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LATEST UPDATE - SV OOSTERWOLDE / SPORTPARK OOSTENBURG OOST, OOSTERWOLDE FR. (NETHERLANDS)

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

NETHERLANDS: vv Oosterwolde (1956-±1977) / SV De Griffioen (1959-1969, ±1996-2020) / vv Oosterwolde (B) (±1977-1980) / vv DIO-Oosterwolde (B) (1980-1996)

Sportpark Oostenburg West, Oosterwolde Fr. (formerly vv Oosterwolde / SV De Griffioen / B pitch of vv Oosterwolde & vv DIO-Oosterwolde)

Netherlands, province: Frisia = Friesland

May 2026 / no match visited

Timeline

• 1922 / In the early decades of the 20th century, football is slow to take root in the village of Oosterwolde, in the southeastern part of the Province of Frisia in the Netherlands. With netball being a more popular pastime among youngsters, the few footballers join a newly founded club in the neighbouring village of Appelscha, notably joining AVC (Appelschasche Voetbalclub?) from Oud-Appelscha or Vitesse from Appelscha proper. In 1922, AVC and Vitesse merge, taking on the name AOC, an abbreviation of Appelscha-Oosterwolde Combinatie – due to the ever-increasing number of players from Oosterwolde joining. Football is being played in the so-called Friesche Voetbalbond (FVB), the Frisia sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, later renamed KNVB). The pitch of AOC is situated at the back of Café J. Zwart in Appelscha.
• 1924 / AOC wins the title in its branch of the FVB, probably in FVB (Sunday) Division 3, with the decisive points being obtained in a 2-1 away win at HVC in Heerenveen. That same year, a leisure organisation in Oosterwolde, the so-called Vereeniging voor Vreemdelingen-Verkeer (VVV), which had seen the daylight in 1904, purchases a plot of land on the northern fringes of the village, which is used in subsequent years for sports activities as well – notably netball and gymnastics in the early years. However, AOC from nearby Appelscha also starts making use of the location for some of its home matches in 1924 and 1925.
• 1925 / Foundation of a sports club in Oosterwolde, which is given the name Gymnastiek- en Athletiekvereeniging (GAV) ‘Door Inspanning Ontspanning’ (DIO). As the full club name betrays, football is not part of the myriad of activities of the new club, which naturally settles at the VVV-terrein.
• 1926 / AOC withdraws its membership of the FVB, folding altogether later that same year. Football activities continue in Appelscha, with new clubs such as vv Appelscha (AFC?) and a re-established Vitesse seeing the daylight. 
• 1927 / GAV DIO widens its activities with the foundation of a netball branch. That same year, football returns to the VVV-terrein with the foundation of vv Quick Boys – in actual fact the continuation of a local boys’ team called Sparta. Also in 1927, GAV DIO organises a demonstration football match between a team of its membership and vv Asscher Boys, the champions in (Sunday) Division 1 of the Drentsche Voetbalbond (DVB), FVB’s pendant in the neighbouring Province of Drenthe, with the DIO XI managing a surprise 3-2 win. Thereupon, a football branch is founded under the aegis of GAV DIO, but activities are constrained to training sessions for the time being, with no membership of the FVB being requested – just like vv Quick Boys, which sticks to playing friendlies against teams from neighbouring villages in the following years.
• 1930 / Foundation of a boys’ football club in Oosterwolde, which is given the name Jupiter.
• 1932 / GAV DIO and vv Quick Boys both join the FVB. The latter takes its place in FVB (Sunday) Division 3, with DIO not being admitted to league football as yet.
• 1933 / Due to the acronym DIO already turning out to be in use by another FVB member, the football branch of this club is ordered to change its name. After initial suggestions of GDIO (Gymnastiekvereeniging DIO) and GADIO (Gymnastiek- en Athletiekvereeniging DIO) being turned down by FVB officials, the club takes on the name vv Oostenburg – Oostenburg being the name of the part of Oosterwolde to the north of the Opsterlandse Compagnonsvaart canal. For the start of the 1933-34 season, vv Oostenburg is placed in FVB Division 3. Due to drainage issues, vv Quick Boys and vv Oostenburg temporarily have to move away from the VVV-terrein in 1933, with home matches being moved to the municipal pitch at the back of a local primary school at Snellingerdijk.
