Sheffield Wednesday: Five facts about the Owls preseason opponents NAC Breda
Breda finished last season in 14th place in the Eredivisie, having only been promoted back to the top flight via the relegation-promotion playoff in 2017.
Now managed by Mitchell van der Gaag, they parted company with former Belgian international player Stijn Vreven who was their manager until June.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut they're not the most interesting facts about the club...
1. NAC Breda used to be managed by Ben Affleck
Yes, you read that right - Breda's manager in 1926 was an Englishman by the name of Ben Affleck. He was only in charge for a couple of months before handing over to compatriot (and the much less interestingly named) James Moore.
2. NAC is much shorter than the club's full name
Breda were formed in 1912 when two clubs with acronyms for a name, NOAD and ADVENDO, combined to form another acronym, NAC. The club's full name translated to English is a bit of a mouthful - NOAD means 'never give up, always persevere' and ADVENDO is 'pleasant for its entertainment and useful for its relaxation'. Imagine engraving that onto a trophy.
3. Breda's fans call themselves 'The Rats'
It's the sort of name that would be slung at opposition fans as an insult in English football, but Breda's fans refer to themselves as 'The Rats' or 'The Yellow Army' after the stadium, the Rat Verlegh Stadion, and the team's colours.
4. The stadium is named after their most famous player
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBreda renamed their stadium in 2006 after their most famous player. Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh was also nicknamed 'The Rat' because of his quick play and moves.
5. Four players in their squad have played for Manchester City
In the current NAC squad James Horsfield, Greg Leigh, Erik Palmer-Brown and Paolo Fernandes have either played for, or are on loan from English champions Manchester City. Admittedly they've not got a single first team appearance for City between them, but they did come through the youth system.