NAC Fanzine De Rat

NAC Fanzine De Rat, commonly shortened to De Rat, is an independent supporters’ publication associated with NAC Breda, the football club from Breda in the Netherlands. Its first issue was sold on 11 August 1996, establishing the publication as a long-running part of NAC’s supporter culture. It is described as the longest-established football fanzine in the Netherlands. The publication is produced for supporters rather than as an official club communications channel. Its subject matter is centered on NAC Breda, its history, its matches, and the experiences of the club’s fan community. De Rat is sold around the Rat Verlegh Stadion before NAC Breda matches, giving it a direct presence in the match-day environment and allowing the magazine to function both as a publication and as a point of contact among supporters. The name refers to Antoon Verlegh, one of NAC’s most important historical figures. Verlegh was nicknamed “De Rat,” a reference to his distinctive style of play. His relationship with NAC extended across many roles, including player, trainer, editor, secretary, board member, vice chairman, and chairman of honour. He also held important positions within the Royal Dutch Football Association and was regarded as a significant Dutch football figure through the first half of the twentieth century. By adopting his nickname, the fanzine connects contemporary supporter culture with NAC’s institutional and sporting history. De Rat has traditionally appeared eight times during a football season. A reported circulation figure for January 2010 was approximately 700 copies. That figure is historical and does not establish the publication’s current circulation. The available reference material does not document a corporate parent, legal owner, founder, financial results, or a formal relationship with NAC Breda beyond the fanzine’s subject matter and supporter affiliation. As a brand, De Rat is defined by independence, local identity, and historical continuity. It is not a mass-market media title or a national sports publisher. Its value lies in its connection to the NAC Breda community, its match-day distribution, and its role in making the club’s history accessible to supporters. The publication’s use of the “De Rat” name also reinforces a symbolic link between NAC’s past and the contemporary fan base. Publicly available information is limited, so details about its editorial organization, current publishing schedule, present circulation, and ongoing activities remain undocumented.

NAC Fanzine De Rat began publishing in the context of NAC Breda’s supporter culture. Its first known sale took place on 11 August 1996, marking the beginning of a publication that would become a durable part of the club’s match-day environment. Rather than operating as an official club magazine, De Rat developed as an independent fanzine for NAC supporters. Its distribution around the Rat Verlegh Stadion before matches places it directly within the social setting of home fixtures and links the publication to the rituals of attending NAC games. The fanzine’s name is a tribute to Antoon Verlegh, a major figure in NAC Breda’s history. Verlegh was known by the nickname “De Rat,” which was associated with his style of play. His contribution to NAC extended well beyond his playing career: he served the club in sporting, editorial, administrative, board, and honorary capacities. He was also involved in important work at the Royal Dutch Football Association and was recognized as one of the Netherlands’ notable football figures until the 1950s. Naming the publication after Verlegh therefore gives it a historical purpose as well as a supporter identity. It commemorates his contribution and presents NAC’s past to later generations of fans. De Rat is published eight times during a football season according to the available reference material. A circulation report from January 2010 recorded 700 copies, providing an indication of the scale of the publication at that time. The figure should not be treated as a current circulation number because no newer circulation data is provided. The fanzine is sold before NAC Breda matches in the vicinity of the Rat Verlegh Stadion, where its readership is concentrated among attending supporters. Over time, the publication’s significance has come from continuity rather than commercial scale. It is identified as the longest-established fanzine in the Netherlands, giving its history a place within Dutch football supporter publishing. Its independent status distinguishes it from club-controlled communications and allows the title to represent supporter perspectives and interests. At the same time, its name and subject matter keep it closely tied to NAC Breda’s identity. The available sources do not provide a documented founder, editorial leadership list, ownership structure, financial information, or detailed account of changes to its format. They also do not establish whether the publication’s reported eight-issue seasonal schedule and historic circulation remain unchanged. Accordingly, the documented history is strongest on the fanzine’s launch, its naming after Antoon Verlegh, its match-day distribution, and its role as a long-running NAC Breda supporter publication.

• 2010

  Reported circulation of 700 copies

  [1]NAC Fanzine De Raten.wikipedia.org

  A circulation figure of 700 copies was reported for January 2010. This is a historical figure and does not confirm the publication’s current circulation.

• 1996

  First issue sold

  [1]NAC Fanzine De Raten.wikipedia.org

  The first known De Rat issue was sold on 11 August 1996, beginning the publication’s documented run as an independent NAC Breda fanzine.

An independent, locally rooted supporter publication that combines NAC Breda match-day coverage, fan culture, and historical remembrance.

• Football fanzine · 1996

  De Rat

  The core De Rat product is a printed supporters’ fanzine devoted to NAC Breda. It is issued during the football season and is sold around the Rat Verlegh Stadion before NAC matches. The publication provides a platform for NAC-related supporter content and helps connect contemporary match-day life with the club’s history, particularly through its tribute to Antoon Verlegh. Available reference material states that it appeared eight times per season, although the current schedule is not independently documented.

1. 1NAC Fanzine De Raten.wikipedia.org
2. 2De Rat official websitederat.nl