• 1934 / Clinching the title in FVB Division 3 following a tie-break match against Vitesse from Appelscha, vv Quick Boys goes on to win the championship play-offs, in which the win against SDO (from Jubbega) on the Wijnjeterpterrein, situated halfway between Oosterwolde and Jubbega, proves decisive. As such, vv Quick Boys gains promotion to FVB Division 2. 
• 1935 / One year after its village rivals, vv Oostenburg also manages to win promotion to FVB Division 2. That same year, vv Quick Boys is ordered by FVB authorities to change its name to vv Oosterwolde.
• 1936 / Clinching the title in FVB Division 2, vv Oosterwolde wins promotion to Division 1 of the said league system.
• 1938 / Clinching the title in FVB Division 2 and going on to win the subsequent round of championship play-offs, vv Oostenburg accedes to Division 1 of the said league system. The successful coach is B. van der Luik. Meanwhile, village rivals vv Oosterwolde go the other way, suffering relegation into FVB Division 2. However, following the 1937-38 season, a merger is concluded between both clubs, resulting in the foundation of a new vv Oosterwolde as a sub-branch of GAV DIO. The first chairman of the football branch is J. van Olfen. 
• 1941 / Finishing as runner-up in FVB Division 1, 2 points behind champions DOG Wolvega, but 9 points ahead of the team placing third, vv Oosterwolde files a request to be admitted to NVB Sunday League 3 – with no Sunday League 4 being organised in District North as yet. With the request being honoured, the club leaves the ranks of the FVB for the first time. To this end, the club has to lay out its pitch in a slightly different position on the VVV-terrein, due to a lime tree being situated on the original pitch – an anomaly which had been turned a blind eye to in the FVB, but which was not accepted in regular league football.
• 1949 / Finishing bottom of the table in District North’s Sunday League 3B, vv Oosterwolde descends into Sunday League 4 – finally introduced in the northern district after World War II – alongside the club in second-last place, vv Willemsoord.
• 1951 / The municipality of Oosterwolde purchases a plot of land to the north of the VVV-terrein from a local smallholder, F. Koops, with the purpose of creating a sports park here and re-using the old VVV-terrein for housing.
• 1955 / vv Oosterwolde manages a runner-up position in District North’s Sunday League 4B, 4 points behind local rivals vv Stânfries from Appelscha. Meanwhile, also in 1955, the new pitches on the plot of land purchased by local authorities four years previously have been laid out, with first tentative football matches being played there.
• 1956 / Official inauguration of the new Sportpark Oostenburg, consisting of two pitches – nowadays the two westernmost pitches of the park – and a smaller training pitch. The entrance gate is situated at the south side of the main pitch, at Kuipenstreek. The old VVV-terrein was situated on the location now taken by the townhall of Oosterwolde.
• 1957 / The new clubhouse and dressing rooms at Sportpark Oostenburg are inaugurated.
• 1958 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 4B, 2 points ahead of closest rivals vv De Kooi, vv Oosterwolde qualifies for the championship play-offs against vv ONB, vv De Vogels, and MKV ’29 – in the end qualifying for Sunday League 3 alongside the first-mentioned club. The successful coach is Mr Vogelzang.
• 1959 / With vv Oosterwolde being a non-confessional club, playing its football on Sundays, the presidency refuses to form a Saturday league branch for its relatively small Protestant (Evangelical) membership. Thereupon, a breakaway club sees the daylight, Sportvereniging (SV) De Griffioen, with S. Groote becoming the chairman of this new club, which becomes a groundsharer of vv Oosterwolde at Sportpark Oostenburg. Like GAV DIO, of which vv Oosterwolde is the football branch, SV De Griffioen becomes an omnisports club, with branches for other sports seeing the daylight in subsequent years, including netball, gymnastics, indoor football, badminton, and table tennis – one more successful and long-lasting than the other.
