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LATEST UPDATE - FC MINERVA LINTGEN / STADE JEAN DONNERSBACH, LINTGEN (LUXEMBOURG)

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author

LUXEMBOURG: FC Minerva Lintgen (1921-1931, 1932-1940, 1944-2010, 2011-) / FV Lintgen (1940-1944)

Stade Jean Donnersbach, Lintgen (FC Minerva Lintgen, formerly FV Lintgen)

Luxembourg, canton: Mersch

12 VII 2026 / FC Minerva Lintgen - Union Mertert-Wasserbillig 5-3 / Pre-season friendly

Timeline

• 1910 / Foundation of a football club in Lintgen, in the heart of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The new club, which is named after the Roman goddess of wisdom and guile, takes on the name FC Minerva Lintgen, with J.B. Wolff – the owner of the café where the foundation meeting was held – taking on the role of chairman. The club, which does not join the Luxembourg Football Association (yet), settles on a pitch referred to locally as Terrain Op Houwald. In the following years, other pastures are used to play improvised matches as well, Terrain a Gässelt and Terrain an der Laangheck.
• ± 1916 / FC Minerva Lintgen settles on a newly laid-out pitch at Rue de Diekirch.
• 1919 / In the wake of World War I, when footballing activities came to a virtual standstill, FC Minerva Lintgen joins the Football Association of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.
• 1920 / FC Minerva Lintgen wins the Coupe des Ardennes, going on to conquer the same trophy the following year.
• 1921 / With FC Minerva Lintgen moving away from Rue de Diekirch (where it has to make way for the Ceodex factory, later renamed Rotarex) and settling on a newly laid-out pitch at Rue de la Gare – the exact location of the main pitch still in use today – the club starts its competitive existence in Division 3 North, the fourth and lowest tier of the Luxembourg football pyramid. 
• 1924 / Clinching the title in Division 3 Group 1, 5 points ahead of closest rivals D’Rief Schwebsingen, FC Minerva Lintgen chooses not to cash in on the title by refusing promotion to Division 2.
• 1928 / FC Minerva Lintgen finishes as runner-up in Division 3 Group 1, 4 points behind champions US Niederwiltz.
• 1930 / As the club is given notice of the end of the lease of the pitch at Rue de la Gare, FC Minerva Lintgen commences a short-lived groundshare with FC Amis des Sports (probably FC AS Luxembourg-Feschmaart), going on to lay out a temporary pitch on the banks of the River Alzette.
• ± 1931 / After an absence of one year (1931) – or two years at most (1932) – FC Minerva Lintgen is given the opportunity to return to its old ground at Rue de la Gare.
• 1932 / In a reorganisation of the Luxembourg football pyramid, Division 3, the level at which FC Minerva plays its football, becomes level 5 of the country’s football pyramid.
• 1936 / Finishing in third place in Division 3 North, FC Minerva Lintgen qualifies for the promotion play-offs by virtue of the runner-up in the regular league season, Weiss a Ro’t Michelau, withdrawing from competitive football. Due to play-off opponent FC Racing Troisvièrges withdrawing, Minerva wins promotion to Division 2, the fourth level of the football pyramid, unopposed, along with champions FC Etzella Ettelbruck.
• 1937 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC Minerva Lintgen descends into Division 3, along with FC Résidence Walferdange and CS Grevenmacher.
• 1940 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 1, 3 points behind champions FC Jeunesse Gilsdorf, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 2. However, due to the outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Luxembourg – with the country being incorporated into the Third Reich – the country’s leagues come to a standstill, with part of the clubs being integrated into the German lower divisions. FC Minerva Lintgen probably did not take part in any league activity for the duration of the war, with the club having been renamed Fussballverein (FV) Lintgen in the rabid Germanisation campaign of Nazi authorities.
• 1944 / With the German occupation of part of Luxembourg ending, FV Lintgen takes on its old name FC Minerva Lintgen.
• 1945 / With regular league football being resumed, FC Minerva Lintgen takes its place in Division 2, the fourth level of Luxembourg’s league system.
• 1946 / In spite of finishing in a modest sixth place in Division 2 Group 2, FC Minerva Lintgen is placed in Promotion, the third level of the football pyramid, for the new season, due to the number of Promotion sections being extended from one to two.
• 1947 / Finishing in second-last place in Promotion Group 2, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Division 2 after just one season, alongside FC Etzella Ettelbruck and bottom club AS Luxembourg.
• 1949 / FC Minerva Lintgen crowns itself champions of Division 2 Group 2, 2 points ahead of closest rivals FC Alisontia Steinsel. As such, the club manages a return to Promotion after two years, along with the aforementioned club and FC Jeunesse Schieren.
• 1950 / Finishing in third-last place in Promotion Group 1, FC Minerva Lintgen descends into Division 2 alongside FC Tricolore Gasperich and bottom club FC Jeunesse Schieren.
• 1952 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 2 points ahead of closest rivals US Sandweiler, FC Minerva Lintgen accedes to Promotion, along with the aforementioned club as well as FC Hamm 37 and FC Kopstal 33.
• 1953 / Runner-up in Promotion Group 1, 1 point behind champions FC Kopstal 33, FC Minerva Lintgen accedes to Division 1, the second level of Luxembourg’s football pyramid, for the first time in club history.
• 1954 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1 Group 1, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Promotion after just one season, along with FC Kopstal 33.
• 1955 / Runner-up in Promotion Group 1, 4 points behind champions FC Kopstal 33, FC Minerva Lintgen manages an immediate return to Division 1.
• 1956 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 Group 1, FC Minerva Lintgen once again drops back into Promotion after one season only, along with the club in second-last place, FC Kopstal 33.
• 1957 / In the last season in which Promotion is the third level of the football pyramid, FC Minerva Lintgen finishes in third-last place at this level, resulting in being retrograded to Division 2.
• 1958 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 1, FC Minerva Lintgen descends into Division 3, the fifth and lowest tier of the football pyramid, along with US Mertert.
• 1960 / Finishing in joint first place in Division 3 Group 2 with AS Rupensia Larochette, FC Minerva Lintgen goes on to suffer defeat in a tie-break match for the title against that club (2-0), thus missing out on promotion.
• 1964 / FC Minerva Lintgen finishes as runner-up in Division 3 Group 3, 3 points behind champions US Mertert. 
• 1965 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 1, 6 points behind champions FC Old Boys Consdorf, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 2. The successful coach is Camille Jungers.
