Football fans get a lot of bad press – only last week one councillor in Lancashire wanted to ban fans from their town – but a set of away supporters in Holland have shown the best side of supporters.

S.B.V. Excelsior lost the first away game of the season to Feyenoord, shipping three goals to make it one point from two games to begin their campaign.

But they earned plenty of praise for their gesture towards the home fans during the defeat.

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As the clock struck 19 minutes – when Excelsior were already 1-0 down thanks to Robin Van Persie’s goal – their fans threw hundreds of cuddly toys into the lower tier of the stand.

That is because children from the Erasmus Sophia Children’s Hospital were attending the game on behalf of the club and Excelsior fans wanted to treat them.

It is not the first time that it has happened either, with ADO Den Haag fans also throwing the cuddly toys down to the children two years ago. Both times the home support have stood and applauded the opposition fans’ actions.

While plenty of the toys were grabbed by excited children, those that made their way onto the side of the pitch were collected up and will be donated to the hospital.