• 1960 / In its first competitive season, SV De Griffioen is placed in FVB Saturday Division 2.
• 1963 / Under the aegis of player-coach H. Hulshof, vv Oosterwolde finishes in second-last place in District North’s Sunday League 3A, thus descending into Sunday League 4 alongside bottom club vv Lemmer.
• 1964 / vv Oosterwolde finishes in second place in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 5 points behind champions SV Haulerwijk
• 1965 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 1 point ahead of closest followers vv Bakkeveen, vv Oosterwolde manages an immediate return to Sunday League 3. The successful player-coach is H. Hulshof.
• 1966 / Runner-up in FVB Saturday Division 2A, 6 points behind champions CVVO, SV De Griffioen wins promotion to FVB Saturday Division 1.
• 1967 / Finishing bottom of the table in FVB Saturday Division 1B, SV De Griffioen drops back into Division 2 of the said league system after just one year.
• 1968 / Finishing in joint first place in FVB Saturday Division 2B with vv ONT, SV De Griffioen goes on to suffer defeat in a tie-break match for the title against the club from Opeinde (3-1). Nonetheless, promotion to Saturday Division 1 is achieved.
• 1969 / Finishing in joint last place in District North’s Sunday League 3B with vv Peize and vv Groninger Boys, vv Oosterwolde meets these two clubs in a relegation play-off, with vv Groninger Boys eventually being the only club to avoid relegation into Sunday League 4. Also in 1969, SV De Griffioen ends its existence as groundsharer at Sportpark Oostenburg, moving to a new ground, Sportpark De Boekhorst, consisting of two pitches and a training pitch, laid out on a plot of farmland, purchased by Oosterwolde’s municipal authorities from a local smallholder, S. van Weperen.
• 1970 / vv Oosterwolde finishes as runner-up in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 1 point behind champions vv Buitenpost.
• 1971 / Finishing bottom of the table in FVB Saturday Division 1A, SV De Griffioen drops back into Division 2 of the said league system.
• 1973 / vv Oosterwolde finishes as runner-up in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 3 points behind champions SV Houtigehage. Also in 1973, municipal authorities of Oosterwolde purchase a plot of farmland to the east of Sportpark Oostenburg, with the purpose of extending the park with four more pitches, which are laid out in the following two years.
• 1974 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 2 points ahead of closest rivals vv TFS, vv Oosterwolde manages a return to Sunday League 3 after five years. The successful coach is Bennie Boerstra.
• 1975 / Finishing bottom of the table in District North’s Sunday League 3A, vv Oosterwolde descends into Sunday League 4 after just one season, alongside the club in second-last place, vv Wolvega. Meanwhile, down in FVB Saturday Division 2C, SV De Griffioen clinches the title, 4 points ahead of closest followers SV RWF, thus achieving a return to Saturday Division 1 after four years.
• 1976 / In a well-nigh incredible achievement, vv Oosterwolde clinches the Regional Cup (Districtsbeker) of District North, defeating CVV Germanicus, a club playing its football four levels higher than them, in Zondag Hoofdklasse, 1-0 at Sportpark Oostenburg in the final.
• 1977 / New dressing rooms are constructed in the heart of the four new pitches laid out at the eastern end of Sportpark Oostenburg. Around this time, first team football of vv Oosterwolde – renamed vv DIO-Oosterwolde in 1980 – must have been moved to the easternmost pitch of the park, which sports a terrace alongside its west-side touchline. 
• 1979 / Finishing in second-last place in FVB Saturday Division 1B, SV De Griffioen drops back into Division 2 of the said league system, alongside bottom club CSV Be Quick Dokkum.
• 1980 / SV De Griffioen finishes as runner-up in FVB Saturday Division 2C, 1 point behind champions vv Eastermar. 
• 1984 / On December 22nd, 1984, the new clubhouse of vv DIO-Oosterwolde is inaugurated. Replacing the old clubhouse at the southwestern end of Sportpark Oostenburg, quite a walk away from the main pitch, the new facility is located right beside it. 