• 1967 / Coached by Ruden Thill, FC Minerva Lintgen finishes in second-last place in Division 2 Group 1, thus dropping back into Division 3 alongside bottom club FC Kopstal 33.
• 1976 / Runner-up in Division 3 Group 1 with coach J.P. Wagner, 2 points behind champions FC Jeunesse Biwer, FC Minerva Lintgen accedes to Division 2 – like all other teams in its division due to the number of Division 2 sections being enlarged from two to four.
• ± 1980 / Some time between 1979 and 1981, the ground of FC Minerva Lintgen at Rue de la Gare is renamed Stade Jean Donnersbach, in honour of the longtime mayor of Lintgen (1945-1972).
• 1982 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 2 points ahead of runner-up CS Hollerich, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 1. The successful coach is J. Fiedler.
• 1984 / As FC Minerva Lintgen celebrates its 75th anniversary – in fact one year before the actual event – the club organises a gala match between the veterans’ teams of 1. FC Köln (Cologne), featuring Wolfgang Overath, and the Luxembourg national team, which is reinforced by Portuguese former World Cup Star Eusebio. 
• 1985 / Coached by the duo of J. Wagener and C. Calmes, who replaced H. Kettels in the course of the season, FC Minerva Lintgen finishes bottom of the table in Division 1 Group 1, thus descending into Division 2 alongside bottom club FC Olympia Christnach-Waldbillig.
• 1990 / Champions in Division 2 Group 1, with an equal number of points as runner-up FC Jeunesse Useldange, but with a slightly better goal difference (+28 vs. +27), FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 1 along with the aforementioned club. The successful coach is A. Reckinger.
• 1992 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1 Group 1 with coach D. Fidler, who replaced Guy Wagner in the course of the season, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Division 2 after two years, along with FC Orania Vianden and FC Marisca Mersch.
• 1995 / Champions in Division 2 Group 1, with an equal number of points as runner-up US Boevange-sur-Attert, but with a slightly better goal difference (+36 vs. +35), FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 1. The successful coach is Marc Janes.
• 1996 / Runner-up in Division 1 Group 1, 9 points behind champions FC Racing Troisvièrges, FC Minerva Lintgen qualifies for a promotion play-off against the runner-up in Division 1 Group 2, Union Mertert-Wasserbillig, in which the club suffers a clear-cut 3-0 defeat – thus missing out on a second promotion in a row.
• 1997 / Coached by J. Vosman, FC Minerva Lintgen finishes in third-last place in Division 1 Group 1, thus descending into Division 2 along with FC Old Boys Consdorf and bottom club US Mondorf-les-Bains.
• 1998 / Champions in Division 2 Group 1, 8 points ahead of closest followers FC Egalité Weimerskirch, FC Minerva Lintgen manages an immediate return to Division 1. The successful coach is J. Vosman.
• 2003 / Champions in Division 1 Group 1, 3 points ahead of closest rivals FC Kehlen, FC Minerva Lintgen accedes to Promotion d’Honneur – heralding a return to the antechamber of Luxembourg’s football pyramid after an absence of 47 years. The successful coach is Heng Hoffmann.
• 2004 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur with coach Heng Hoffmann, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Division 1 after just one season, alongside FC Rodange 91 and FC Schifflange 95.
• 2005 / Runaway champions in Division 1 Group 1, 10 points ahead of closest followers FC Jeunesse Canach, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Promotion d’Honneur alongside the aforementioned club and play-off winners AS Colmar-Berg. The successful coach is Heng Hoffmann.
• 2006 / Coached by Romain Schreiner, who replaced Heng Hoffmann in the course of the season, FC Minerva Lintgen finishes in second-last place in Promotion d’Honneur, thus dropping back into Division 1, along with bottom club AS Colmar-Berg.
• 2007 / Champions in Division 1 Group 2, 7 points ahead of closest followers FC Blue Boys Muhlenbach, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Promotion d’Honneur for the third time in four years. The successful coach is Gast Ottelé, who replaced Romain Schreiner in the course of the season.
• 2010 / Finishing in second-last place in Promotion d’Honneur, FC Minerva Lintgen saves its skin in a promotion-relegation play-off against US Sandweiler (1-0). Also in 2010, with a completely new clubhouse being constructed in Lintgen, along with an indoor hall and other facilities, the club plays most of its home matches of the 2010-11 season as groundsharers with FC Lorentzweiler at the ground of that club at Rue de Hünsdorf.
• 2011 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Division 1, along with SC Steinfort, FC Green Boys 77 Harlange-Tarchamps, and FC Avenir Beggen. In the summer of 2011, the striking multi-tiered new clubhouse of FC Minerva Lintgen at Stade Jean Donnersbach is inaugurated, with the club thus returning to its home ground. That same year, the training pitch of the ground is laid out anew with a synthetic surface.
• 2013 / The memorial stone honouring Jean Donnersbach as the namesake of the stadium, which had been removed when the renovation works got underway, is put back at the entrance gate of the ground.
• 2014 / Runner-up in Division 1 Group 1, 7 points behind champions FC Mamer 32, FC Minerva Lintgen goes on to defeat FC Alliance Äischdall Hobscheid-Eischen (2-2 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out) in a promotion-relegation play-off at Stade Albert Berchem in Kehlen, resulting in the club gaining promotion to Promotion d’Honneur after an absence of three years at that level.
• 2015 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur, FC Minerva Lintgen drops back into Division 1 after one season only, along with the club in second-last place, FC Blue Boys Muhlenbach.
• 2017 / Runner-up in Division 1 Group 1, 1 point behind champions FC 72 Erpeldange, FC Minerva Lintgen goes on to suffer defeat against CS Grevenmacher (2-0) in a promotion-relegation play-off at Stade du Camping in Rosport, thus missing out on promotion.
• 2023 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 Group 1, FC Minerva Lintgen descends into Division 2 along with FC Alliance Äischdall Hobscheid-Eischen and bottom club FC Pratzerthal-Redange.
• 2024 / Finishing in third place in Division 2 Group 1, with an equal number of points as runner-up FC Orania Vianden, but with an inferior goal difference (+60 vs. +54), FC Minerva Lintgen goes on to suffer defeat against FC Jeunesse Gilsdorf (3-1) in a promotion-relegation play-off at Stade Klengbousbierg in Bissen, thus missing out on promotion.
• 2025 / Runaway champions in Division 2 Group 1, 16 points ahead of closest followers AS Rupensia Lusitanos Larochette, FC Minerva Lintgen wins promotion to Division 1 along with the aforementioned club and play-off winners AS Wincrange. Moreover, the club also has its best-ever cup run, reaching the quarterfinals following successive wins over US Boevange-sur-Attert, FC Atert Bissen, Daring Club Echternach, and FC The Belval Belvaux, going on to be knocked out by top flight club RFCU Luxembourg (0-4).

