{"id":295145,"date":"2023-10-28T04:11:03","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T04:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=295145"},"modified":"2023-10-28T04:11:03","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T04:11:03","slug":"exclusive-az-alkmaar-say-steward-was-right-to-confiscate-the-banner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/soccer\/exclusive-az-alkmaar-say-steward-was-right-to-confiscate-the-banner\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: AZ Alkmaar say steward was RIGHT to confiscate the banner"},"content":{"rendered":"
AZ Alkmaar have revealed that their steward was right to confiscate and discard a tearful Aston Villa fan’s sign asking for Moussa Diaby’s shirt – according to their stadium rules.<\/p>\n
Before Villa played AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League, a young fan hung a beautifully hand-crafted sign near to the touchline asking for the French winger’s shirt.<\/p>\n
However, due to a new rule in Dutch football where stadiums have banned fans from bringing in signs asking players for shirts, a steward walked over to the boy and took the banner away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking to Mail Sport<\/span>, AZ Alkmaar confirmed that the steward was following the right protocol to take away the banner.<\/p>\n But, the club also said the same individual then asked Aston Villa whether Diaby could meet the young boy after the game to give him his shirt – which he did.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The young fan’s brilliant home-made banner was put near to the touchline asking for his shirt<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, due to a new rule in Dutch football, the steward took the banner and threw it away<\/p>\n Fans across social media branded the steward’s treatment of the banner as completely ‘unnecessary’.<\/p>\n One person wrote on X: ‘All the hours this kid have spent making it, looking forward and having his hopes up, brought the sign and then some man throw it in the bin.’<\/p>\n Another added: ‘That\u2019s unnecessary from the stewards to throw it in the bin.’<\/p>\n However, AZ Alkmaar have revealed the steward more than made up for himself after he made sure the young fan got his hero’s shirt.\u00a0<\/p>\n Footage shows the young boy with a beaming smile as the French player hugs and offers him his shirt at full-time.\u00a0The pair then smile and pose for a picture.\u00a0<\/p>\n After the video of the boy with Diaby was posted, fans\u00a0were delighted as one said : ‘Love this!’ Another also added: ‘Brilliant! Well done Villa.’<\/span><\/p>\n Diaby has endeared himself to supporters since his summer switch from Bayer Leverkusen with his brilliant play on-the-field and this on the field will only do so further.<\/p>\n To add to Villa fans’ joy, their side enjoyed a remarkable result on Thursday night against the Dutch team as they won 4-1 to go second in their group.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, the young fan’s night was not all bad as he finally got to meet Moussa Diaby<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Aston Villa attacker made sure the fan’s night wasn’t ruined after their excellent 4-1 win<\/p>\n Ollie Watkins continued his red-hot form for Villa in a statement Europa Conference League in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n The striker netted his 10th goal of the season and fourth in Europe this season on Thursday.<\/p>\n Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans – his first for Villa – put them in control in AZ Stadium after less than 25 minutes.<\/p>\n Vangelis Pavlidis wasted the hosts’ best chances but Watkins and John McGinn added more goals after the break in Holland before Ibrahim Sadiq grabbed a consolation.<\/p>\n It was the second time in two games Villa had scored four after their 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham on Sunday.<\/p>\n Unai Emery celebrated a year in charge on Tuesday and victory underlined the progress his side have made, having been floundering in 14th and three points above the relegation zone 12 months ago.<\/p>\n Villa host Alkmaar in two weeks knowing victory would see them take a giant leap to the knock-out stages, especially following an opening 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw in September.<\/p>\n It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\nIT’S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n