A Dutch football club is marking an extraordinary friendship forged through a terminally ill supporter's final wish by unveiling a special tartan-inspired shirt this weekend. FC Twente will debut the new kit in their Eredivisie away match against AZ Alkmaar on Sunday, 25 October 2026, honouring two decades of reciprocal visits and deep bonds between supporters in the eastern Netherlands and a small Scottish town. According to BBC News, the connection began with one man's dream and has blossomed into a cultural exchange that continues to strengthen.
Dennis Van Unen, an FC Twente devotee battling terminal skin cancer, expressed a singular ambition: to witness an Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers in person. In 2006, two Stranraer supporters—Jim McKie, a Rangers fan, and James Hilton, who backed Celtic—made that dream reality by securing tickets and guiding him through a football tour encompassing Ibrox, Celtic Park, and Hampden. Though Dennis passed away the following year at age 34, the friendship he catalysed between the two supporter communities has endured and flourished across the intervening years.
The tartan design carries particular resonance given FC Twente's earlier history with Scottish aesthetics. The club previously wore a comparable tartan away shirt during the 1994/1995 season, which supporters later voted as their finest kit ever. Beyond aesthetic connections, Scottish players have left their mark on the Dutch side: defender Rob McKinnon spent two seasons at Twente between 1996 and 1998, while striker Scott Booth, now manager of Aberdeen Women, captured the Dutch Cup with the club in 2001. Goalkeeper Theo Snelders, who later moved to Aberdeen and Rangers following his time at Twente, further strengthened those ties.
The new tartan shirt has already proven a commercial success. According to Herald Scotland, the kit sold out almost immediately following its launch on 16 October 2026, demonstrating the enthusiasm both supporter bases hold for the collaboration.
Billy Hodge, a 70-year-old landlord of The Grapes pub in Stranraer—the spiritual home of the Stranraer Tukkers supporters' group—found himself cast as the unlikely model for the club's marketing campaign. The pub, situated barely a long clearance from Stranraer FC's Stair Park, displays the Saxon Steed emblem from the Twente badge on its exterior walls, while the interior celebrates the Dutch club's traditional red and white colours. Hodge described his surprise at being selected for the promotional shoot, which took place two weeks before the shirt went on sale.
It was strange to be honest, I never fancied myself as a model. I knew there was something secretive going on when they contacted me, but I didn't expect this. The kit is fantastic.
Hodge remains a committed Twente season ticket holder, travelling to matches in Enschede a couple of times each season. He and fellow Stranraer supporters are regularly welcomed into the club's hardcore supporter section with genuine warmth. The reciprocal hospitality extends to both directions: when Dutch fans visit Stranraer, they receive complimentary drinks at The Grapes, a custom mirrored when Scottish supporters travel to the Netherlands.
The scale of the supporter exchange has grown substantially. In 2017, marking a decade since Dennis's death, FC Twente travelled to Stranraer for a pre-season friendly. That visit proved transformative: according to Elf Voetbal, more than 500 Twente supporters made the journey to Scotland, with 21 of the visiting fans staying at The Grapes itself. The exchange has become so established that Dutch visitors now regularly find their way to Stranraer through unconventional routes—Hodge recounted how some supporters cycled to the town after taking the ferry to Newcastle and navigating the back roads northward.
Hodge believes the two supporter communities share fundamental values that transcend geography and language.
I think the two sets of fans are similar. They are all working class guys, they back their team through thick and thin and I think they are to be applauded for that.The pub has become an unexpected landmark for Dutch tourists exploring southwest Scotland; visitors who recognise the Twente horse emblem on the pub's exterior often stop to share stories of their connection to the club.
How has the friendship influenced FC Twente's identity?
Leon Molenkamp, the club's marketing manager, emphasised that the tartan shirt represents a deliberate effort to preserve the relationship for future generations. He described the bond as deeply felt within the club's supporter base, with increasing numbers of Twente fans developing interest in Scottish football and making regular visits to Stranraer.
The relationship is very heartfelt. We have people visiting back and forward multiple time a year. It is great to see how something like that can just arise. It's getting to be quite a well-known friendship with fans in Twente as well and more and more people are going over and taking an interest in Scottish football.
The friendship has become sufficiently established that it now forms part of the club's broader identity. What began as a single terminally ill supporter's wish has evolved into a sustained cultural exchange that enriches both communities. The tartan kit serves as a tangible symbol of that evolution, visible to millions of television viewers across the Netherlands and beyond.
What is FC Twente's current form?
FC Twente have not won the Eredivisie since 2010, when they competed under the management of Steve McClaren—a period remembered partly for the manager's distinctive accent, which became a subject of gentle ribbing among supporters. However, the club's current trajectory shows promise. They are competing in the Europa Conference League this season and occupy fifth position in the Dutch top flight after nine matches, suggesting a competitive campaign ahead.
What happens next?
FC Twente will wear the new tartan kit for the first time in their away fixture against AZ Alkmaar on Sunday, 25 October 2026. The match will be observed with particular interest at The Grapes in Stranraer, where the Tukkers supporters' group will gather to witness the debut of a shirt that represents two decades of friendship, sacrifice, and shared passion for football.