Note – Part of the information above has been derived from a book which was published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of FC Minerva Lintgen: “100 Joer F.C. Minerva Lëntgen”, by Roby Borschette / Fernand Huwer / Jacques Kintzelé / David Mannes / Paul Provost / Robert Germain / Patrick Robert / Paulo Rodrigo / Yves Weyland, ed. FC Minerva Lintgen: Lintgen 2010. Thanks to the chairman of the club for putting a copy of this book at my disposal.

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author

LUXEMBOURG: CS Le Stade Dudelange (1913-1991) / F91 Dudelange (C) (1991-)

Stade Aloyse Meyer, Dudelange (F91 Dudelange, youth academy & training ground / formerly CS Le Stade Dudelange)

Luxembourg, canton: Esch-sur-Alzette

11 VII 2026 / F91 Dudelange - R Excelsior Virton 4-0 / Pre-season friendly

Timeline

• 1908 / Foundation of a football club in Dudelange, which is given the name Gallia Dudelange. It is unclear if the club played its football on the location of what is now known as Stade Aloyse Meyer from the outset. If that is the case, the ground was probably renamed later in honour of the Luxembourgish engineer, manager in the steel industry, and resistance fighter, originally from Clervaux (where the football ground also bears his name), who passed away in 1952.
• 1912 / Gallia Dudelange changes its name to become Sparta Dudelange.
• 1913 / Sparta Dudelange changes its name to become Cercle Sportif (CS) Le Stade Dudelange, commonly known as Stade Dudelange.
• 1914 / Taking part in regular league football organised by the Luxembourg’s Football Association (FLF) for the first time, Stade Dudelange is placed in Division 1 (level 1).
• 1915 / Champions in Division 1 Group 3, Stade Dudelange takes part in the title play-offs, in which it is eliminated in R1 by AS La Jeunesse d’Esch (4-1).
• 1916 / Finishing in last place in Division 1, Stade Dudelange descends into Division 2 (level 2).
• 1919 / Tying for first place in Division 2 with SC Differdange, Stade Dudelange goes on to win a tie-break match against that club (4-0), thus managing a return to Division 1 (level 1).
• 1920 / Stade Dudelange finishes as runners-up in Division 1, 4 points behind champions CS Fola Esch.
• 1923 / Stade Dudelange finishes as runners-up in Division 1, 1 point behind champions FA Red Boys Differdange.
• 1925 / Stade Dudelange finishes as runner-up in Division 1, 1 point behind champions CA Spora Luxembourg.
• 1926 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1, Stade Dudelange suffers relegation to Promotion (level 2) along with bottom club US Esch.
• 1927 / Champions in Promotion, Stade Dudelange wins promotion to Division 1 (level 1) along with runners-up FC Progrès 08 Grund, which had finished 8 points behind them.
• 1928 / Stade Dudelange finishes as runner-up in Division 1, 8 points behind champions CA Spora Luxembourg. Furthermore, the club reaches the final of the Luxembourg Cup for the first time, with the first two encounters against CA Spora Luxembourg ending in a draw (2-2 A.E.T. / 3-3 A.E.T.). Eventually, in the third match, Spora takes home the trophy (5-2).
• 1929 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1, Stade Dudelange drops back into Promotion (level 2) along with the club finishing in second-last place, AS Differdange.
• 1930 / Runners-up in Promotion, 1 point behind champions The National Schifflange, Stade Dudelange joins that club in Division 1 (level 1) for the new season.
• 1931 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 along with The National Schifflange, Stade Dudelange meets that club in a tie-break match. Suffering a 2-0 defeat, Stade descends into Promotion (level 2) alongside bottom club FC Red Black Pfaffenthal.
• 1932 / Tying for first place in Promotion with FC Red Black Pfaffenthal, but with a better goal difference, Stade Dudelange wins promotion to the Division d’Honneur (level 1) along with Pfaffenthal.
• 1933 / Finishing in second-last place in the Division d’Honneur, Stade Dudelange suffers relegation to Division 1 (level 2) along with bottom club FC Red Black Pfaffenthal.
• 1936 / Runners-up in Division 1, 5 points behind champions FC Progrès Niederkorn, Stade Dudelange wins promotion to the Division d’Honneur (level 1). That same season, the club remarkably reaches the final of the Luxembourg Cup, in which FA Red Boys Differdange proves too strong (2-0).
• 1938 / Successively defeating AS La Jeunesse d’Esch, CS Fola Esch, and Union Luxembourg along the way, Stade Dudelange reaches the final of the Luxembourg Cup – conquering the trophy for the first time following a 1-0 victory over The National Schifflange.
• 1939 / Stade Dudelange crowns itself champions of Luxembourg for the first time, finishing 3 points ahead of town rivals US Dudelange in the Division d’Honneur. The two clubs also meet in the Luxembourg Cup final, with US Dudelange proving the stronger this time around (2-1).
