Jeroen Boere

Jeroen Boere

Boere playing for West Ham United
Personal information
Full nameJeroen Willem Boere
Date of birth18 November 1967
Place of birthArnhem, Netherlands
Date of death16 August 2007 (aged 39)
Place of deathMarbella, Spain
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Playing positionStriker
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1985–1987SBV Excelsior5(0)
1987–1988De Graafschap35(19)
1988VVV-Venlo10(1)
1989De Graafschap (loan)21(9)
1989VVV-Venlo22(6)
1990Roda JC4(1)
1990–1991VVV-Venlo33(20)
1991–1993Go Ahead Eagles51(18)
1993–1995West Ham United25(6)
1994Portsmouth (loan)5(0)
1994West Bromwich Albion (loan)5(0)
1995–1996Crystal Palace8(1)
1996–1998Southend United73(25)
1998–1999Omiya Ardija26(18)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 August 2007.
† Appearances (Goals).

Jeroen Willem Boere (18 November 1967 – 16 August 2007) was a Dutch football player.

He was the younger brother of Remco Boere, who played for clubs including Den Haag and Zwolle.

He started his professional career at SBV Excelsior and went on to play for several teams, mostly at Holland's second level.

England

A tall striker, Jeroen Boere went abroad in summer 1993 when he was signed by Billy Bonds for £250,000 to play for newly promoted West Ham United in the Premier League. Jeroen, or 'Yosser' as he was known to his team-mates, made his debut for West Ham on 25 September 1993 in a 2–0 defeat to Newcastle United but was sent-off for a clash with Kevin Scott. Although he struggled to gain a regular place in the West Ham first team, he memorably scored twice for them in a Premier League game at Elland Road on 10 December 1994 to secure a 2–2 draw against Leeds United.[1]

His stay with West Ham lasted two seasons and he was loaned out to Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion. He was recalled back to West Ham due to their striker shortage when they were near the foot of the table, to which he formed a partnership with Tony Cottee from which West Ham avoided relegation that season. He eventually moved to Crystal Palace in 1995 as part of the deal that took Iain Dowie back to Boleyn Ground. His spell at Palace was short-lived, however, and he moved on to Southend United at the end of the season.

Japan

Boere moved to Japan in 1998 to play for the newly formed professional club Omiya Ardija in Japan Football League (former), formerly known as NTT Kanto. He played 15 matches and scored 9 goals in his first season in Japan. In the 1999 season, Omiya joined newly formed J. League Division 2 and he started the season very well scoring 9 in 11 games. In May 1999, after dinner with his wife at a restaurant in Roppongi district of Tokyo, he was stabbed in his left eye and arm by two unknown men who reportedly appeared to be of Middle East origin.[2] He lost his eye in the incident which forced his retirement from football at age 31.[3]

Retirement

After his retirement, Boere owned the Half Moon pub in Epping High Street from 1999 until 2004.[4]

During an interview in his pub with a Dutch sports magazine in 2001, Boere joked about his artificial eye and said he had no regrets about his career – having played, at the peak of his career for West Ham United. And, as he said, at least he was still alive.

Death

After his pub ownership ended, Boere moved to Spain, in September 2004, to work as a real estate agent. He died on 16 August 2007 at the age of 39.[5][6] There are conflicting reports about the cause of death and place of death. Some media reported that Boere died in a car crash, possibly on Ibiza,[7][8] while other media reported that he was found dead in his home in Marbella.[9] English newspaper Ilford Recorder stated that Boere had committed suicide.[10]

West Ham United, Southend United and Omiya Ardija players wore black armbands in memory of Boere in their home games in August 2007.[11]

Club career statistics

Club performance League
Season Club League Apps Goals
Netherlands League
1985/86ExcelsiorEredivisie30
1986/8720
1987/88De GraafschapEerste Divisie3519
1988/89VVV VenloEredivisie101
1988/89De GraafschapEerste Divisie219
1989/90VVV VenloEerste Divisie226
1989/90RodaEredivisie41
1990/91VVV VenloEerste Divisie3320
1991/92Go Ahead EaglesEerste Divisie2311
1992/93Eredivisie287
England League
1993/94West Ham UnitedPremier League40
1993/94PortsmouthFirst Division50
1994/95West Ham UnitedPremier League206
1994/95West Bromwich AlbionFirst Division50
1995/96West Ham UnitedPremier League10
1995/96Crystal PalaceFirst Division81
1995/96Southend UnitedFirst Division62
1996/97369
1997/98Second Division3114
Japan League
1998Omiya ArdijaFootball League159
1999J. League 2119
Country Netherlands 18174
England 11632
Japan 2618
Total 323124

References

  1. Daily Yomiuri News
  2. "Dutch striker loses eye in stabbing". indianexpress.com. 23 May 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
  3. "Soccer star landlord found dead in Spain". wansteadandwoodfordguardian.co.uk. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  4. Reuters: Former West Ham player Boere dies aged 39
  5. Jeroen Boere tribute – West Ham United statement.
  6. "Oud-speler Jeroen Boere (39) overleden" (in Dutch). Trouw. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  7. "Jeroen Boere 18-11-1967 – 16-08-2007" (in Dutch). De Pers. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  8. "Oud-spits Jeroen Boere dood aangetroffen" (in Dutch). De Stentor. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  9. "Jeroen tribute evening proves a big success". Ilford Recorder. 28 November 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  10. ヨルン選手追悼 at the Wayback Machine (archived January 13, 2008), 大宮アルディージャ

External links