• 1987 / Champions in FVB Saturday Division 2D, 2 points ahead of closest rivals SC Boornbergum, SV De Griffioen manages a return to Division 1 of the said league system after eight years.
• 1988 / Runner-up in FVB Saturday Division 1A, with an equal number of points as champions VVI, but an inferior goal difference – probably, a tie-break match for the title was played, but no information is available regarding this matter – SV De Griffioen joins the club from Idskenhuizen in gaining promotion to Saturday League 4, acceding to the ranks of District North for the first time in club history. 
• ± 1996 / Moving away from Sportpark De Boekhorst after just over 25 years, due to the park having to make way for housing, SV De Griffioen moves back to Sportpark Oostenburg, taking its place at the original clubhouse, constructed in 1956-57, as well as the original main pitch, used by vv Oosterwolde between 1956 and the late 1970s.
• 1997 / Coached by Sjoerd Rozema, SV De Griffioen finishes in second-last place in District North’s Saturday League 4C, thus descending into Saturday League 5, created to replace FVB Saturday Division 1 one year previously, alongside bottom club UVV ’70.
• 1999 / Coached by Martin Reidsma, SV De Griffioen finishes in second-last place in District North’s Saturday League 5C, thus suffering relegation into Saturday League 5, along with bottom club vv Suameer.
• 2000 / Finishing in fourth place in District North’s Saturday League 6C, SV De Griffioen goes on to win the promotion play-offs, thus managing an immediate return to Saturday League 5. The successful coach is Martin Reidsma.
• 2001 / Coached by E. Homan, SV De Griffioen finishes in second-last place in District North’s Saturday League 5B, thus dropping back into Saturday League 6 after just one season, alongside bottom club vv ODV.
• 2002 / Champions in District North’s Saturday League 6C, 3 points ahead of runner-up vv Amicitia VMC, SV De Griffioen manages an immediate return to Saturday League 5. The successful coach is E. Homan.
• 2003 / Finishing in third place in District North’s Saturday League 5D, SV De Griffioen goes on to win the promotion play-offs, thus acceding to Saturday League 4 after an absence of six years at that level. The successful coach is Theo Donker.
• 2008 / Champions in District North’s Saturday League 4D, 1 point ahead of closest rivals ZZVV, SV De Griffioen wins promotion to Saturday League 3 for the first time. The successful coach is Piet van der Veen. Also in 2008, the youth academies of vv DIO-Oosterwolde, SV De Griffioen, and FC Fochteloo are merged under the name Jeugdvoetbal (JV) Oostenburg.
• 2011 / Finishing in third place in District North’s Saturday League 3D, SV De Griffioen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by vv ONR (3-2 aggr.).
• 2012 / Finishing in fourth place in District North’s Saturday League 3D, SV De Griffioen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out vv DZOH ’85 in R1 (5-4 aggr.), only to suffer elimination in R2 at the hands of vv Glimmen (6-3 aggr.).
• 2013 / Finishing in second-last place in District North’s Saturday League 3D with coach Edwin Prins, SV De Griffioen descends into Saturday League 4 alongside vv Borger and bottom club vv Sleen.
• 2016 / Runaway champions in District North’s Saturday League 4D, 12 points ahead of closest followers vv Waskemeer, SV De Griffioen manages a return to Saturday League 3. The successful coach is Jan Timmer.
• 2017 / Champions in District North’s Saturday League 3A, 1 point ahead of closest rivals vv DWP, SV De Griffioen wins promotion to Saturday League 2 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Jan Timmer.
• 2019 / In the best achievement in club history, SV De Griffioen manages a fifth place in Saturday League 2J, however just missing out on the promotion play-offs.
• 2020 / Following the 2019-20 season, cut short due to the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, SV De Griffioen concludes a merger with vv DIO-Oosterwolde, resulting in the foundation of Sportvereniging (SV) Oosterwolde. First team football moves to DIO’s pitch on the eastern side of Sportpark Oostenburg, with the old main pitch of SV De Griffioen as well as the clubhouse being taken over by the local netball club.