• 1940 / Stade Dudelange conquers its second consecutive Luxembourg league title, finishing 7 points ahead of derby rivals US Dudelange in the Division d’Honneur. The club also reaches the Luxembourg Cup final, but, yet again, has to settle for the silver medal following a 6-2 defeat at the hands of CA Spora Luxembourg. Following the German annexation of Luxembourg in May 1940, CS Le Stade Dudelange is forcibly renamed Fussballverein (FV) Stadt Düdelingen in a fierce Germanisation programme instigated by Nazi authorities. All Luxembourg clubs are integrated into the German league pyramid.
• 1941 / FV Stadt Düdelingen reaches the final of the Moselland Regional Cup, in which it suffers a 4-2 defeat at the hands of SK 07 Differdingen (FA Red Boys Differdange).
• 1942 / Clinching the title in the Moselland Gauliga, one of the top divisions of German football, FV Stadt Düdelingen qualifies for the nationwide title play-offs, in which the club is knocked out by eventual title winners FC Schalke 04.
• 1944 / Upon the liberation of the southern half of Luxembourg from the German yoke, FV Stadt Düdelingen takes on its original name CS Le Stade Dudelange.
• 1945 / After the liberation of the southern half of Luxembourg, an improvised 1944-45 title race is organised between nine clubs from the liberated part of the country, with the competition adopting a knock-out system. Following defeats of AS La Jeunesse d’Esch and FA Red Boys Differdange in the previous rounds, Stade Dudelange reaches the final, in which it makes short work of CA Spora Luxembourg (6-0). Thus winning the so-called Coupe de la Libération, Stade Dudelange conquers its third nationwide title.
• 1946 / Conquering the title in the Division d’Honneur, 8 points ahead of runners-up US Dudelange, Stade Dudelange wins its fourth title – also its fourth consecutive title, when the war years are not taken into consideration. Furthermore, the club reaches the final of Luxembourg’s minor cup competition, the Coupe FLF, in which it has to leave the honours to FA Red Boys Differdange (1-0).
• 1947 / Stade Dudelange conquers its fifth (consecutive) nationwide title, finishing an impressive 12 points ahead of closest followers US Dudelange. The club also reaches the Luxembourg Cup final, but has to leave the silverware to Union Luxembourg (2-1 A.E.T.).
• 1948 / Stade Dudelange conquers it sixth (consecutive) nationwide title, finishing 11 points ahead of runners-up Union Luxembourg. The club also wins the Luxembourg Cup for the second time, with a solitary Nicolas Kettel goal deciding the final against FA Red Boys Differdange (1-0 A.E.T.). In the preceding rounds, Stade had had the better of CS Alliance Dudelange, CS Oberkorn, and AS La Jeunesse d’Esch.
• 1949 / Only finishing in third place in the Division d’Honneur, with its unbroken title streak thus coming to an end, Stade Dudelange has to settle for a third Luxembourg Cup win following a 1-0 win over FC Racing Rodange in the final (goal by Paul Feller). In the preceding rounds, the club had seen off US Rumelange, Union Luxembourg, and CS Grevenmacher.
• 1950 / Reclaiming its crown, Stade Dudelange wins its seventh nationwide title, finishing 1 point ahead of closest rivals The National Schifflange in the Division d’Honneur.
• 1955 / Stade Dudelange obtains its eighth national title, finishing 9 points ahead of runners-up CS Fola Esch. Also in 1955, Stade’s wing back Erny Brenner, who had joined the club from FC Aris Bonnevoie three years previously, wins his first cap for Luxembourg – remaining a regular feature in his country’s national team in the following decade.
• 1956 / Stade Dudelange manages its fourth Luxembourg Cup win, reaching the final following successive victories over AS La Jeunesse d’Esch, FC Racing Rodange, CS Grevenmacher, and SC Tétange – going on to defeat FC Progrès Niederkorn in the final (3-1 A.E.T.; two goals by Jos Rongoni, one more by Jean Halsdorf).
• 1957 / Stade Dudelange conquers its ninth national title, finishing 6 points ahead of closest followers AS La Jeunesse d’Esch in the Division d’Honneur. The club also reaches the Luxembourg Cup final, in which it suffers a 2-1 defeat at the hands of CA Spora Luxembourg. Qualifying for the European Cup for the first time on the back of its title win, Stade Dudelange draws FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), which rips apart the Luxembourgian amateur side (14-1 aggr.). The home tie in this first European adventure is not played at the Stade Aloyse Meyer, which is deemed too small for such an event, but at the Stade Municipal in Luxembourg-Ville.
• 1960 / Stade Dudelange are runners-up in the National Division, as the Division d’Honneur had been renamed in 1957, finishing 6 points behind champions AS La Jeunesse d’Esch. Yet again, the club reaches the Luxembourg Cup final without being able to take the trophy home, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of The National Schifflange.
