Former Blue Fabian Wilnis will be back in Suffolk this weekend to watch his old side take on Hull City and his new club face Ipswich Wanderers in a friendly. Wilnis, who moved back to his native Holland after retiring from professional football in 2009 after a year with Grays Athletic, is now the assistant manager of Dutch Hoofdklasse B side vv Heerjansdam.
Wilnis says he is looking forward to being back at Portman Road and is bringing his boys to see the game against the Tigers: "We’re arriving early on Saturday morning and the whole team will watch the Town-Hull City match.
"After that, we will play a friendly against Ipswich Wanderers at Humber Doucy Lane at 7pm. Hoofdklasse B you can probably compare to conference level in the UK.”
The 40-year-old has been a busy man since ending his professional career with several strings to his bow in addition to his role with Heerjansdam: "I've been the director of Jemsz UK Ltd for a few months now.
"They are known in Holland, Belgium and Germany and I'm trying to introduce this new brand to the UK from August onwards.
"I have already arranged a new home kit for Ipswich Wanderers, which they will be wearing for the first time when they play us on Saturday. I've also produced a whole new UK catalogue which hopefully will be out in just a few weeks.
"There were three important reasons why I got involved. Firstly, because of the very good quality, secondly because of the sharp price and lastly, and very importantly, we can deliver all the items from Belgium within three to four working days to the UK. A very fast delivery time!”
Fab models a Jemsz kit
Fab was speaking to TWTD having just returned from Germany where he was talking to HSV Hamburg regarding a charity football tournament he is helping to set-up with an organisation called the International Loyalty and Charity Cup Committee (ILCCC).
He says the competition will involve some big names: "I’m also working for this company which is organising a big football tournament which is being held at FC Twente with top teams from all over Europe.
"That’s going to be happening next pre-season from 10th-16th July and it’s going to involve some of Europe’s biggest clubs. We’re trying to get an English team over.
"There are going to be eight clubs in the tournament with 90% of the profits going to charity, which I think is unique.
"The first prize for the winner of the tournament is €5 million plus a beautiful gold and diamond trophy worth €1.2 million (they have to win it three times to keep it though!), the second prize is €3 million and third prize €2 million.”
Fab will also be a guest on BBC Radio Suffolk’s Life’s a Pitch on Saturday (midday to 2pm), alongside presenter Mark Murphy, Blues legend Kevin Beattie, football’s youngest pundit Tractorboy and TWTD’s Phil Ham.