Note – Essential parts of the information above have been derived from two booklets, released on the occasion of club anniversaries of vv DIO-Oosterwolde and SV De Griffioen: “DIO en haar voorlopers. 1910-1985”, by Kees Hofstra (ed. Van der Meer: Oosterwolde 1985) and “50 Jaar S.V. de Griffioen. Jubileum Treffer – voetbal & zaalvoetbal”, by Sven Jach – Alle Pool – Dirk Haayema – Arjen Haayema – Ron van den Hengel – Margriet Hiemstra – Minke Hiemstra – Jan van Egmond (ed. SV De Griffioen: Oosterwolde 2009).

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

NETHERLANDS: vv Oosterwolde (±1977-1980) / vv DIO-Oosterwolde (1980-2020) / SV Oosterwolde (2020-)

Sportpark Oostenburg Oost, Oosterwolde Fr. (SV Oosterwolde, formerly vv Oosterwolde / vv DIO-Oosterwolde)

Netherlands, province: Frisia = Friesland

26 V 2026 / SV Oosterwolde - vv Balk 1-2 / District North, Saturday League 3 - promotion play-off R1 (= NL level 8)

Timeline

• 1925 / Foundation of a sports club in the Frisian town of Oosterwolde, which is given the name Gymnastiek- en Athletiekvereeniging (GAV) ‘Door Inspanning Ontspanning’ (DIO). As the full club name betrays, football is not part of the myriad of activities of the new club, which settles at the VVV-terrein at the north side of the village.
• 1927 / GAV DIO widens its activities with the foundation of a netball branch. That same year, a football team sees the daylight in Oosterwolde, vv Quick Boys – in actual fact the continuation of a local boys’ team called Sparta – with the club settling on the VVV-terrein. That same year, GAV DIO also forms a football branch.
• 1932 / GAV DIO and vv Quick Boys both join the so-called Friesche Voetbalbond (FVB), the Frisia sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association (KNVB). The latter takes its place in FVB (Sunday) Division 3, with DIO not being admitted to league football as yet.
• 1933 / Due to the acronym DIO already turning out to be in use by another FVB member, the football branch of this club is ordered to change its name. After initial suggestions of GDIO (Gymnastiekvereeniging DIO) and GADIO (Gymnastiek- en Athletiekvereeniging DIO) being turned down by FVB officials, the club takes on the name vv Oostenburg – Oostenburg being the name of the part of Oosterwolde to the north of the Opsterlandse Compagnonsvaart canal. 
• 1935 / vv Quick Boys is ordered by FVB authorities to change its name to vv Oosterwolde.
• 1938 / Following the 1937-38 season, a merger is concluded between both clubs, resulting in the foundation of a new vv Oosterwolde as a sub-branch of GAV DIO. The first chairman of the football branch is J. van Olfen. 
• 1941 / With vv Oosterwolde being admitted to the ranks of (K)NVB District North for the first time, the club has to lay out its pitch in a slightly different position on the VVV-terrein, due to a lime tree being situated on the original pitch – an anomaly which had been turned a blind eye to in the FVB, but which was not accepted in regular league football.
• 1951 / The municipality of Oosterwolde purchases a plot of land to the north of the VVV-terrein from a local smallholder, F. Koops, with the purpose of creating a sports park here and re-using the old VVV-terrein for housing.
• 1955 / The new pitches on the plot of land purchased by local authorities four years previously have been laid out, with first tentative football matches being played there.
• 1956 / Official inauguration of the new Sportpark Oostenburg, consisting of two pitches – nowadays the two westernmost pitches of the park – and a smaller training pitch. The entrance gate is situated at the south side of the main pitch, at Kuipenstreek.