• 1965 / Stade Dudelange lays its hands on its tenth and last-ever Luxembourg league title, finishing 1 point ahead of runners-up Union Luxembourg in the National Division. Yet again, the European adventure is not a success, as the club is absolutely demolished by SL Benfica in the European Cup qualifying round (18-0 aggr.). The home tie against the Portuguese side is played at CS Fola Esch’s Stade Emile Mayrisch.
• 1968 / Finishing in second-last place in the National Division, Stade Dudelange descends into Promotion d’Honneur (level 2) along with bottom side CS Pétange, after 32 years at the top level of Luxembourgian football.
• 1969 / Champions in Promotion d’Honneur, Stade Dudelange manages an immediate return to the National Division, winning promotion to the top tier along with the club finishing in second place, SC Tétange.
• 1971 / Finishing in second-last place in the National Division, Stade Dudelange drops back into Promotion d’Honneur alongside bottom club CS Grevenmacher. Also in 1971, wingback Erny Brenner hangs up his boots after nineteen consecutive seasons with the club. Brenner had also won 67 caps for his country between 1955 and 1965, being part of the legendary Luxembourg side which eliminated the Netherlands to reach the quarter-finals of the 1964 European Championships.
• 1973 / Finishing as runners-up in Promotion d’Honneur, 5 points behind champions FC Red Star Merl-Belair, Stade Dudelange wins promotion to the National Division.
• 1974 / Finishing in second-last place in the National Division, Stade Dudelange drops back into Promotion d’Honneur after just one season, along with bottom club The National Schifflange.
• 1975 / Runners-up in Promotion d’Honneur, 3 points behind champions FC Chiers Rodange, Stade Dudelange manages an immediate return to the National Division.
• 1978 / Finishing bottom of the table in the National Division, Stade Dudelange is retrograded to Promotion d’Honneur along with the club finishing in second-last place, CA Spora Luxembourg.
• 1979 / Runners-up in Promotion d’Honneur, 1 point behind champions CA Spora Luxembourg, Stade Dudelange manages an immediate return to the National Division.
• 1981 / Finishing bottom of the table in the National Division, Stade Dudelange is retrograded to Promotion d’Honneur along with the club finishing in second-last place, FC Etzella Ettelbruck.
• 1982 / Runners-up in Promotion d’Honneur, 3 points behind champions US Rumelange, Stade Dudelange manages an immediate return to the National Division.
• 1986 / Finishing bottom of the table in the National Division, Stade Dudelange drops back into Promotion d’Honneur alongside the club finishing second from bottom, FC Aris Bonnevoie. Stade would not manage to reclaim its spot in the top flight in the remaining years of its existence.
• 1987 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur, Stade Dudelange suffers its second relegation in a row, descending into Division 1 (level 3) along with the club in second-last place, FC Chiers Rodange. It is the first time that Stade Dudelange finds itself outside the top-two divisions of Luxembourg’s football pyramid.
• 1989 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1 Group 2, Stade Dudelange suffers relegation to Division 2 (level 4) alongside FC Blo-Weiss Izeg and bottom club FC Sporting Bertrange.
• 1990 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 3, 2 points behind champions FC Mondercange, Stade Dudelange manages an immediate return to Division 1 (level 3).
• 1991 / In its last season as an independent club, Stade Dudelange finishes in fourth place in Division 1. Following the 1990-91 season, CS Le Stade Dudelange concludes a merger deal with the two other clubs in Dudelange, CS Alliance Dudelange and FC US Dudelange, resulting in the foundation of Football 91 (F91) Dudelange. After starting the 1991-92 season at Stade J.F. Kennedy, F91 Dudelange moves its first team football to US Dudelange’s Stade Jos Nosbaum in the fall of 1991, with Alliance’s Stade Amadéo Barozzi being retained for lower team football (as well as recreational football) and Stade Dudelange’s Stade Aloyse Meyer becoming the main seat of the new club’s youth academy. Starting its life in Promotion d’Honneur after taking Alliance’s place in that division, F91 Dudelange would go on to win promotion to the National Division in 1992 – becoming Luxembourg’s absolute top club in the following decades.
• 2014 / The third pitch of Stade Aloyse Meyer is laid out anew as a 3G.
• 2016 / Arguably the most renowned player in the history of Stade Dudelange, Erny Brenner, passes away at the age of 84.
• 2017 / A new set of dressing rooms is inaugurated at Stade Aloyse Meyer.

