to Holland ever since.

While the football was not as free flowing, a team comprising of the original squad dusted off their boots and squeezed into a kit to play against a TYBB team in a friendly before playing a low key Easter tournament a few days later.

Plagued by injuries and a general lack of mobility, the team showed a great fighting spirit and showed great form in the clubhouse afterwards, winning many new friends along the way.

A minute’s silence was held to mark the loss of beloved manager Derek Craddock and teammate Ian Thorn since they first went.