• 1959 / With vv Oosterwolde being a non-confessional club, playing its football on Sundays, the presidency refuses to form a Saturday league branch for its relatively small Protestant (Evangelical) membership. Thereupon, a breakaway club sees the daylight, Sportvereniging (SV) De Griffioen, with S. Groote becoming the chairman of this new club, which becomes a groundsharer of vv Oosterwolde at Sportpark Oostenburg. Like GAV DIO, of which vv Oosterwolde is the football branch, SV De Griffioen becomes an omnisports club, with branches for other sports.
• 1969 / SV De Griffioen ends its existence as groundsharer at Sportpark Oostenburg, moving to a new ground, Sportpark De Boekhorst, consisting of two pitches and a training pitch, laid out on a plot of farmland, purchased by Oosterwolde’s municipal authorities from a local smallholder, S. van Weperen.
• 1973 / Municipal authorities of Oosterwolde purchase a plot of farmland to the east of Sportpark Oostenburg, with the purpose of extending the park with four more pitches, which are laid out in the following two years.
• 1977 / New dressing rooms are constructed in the heart of the four new pitches laid out at the eastern end of Sportpark Oostenburg. Around this time, first team football of vv Oosterwolde must have been moved to the easternmost pitch of the park, which sports a terrace alongside its west-side touchline. 
• 1978 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 4C, 6 points ahead of closest followers LAC Frisia 1883, vv Oosterwolde accedes to Saturday League 3.
• 1979 / vv Oosterwolde finishes as runner-up in District North’s Sunday League 3B, 2 points behind champions vv Gruno.
• 1980 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 3B, 2 points ahead of closest rivals vv Actief, vv Oosterwolde accedes to Sunday League 2 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Hans Zwart. In the summer of 1980, vv Oosterwolde – essentially the football branch of GAV DIO – changes its name officially to become vv DIO-Oosterwolde. 
• 1982 / Marking the risen reputation of the club, vv DIO-Oosterwolde is joined by 38-year-old former professional league goalkeeper Sjouke van der Heide, who previously played for vv Heerenveen, AVC Heracles, and SC Cambuur.
• 1983 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 2 points ahead of runner-up GVV Velocitas, vv DIO-Oosterwolde wins promotion to Sunday League 1, the second-highest level of the non-league pyramid at the time, for the first time ever. The decisive points are clinched in a 2-0 away win at vv Heerenveen (AV), groundsharers of professional league side vv Heerenveen at the Abe Lenstra Stadion (I) in those days.
• 1984 / On December 22nd, 1984, the new clubhouse of vv DIO-Oosterwolde is inaugurated. Replacing the old clubhouse at the southwestern end of Sportpark Oostenburg, quite a walk away from the main pitch, the new facility is located right beside it. 
• 1986 / In the best achievement in club history – although replicated in 1988 and 1991 – vv DIO-Oosterwolde finishes in sixth place in Sunday League 1C.
• ± 1990 / A covered stand is inaugurated alongside the western touchline of the main pitch at Sportpark Oostenburg (Oost).
• 1996 / Coached by Kees de Jong, vv DIO-Oosterwolde finishes in second-last place in Sunday League 1C, thus descending into Sunday League 2 after thirteen years, alongside bottom club vv Schoonebeek. Also in or around 1996, moving away from Sportpark De Boekhorst, Saturday club SV De Griffioen moves back to Sportpark Oostenburg, taking its place at the original clubhouse, constructed in 1956-57, as well as the original main pitch, used by vv Oosterwolde between 1956 and the late 1970s.