Note 1 - The last photo of the series below shows a dedication and an autograph of former Stade Dudelange and Luxembourg international player Erny Brenner (1931-2016), who I happened to meet while on holiday in Luxembourg in July 1995, when I asked him for the way to the Stade Jos Nosbaum. "Why? Is there a match on?", the older gentleman taking a stroll with his wife asked me. When I explained him that I was on a tour visiting stadiums in Luxembourg, he was greatly surprised, going on to reveal that he had been a footballer himself. He was greatly honoured when I turned out to know of the 1963 aggregate win which the Luxembourg side accomplished over the Netherlands in the European Championship qualifiers, as he was part of that legendary side. Before we said goodbye, I asked him for an autograph. A wonderful memory!

Note 2 - Below, a compilation of photos of three different visits: pictures 1 & 4-17 = match visit, July 2026 / pictures 2-3 = non-matchday visit, September 2011 / picture 18 = non-matchday visit, July 1995.

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author

NETHERLANDS: SV Apollo '69

Sportpark De Zuudoek, 's-Gravenpolder (SV Apollo '69)

Netherlands, province: Zealand = Zeeland

13 VI 2026 / vv Wemeldinge - vv Nieuwland 0-3 / District South I, Saturday Leagues 4 & 5 - promotion-relegation play-off final (neutral venue)

Timeline

 

