Sander van der Eijk refereed the 2025 Under-21s Euros final (Image: AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Sander van der Eijk refereed the 2025 Under-21s Euros final (Image: AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Jack Hinshelwood might have happy memories when he shakes hands with the Dutch referee at the Amex on Thursday.
Sander van der Eijk, from Amstelveen, has been handed the middle for the second leg of the Conference League play-off against Tromso.
The now 35-year-old was in charge of the under-21s Euros final last summer when Hinshelwood and James Beadle helped England beat Brajan Gruda’s Germany 3-2 after extra-time.
This is his second season in European club football having been considered one of the top referees in Holland for some time.
He made his Eredivisie debut more than seven years ago.
Albion chairman Tony Bloom will also be familiar with van der Eijk’s work given that he was in Scotland two weeks ago to referee Hearts’ 1-1 draw with Benfica.
Van der Eijk was in action on Sunday, taking charge of Go Ahead Eagles v Den Haag.
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He will be supported at the Amex by an all-Dutch officiating team, including Clay Ruperti on VAR duty.
While they did not make anything of it after the match, Albion might have quietly had a few grumbles about the Latvian team in charge of the first leg.
They saw a possible foul on Ibrahim Osman in the box waved away early on, as well what looked a clear trip on Georginio Rutter and a shirt-pull on Pascal Gross, both in central areas just outside the penalty area.