• 1998 / Coached by Harm Bijl, vv DIO-Oosterwolde finishes in third-last place in Sunday League 2K, thus descending into Sunday League 3, along with MVV Alcides and bottom club vv Raptim.
• 1999 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 3D, 3 points ahead of closest followers vv Heerenveen (AV), vv DIO-Oosterwolde manages an immediate return to Sunday League 2. The successful coach is Ron Kramer.
• 2005 / Coached by Berry Zandink, vv DIO-Oosterwolde finishes in second-last place in Sunday League 2K, thus descending into Sunday League 3 alongside bottom club vv CEC.
• 2008 / The youth academies of vv DIO-Oosterwolde, SV De Griffioen, and FC Fochteloo are merged under the name Jeugdvoetbal (JV) Oostenburg.
• 2010 / Runner-up in District North’s Sunday League 3B, 4 points behind champions vv Steenwijk, vv DIO-Oosterwolde wins direct promotion back to Sunday League 2 due to extra promotion places being available following the introduction of a Zondag Topklasse as the new top tier of the Sunday pyramid. The successful coach is Jan Boxum.
• 2011 / Finishing in third place in Sunday League 2K, vv DIO-Oosterwolde qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club eclipses vv Noordster in R1 (12-4 aggr.), going on to defeat vv SVBO in the final (2-0 aggr.). As such, the club manages a return to Sunday League 1, by now the third tier of the non-league pyramid, after an absence of fifteen years at that level. The successful coach is Henk Boeree.
• 2012 / Coached by Gert Slomp, vv DIO-Oosterwolde finishes bottom of the table in Sunday League 1F, thus dropping back into Sunday League 2 after just one season, alongside vv Dalen and vv Gronitas.
• 2013 / Finishing in twelfth place in Sunday League 2K, vv DIO-Oosterwolde suffers back-to-back relegations, descending into Sunday League 3, along with vv Roden, VC Trynwâlden, and bottom club vv DTD.
• 2014 / Finishing in fourth place in District North’s Sunday League 3A, vv DIO-Oosterwolde qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by SC Emmeloord (9-3 aggr.).
• 2018 / Finishing in third place in District North’s Sunday League 3D, vv DIO-Oosterwolde qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club bows out in R1 following a comprehensive defeat (5-0 aggr.) against FC Lewenborg.
• 2020 / Following the 2019-20 season, cut short due to the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, vv DIO-Oosterwolde concludes a merger with neighbour club SV De Griffioen, resulting in the foundation of Sportvereniging (SV) Oosterwolde. First team football moves to DIO’s pitch on the eastern side of Sportpark Oostenburg, with the old main pitch of SV De Griffioen as well as the clubhouse being taken over by the local netball club. Discarding its long tradition in Sunday league football, the new merger club takes over the place of SV De Griffioen in Saturday League 2.
• 2023 / Coached by Henk Boeree, SV Oosterwolde finishes in eleventh place in Saturday League 2L. Having to stave off relegation in a set of promotion-relegation play-offs, the club draws a bye in R1, going on to stumble over the first hurdle, vv Hoogeveen, in R2 (1-0). As such, the club descends into Saturday League 3 along with CSV Be Quick Dokkum, vv Veendam 1894, and bottom team GSV Be Quick 1887 (za).
• 2025 / Runner-up in Saturday League 3Q, 3 points behind champions vv Hardegarijp, SV Oosterwolde qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out GSV Be Quick 1887 (za) in R1 (2-1), only to suffer defeat in the final, played at Sportpark De Knipe of vv Read Swart, against VVI (2-1).
• 2026 / Finishing in third place in Saturday League 3Q, SV Oosterwolde qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club bows out in R1 against vv Balk (1-2).