• 1949 / Foundation of football club Voetbalvereniging (vv) De Beren in Baarland, a hamlet in the Province of Zealand – more specifically on the island of Zuid-Beveland – with F. van der Putte taking on the role of chairman. Given that the population of Baarland is predominantly of the Conservative Protestant (Evangelical) faith, vv De Beren plays its football on Saturdays rather than on Sunday, the day of Sabbath.
• 1950 / With vv De Beren acquiring a plot of land at Hellenburgstraat, situated halfway between Baarland and Oudelande, for their pitch, the club joins the Saturday pyramid of Afdeling Zeeland, the Zealand sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association (KNVB).
• 1967 / Foundation of two new Saturday football clubs in villages not far from Baarland; Sportvereniging (SV) Hoedekenskerke and Sportvereniging (SV) ‘s-Gravenpolder – with Ton Hulshof taking on the role of chairman of the latter. Following the establishment of SV Hoedekenskerke, part of the membership of vv De Beren chooses to join this club. Meanwhile, SV ‘s-Gravenpolder, not disposing of a pitch within the confines of the village, starts its existence as a competitive club in Afdeling Zeeland’s Saturday Division 3 as groundsharers of vv Kwadendamme at Sportpark De Liesjes. Initially, most of the training sessions are held on the pitch of the ‘s-Heer Abtskerke netball club.
• 1968 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 3D in its first season as a competitive club, SV ‘s-Gravenpolder wins promotion to Division 2 of the said league system. The decisive points are clinched in a 3-1 away win at SV Wissenkerke. The club’s top goalscorer is Karel van Oosten, who netted no fewer than 75 (!) of the 174 goals that season. The successful coach is F. Boerhave. Somewhat later, towards the end of 1968, the municipality of ‘s-Gravenpolder gives the green light for a football pitch within the confines of the village.
• 1969 / A merger is concluded between SV ‘s-Gravenpolder and vv De Beren, who had seen its membership dwindle to the point of extinction following the foundation of SV Hoedekenskerke in 1967; the two clubs merge into one under the name Sportvereniging (SV) Apollo ’69, with all activities moving to Sportterrein Hellenburgstraat in Baarland for the time being. The name Apollo is chosen as a reference to the Apollo space programme. Apart from football, SV Apollo also has a table tennis branch. The first match of the newly formed football club results in a 4-5 home defeat at the hands of vv Terneuzense Boys Reserves.
• 1970 / Inauguration of the new football ground of SV Apollo ’69 at Langeweg in ‘s-Gravenpolder, consisting of one pitch – still the main pitch of the park today – and a training area. The pitch has been laid out under the auspices of the Association for Wasteland Redevelopment (Nederlandse Heidemaatschappij), while a clubhouse was constructed following a design by architect J. de Jonge. The new facilities are officially inaugurated on October 31st, 1970, by former ‘s-Gravenpolder mayor Quarles van Ufford, who had always been a wholehearted supporter of bringing football to the community, upon which the inaugural match between Apollo and SVD is played. Rather than giving up the pitch in Baarland, Sportterrein Hellenburgstraat remains in use for lower team football and training sessions.
• 1973 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 2, 5 points ahead of closest rivals vv Borssele, SV Apollo ’69 wins promotion to Division 1 of the said league system.
• 1974 / The table tennis branch of SV Apollo ’69 ceases its activities.
• 1976 / Suffering relegation from Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 1 with coach D. Mos, SV Apollo ’69 drops back into Division 2 of the said league system.
• 1978 / Runner-up in Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 2, 1 point behind champions vv ‘s-Heer Arendskerke, SV Apollo ’69 manages a return to Division 1 of the said league system after two seasons.
• 1980 / Obtaining the title in Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 1, 2 points ahead of closest followers vv Veere, SV Apollo ’69 wins promotion to District South I’s Saturday League 4 for the first time in club history. Also in 1980, the extended version of the clubhouse is inaugurated by the mayor of ‘s-Gravenpolder, C.G.C. van den Heuvel; moreover, a second pitch is added to the set-up at Terrein Langeweg. Following this, the pitch at Hellenburgstraat in Baarland is abandoned; this pitch is later taken over by tennis and dog agility clubs. 
• 1982 / Following an impressive third place in District South I’s Saturday League 4A the previous year, SV Apollo ’69 now finishes bottom of the table in this same division, thus dropping back into Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 1 after two years, alongside the club in second-last place, vv Nieuwland.
