Not sure if it's known here on this forum or outside the region where I come from, his birthground, but his story is quite a magical one.
Throughout his youth carreer at NEC, Jasper was never ever seen as someone who would become useful for the first team. From age 12 to 18 he has been a back-up goalie to Nicholas Skverer, who was the more talented goalkeeper out of the 2 in the youth department of NEC. Nevertheless Jasper always did his job as 2nd goalkeeper for his youth team and progressed to NEC's second team (U23's).
At the same moment Nicholas Skverer, the first goalie of those youth teams, was offered a contract to sign to the first team. Unfortunately for Skverer and NEC, they didn't come to an agreement because Skverer was too expensive or asked too much money. Skverer, at that time a promising goalkeeper and youth international for Holland, was released. This caused Cillisen to progress to becoming 3rd keeper for the first team of NEC. Still this was a short term solution, Cillissen was expected to be released after that season. Fun fact: Skverer currently plays at the 4th (!) amateur level in Holland.
Anyways, NEC had a lot of troubles with injured goalkeepers that season. Eventually both the first (seasoned goalie and Hungaryan international Gabor Babos) and the 2nd goalie got injured. Cillissen was the only goalkeeper left at the club. So, there he is; Jasper Cillissen, a nobody, a non talent, squad filling, an extra body on the training, a shooting disk after training for strikers who wanted to improve their technique. There he was, about to debut in the Eredivisie, nervous as fuck...
What a debut it was (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNi4gscoyjo)! He became the hero of that game by playing amazing! After that game, he continued playing amazing and didn't give away his spot in the first-11, even when both of those other goalkeepers returned to full fitness.
Cillissen played out that season and got bought by Ajax for 3.3 million.
And look where is now... It's been a joy to watch your carreer Jasper! I hope we will see you at another top club next season!