Ajax is one of those names of European football that almost hold a mythical status in the beautiful game, both meteorically and literally, due to the club’s name. They are the most successful club in the history of Dutch football, having won the most Eredivisie titles.
When it comes to football, no matter what country a club plays in, home is where the heart is, and some clubs make their stadiums into fortresses which opposition teams fear to tread.
Where did Ajax first start playing football?
Ajax was founded in 1900 by three men: Floris Stempel (who became the club’s first chairman), Carel Reeser and Hans Dade.
Although the trio were ambitious with their plans for the Amsterdam club, their first playing arenas were less than impressive. In fact, the club’s early games were played on farmers’ fields in Buiksloterham, which was Amsterdam-Noord.
The reason for the team playing on the outskirts of the city was the sheer lack of pitches available closer to home due to football’s growing popularity in the Dutch capital.
The club’s first stadium, the Het Houten Stadion, was built by honorary club member Daan Roodenburgh in 1907 on the Middenweg in Watergraafsmeer, Amsterdam-Oost.
The stadium was far more accessible from the city centre, although the facility did lack stands, running water and dressing rooms. The club depended on a local cafe situated nearby for amenities.
The stadium’s first stand was built in 1911, and architect Roodenburgh designed the new structure. In 1916, additional stands and seating were added around the pitch, expanding Het Houten Stadion.
However, despite the improvements to the stadium, the 15,000 capacity was just not enough as demand for tickets grew.
A big move to De Meer in 1934
On 9th December 1934, Ajax moved to De Meer Stadion, as their old home was demanded not fit for purpose. The Dutch team kicked off life in their new home with a 5-1 friendly win over French team Stade Francais.
The stadium’s original capacity was just 22,000, but De Meer was considered a big improvement over the team’s previous home. Eventually, the capacity was increased to 29,500.
In 1965, Ajax renamed one of the stands the “Reyenoldstribune” to honour their English former head coach, Jack Reynolds. The stadium took another step forward in 1971, when lighting fixtures were finally fitted. By 1985, all the seating and standing areas were covered.
In truth, by the late 1980s, the club’s home stadium was no longer befitting of the club or the team it served. The stadium was even considered a danger to the public, and with UEFA’s stance on no standing at football matches, the club had no choice but to look to relocate once again.
While the club’s home was De Meer, Ajax also played some games at the Olympic Stadium. The stadium was used when the club were expecting a higher attendance than 20,000. The Dutch giants used the stadium for many of their European Cup and midweek games.
Not only did the Olympic Stadium have a bigger capacity than De Meer (it expanded its capacity from 34,000 to 64,000), but it also offered superior lighting facilities.
However, Ajax were never permanent tenants of the Olympic Stadium, as it had permanent sitting tenants at various points in Blauw-Wit and DWS.
The most famous game that Ajax played at the stadium was in 1966 when they faced the English giants Liverpool in the last 16 of the European Cup. Despite thick fog, Ajax recorded a dominant 5-1 victory over the Merseyside outfit.
A move to their present home
In 1993, the club started construction on their new home. By 1996, Ajax relocated to their new stadium in the southeast of Amsterdam. Its original name was the Amsterdam Arena. The new state-of-the-art facility cost $134 million and was funded by the Amsterdam City Authority.
The Arena was one of the most innovative of its time and contained a retractable roof. However, the retractable roof wasn’t great for the pitch at the Arena, and the club gained a reputation for having a poor playing surface.
In the 2008/09 season, Ajax’s ground staff fixed the pitch issue by using an artificial lightning system that solved the problem of a lack of sunlight and fresh air caused by the roof.
The club changed the name of the Arena to the Johan Cruyff Arena in 2018 as a tribute to Cruyff, who was one of the clubs and country’s finest-ever players, who passed away in 2016.
After the construction of the Arena, the club’s beloved De Meer was knocked down, and the city council bought the land for new housing.
At the time of writing, the Johan Cruyff Arena’s capacity is 55,865, an increase from its original capacity of 51,200. The Arena is also a popular facility for concerts, and its capacity increases to 71,000 for music events.
The new stadium is a far cry from the capital clubs’ early days playing on farmers’ fields in the north of the city.
As a now legendary club, their current surroundings are certainly far more fitting for a club of its size than their previous homes, even if De Meer was a much-loved facility by the club faithful.