• 1984 / The entrance to the two pitches at ‘s-Gravenpolder is moved from Langeweg to Egelantierstraat.
• 1990 / Suffering relegation from Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 1, SV Apollo ’69 drops back into Division 2 of the said league system – managing a return to Division 1 in one of the following five seasons. Also in 1990, former Apollo youth academy midfielder Romeo van Aerde, who had moved to the academies of vv GOES and RBC subsequently, makes his professional league debut at the age of 23 with VC Vlissingen. Van Aerde goes on to have subsequent spells at VCV Zeeland, RKC, RKC Waalwijk, and Dordrecht ’90, ultimately hanging up his boots in 2003.
• 1996 / Winning promotion from Afdeling Zeeland Saturday Division 1 without winning the title, SV Apollo ’69 wins promotion to District South I’s Saturday League 4 after an absence of fourteen years at that level.
• 1998 / Champions in District South I’s Saturday League 4A, 3 points ahead of closest followers vv Nieuwdorp, SV Apollo ’69 wins promotion to Saturday League 3 for the first time.
• 2000 / As the ground in ‘s-Gravenpolder is renamed Sportpark De Zuudoek as a result of a vote among the membership, a covered stand is inaugurated alongside the western touchline of the main pitch in the summer of 2000. 125 plastic chairs are added later that same year, which the club has purchased from RBC, who are about to leave their old ground, Sportpark De Luiten.
• 2001 / Marking the best result in club history, SV Apollo ’69, guided by coach Hans de Bruine, finishes as runner-up in District South I’s Saturday League 3A, 16 points behind runaway champions AZVV.
• 2003 / Coached by Jacco Oostdijk, SV Apollo ’69 finishes in second-last place in District South I’s Saturday League 3A, thus descending into Saturday League 4 along with bottom club vv Bevelanders.
• 2004 / The clubhouse at Sportpark De Zuudoek is further extended.
• 2007 / Finishing in third place in District South I’s Saturday League 4A, SV Apollo ’69 goes on to win the promotion play-offs, thus managing a return to Saturday League 3 after four years. The successful coach is Henk Sprong.
• 2008 / Coached by Bart Dierckx, SV Apollo ’69 finishes in second-last place in District South I’s Saturday League 3A, thus descending into Saturday League 4 along with bottom club vv Krabbendijke. 
• 2012 / Finishing in sixth place in District South I’s Saturday League 4A, SV Apollo ’69 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is drawn in a group with vv Kogelvangers and vv Veere; going on to book an away win against the former (1-2) and a home win against the latter (4-3) subsequently, Apollo wins promotion to Saturday League 3. The successful coach is Bram Kot.
• 2013 / Coached by Jos Wesdorp, SV Apollo ’69 finishes bottom of the table in District South I’s Saturday League 3A, thus tumbling back into Saturday League 4 after just one season, along with the club in second-last place, vv ‘s-Heer Arendskerke.
• 2014 / The clubhouse at Sportpark De Zuudoek is extended with a patio cover.
• 2017 / Finishing in fifth place in District South I’s Saturday League 4B, SV Apollo ’69 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by VVC ’68 (7-5 aggr.).
• 2018 / Runner-up in District South I’s Saturday League 4B, 19 points behind runaway champions RKSV Halsteren (za), SV Apollo ’69 qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by vv De Noormannen (1-5).
• 2024 / Finishing in ninth place in District South I’s Saturday League 4B with coach Joffrey Geldof, SV Apollo ’69 descends into the newly created Saturday League 5 alongside MZVC, vv Wemeldinge, vv Rillandia, SV Jong Ambon, and bottom club SC Waarde.
• 2025 / Champions in District South I’s Saturday League 5A, 8 points ahead of runners-up MZVC and vv Cadzand, SV Apollo ’69 wins promotion to Sunday League 4. The successful coach is Joffrey Geldof.
• 2026 / Coached by Joffrey Geldof, SV Apollo ’69 finishes in second-last place in District South I’s Saturday League 4A, going on to suffer defeat in R1 of the promotion-relegation play-offs against vv Wolfaartsdijk (4-4 & penalty shoot-out). As a result, the club drops back into Saturday League 5 after just one season.

Note – Essential parts of information provided in the article above have been derived from a booklet published on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of SV Apollo ’69: “Apollo. Vijftig jaar voetbal – 1967-2017”, by Ad Tramper (ed. SV Apollo ’69: 2017). Thanks to the board of SV Apollo ’69 for providing me with a copy of this publication.

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author