West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and his wife have hailed the fearless fan who defended the families of the Premier League team’s players from a mob of Dutch hooligans last night.
Chris Knoll, dubbed the ‘Angel of Alkmaar’, is a 58-year-old father-of-four recovering from hip replacement surgery, MailOnline can reveal.
He has been widely praised for putting himself in harm’s way as hooded thugs tried to storm the seating area where the players’ partners and children were seated.
He refused to allow the ‘ultras’ to reach the terrified group – as concerned West Ham players, including striker Michail Antonio, rushed from the pitch after their victory over AK Alkmaar.
On Friday afternoon, West Ham and France goalkeeper Areola called Knoll a ‘legend’ while his wife Marrion Areola Valette added he was the ‘biggest hero’ on a historic night for the Hammers.
Sporting a swollen left eye and red scrapes on his face, Chris told MailOnline: ‘I’m not a hero. I just did what I had to do. There was another guy who was fending them off. I don’t like bullies and just had to try and stop them.
The hero West Ham fan who defended the families of West Ham players from a mob of Dutch hooligans last night is 58-year-old father-of-four Chris Knoll, who is recovering from hip replacement surgery, MailOnline can reveal
The Briton, known as ‘Knollsy’, can be seen holding off the Dutch hooligans at the top of a set of stairs as they attempt to flood into the seating of the family stand
‘I just thought the best form of defence was to attack. You could see they were intent of causing trouble and I did not want them to get to those behind us.’
Chris, known to his friends as ‘Knollsy’, stood atop a stairwell to prevent the Dutch hooligans from reaching other fans.
Footage of Chris fighting off at least half a dozen AK Alkmaar ultras has gone worldwide. He was pictured afterwards with his shirt torn, but still smiling.
He has been widely praised on social media for his heroic stand, being likened to heroic figures in history and characters from ‘Games of Thrones’.
Chris, who has supported the East London club since he was a teenager, said he had travelled to the semi-final match with his son-in-law and a close friend.
The match had passed off without trouble until West Ham sealed victory to secure a place in the Europa Conference Final in the closing minutes – leading to the AK Alkmaar thugs dressed all in black to burst through stewards and attempt to climb up into the stands where the families of players were seated.
Chris said: ‘We were in our seats and we just scored and I saw all the flares go off. It was getting a little bit rowdy.
‘I saw them all congregated on the side of the pitch and then they broke down the barriers and headed to the first group of West Ham fans. I know what they were intent on doing and was not going to let it happen.
‘It was fairly obvious what was going to happen because they were intent on coming to us. They were the ultras, you could see that from what they were wearing. I just decided I wasn’t going to let them come up.
‘I just thought the best form of defence would be to get to the top of the stairs where they were coming up and just stood there and tried to stop them. I know they were swinging punches and I just did my best to stand there and take it.’
West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola called Knoll a ‘legend’ before his wife added he was the ‘biggest hero’ on a historic night for the Hammers
Areola and wife Marrion Areola Valette took to social media to share their thanks with Knoll
Chris was praised on social media for springing to the defence of West Ham defender Thilo Kerher’s girlfriend
A fan holds off the mob of AZ Alkmaar supporters as they tried to make their way up the steps to clash with West Ham fans after the Dutch side lost the Europa Conference League semi-final
Knollsy is seen after the confrontation still smiling and in fine fettle despite his torn shirt
Footage captured Chris and another fan trading blows as they were swarmed by the Ultras.
Chris said he was able to fend off at least four of the thugs but two could behind him and landed several blows on his face.
His left eye is badly bruised and red scrape marks are clearly visible on the side of his face.
He said: ‘If you’ve seen the pictures, there’s about five or six guys in front of me and I’m sort of trying to fend them off.
‘Somehow, I don’t know how, two got behind me, right. And as I’m dealing with the other guys, there’s one guy who’s just constantly bagging me in the side of the head. That’s what caused the bruised eye. Its not too bad, but I might go to hospital to get it checked out.’
Chris’s actions have been praised by other fans on social media for his heroism despite being outnumbered.
Others have said the club – or players who were so concerned they tried to reach their family – should give him tickets for the final in the Czech capital Prague as a way of thanks for his heroism.
Speaking at his home in West London he said some of the comments on social media suggesting he is an ‘old school’ hooligan who was part of the notorious ICF (Inter City Firm) gang are wide of the mark.
‘I’m not involved in any trouble, just an ordinary season ticket holder who goes to every home game,’ he said.
West Ham fans fended off the hooded attackers
Pulling down his green West Ham club short to reveal a 10-inch-long scar on his right hip from his recent operation he joked: ‘Not really a hooligan am I. I’m in my late 50s and just had a hip replacement surgery.’
Chris, an electrician, stayed overnight in an Amsterdam hotel before flying back to his home to his wife Karen in West London.
He said she was not surprised that he had stood up to protect women and children.
‘She knows what I am like, and I don’t like bullies. My kids are the same, they will always stand up and be counted,’ he said.
‘I’ve been a season ticket holder for about five years and always go to the home games. I can’t go to the away games as it takes over your life, and I’m not sure the wife would be too happy as I’ve got work as well.
‘Apart from what happened at the end it was a fantastic night, and so pleased we are in the final.’
Chris said he has not been able to get tickets for the final in two weeks time.
He said: ‘If I can get a ticket and a couple for the two who were with me in Amsterdam I will be there to cheer on the Hammers.
‘I’d love to be at the final. Hopefully it will be trouble free and we can just enjoy and fantastic match.’