Note – Essential parts of the information above have been derived from two booklets, released on the occasion of club anniversaries of vv DIO-Oosterwolde and SV De Griffioen: “DIO en haar voorlopers. 1910-1985”, by Kees Hofstra (ed. Van der Meer: Oosterwolde 1985) and “50 Jaar S.V. de Griffioen. Jubileum Treffer – voetbal & zaalvoetbal”, by Sven Jach – Alle Pool – Dirk Haayema – Arjen Haayema – Ron van den Hengel – Margriet Hiemstra – Minke Hiemstra – Jan van Egmond (ed. SV De Griffioen: Oosterwolde 2009).

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

NETHERLANDS: SV SHH

Sportpark De Wolfsberg, Herten Merum (SV SHH)

Netherlands, province: Limburg

25 V 2026 / SV SHH - RKFC Lindenheuvel-Heidebloem Combinatie 4-1 / Sunday League 3H (= NL level 8)

Timeline

• 1909 / Foundation of a first football club in Herten, a village just to the south of Roermond in the central part of the Netherlands’ Province of Limburg. The new club is given the name Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalvereeniging (RKVV) ‘Vooruitgang Is Ons Doel’ (VIOD). The club finds itself a pitch at Broekveeweg in the hamlet of Merum, a ground referred to locally as Terrein Oude Berg.
• 1917 / Foundation year of the so-called Roomsch-Katholieke Limburgsche Voetbalbond (RKLVB), the Limburg sub-branch of the Roman Catholic Football Federation in the Netherlands (RKF). RKVV VIOD may have been one of the founding members – and had certainly joined by the early 1920s.
• 1922 / While VIOD was the oldest club in Herten, two rival clubs saw the daylight in the early 1920s, one of which, MVC (Merumsche Voetbalclub, given as MSV, Merumsche Sportvereeniging, in another contemporary source), was formed in 1922. Rather than joining the RKLVB, MVC successfully applied for membership of the non-confessional Limburgsche Voetbalbond (LVB), the Limburg sub-branch of the official Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB). Around the same time, a club called Juliana was founded in another hamlet of Herten, Ool. Juliana took part in the RKLVB competitions in the 1923-24 season, which is the only sign of life of this club, which probably folded after an existence of one or two years. 
• 1924 / Foundation of a new club in Herten, MOC – possibly meaning Merum-Ool-Combinatie? – which might have been the successor of the short-lived Juliana. MOC joined the RKLVB, but the club must have folded one or two years later, leaving few traces. 
• 1925 / After three years, MVC renounces its membership of the Netherlands’ FA and its Limburg sub-branch LVC, with the club officially ceasing all activities one year later.
• 1926 / Foundation of a gymnastics club in Herten, which takes on the name Sint-Hadrianus Herten (SHH). Hadrianus is obviously not a reference to the Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138), who was not a Christian, let alone a saint, nor to Pope Hadrian III (884-885), who was canonised by Leo XIII in 1891, but to a 4th century Roman officer from Nicomedia (present-day Izmit in Turkey) who chose martyrdom over obedience to the Emperor Diocletian, a persecutor of Christians. 
• 1929 / Under the aegis of the gymnastics club, a football club is founded in Herten, also named SHH. SHH joins the RKLVB, settling on a pitch, Terrein Rosslag, in a location referred to locally at the time as Aan het Papenbroek – situated at the crossroads of modern-day Wilhelminastraat & Watertorenweg.
• 1930 / After an existence of 21 years, RKVV VIOD, the oldest club in Herten, folds. The club spent the last season of its existence in RKLVB Division 1. 
• 1935 / Probably having ceased its activities one year previously, the football branch of SHH folds, the main reason being that the lease on its pitch, Terrein Rosslag, is terminated, as the owner prefers to plant pear trees on the plot. 
• 1940 / With no local football club having existed in Herten, Ool, or Merum in the preceding five years, activities are resumed in December 1940 with the re-establishment of SHH, officially named Katholieke Sportvereniging (KSV) Sint-Hadrianus Herten. As Hubert Kurvers is chosen as the first chairman of the new club, SHH acquires a plot of land, Terrein Rosslag, where a makeshift pitch is laid out for friendly matches, the only activity in the first months of the club’s existence. However, the re-foundation of SHH was preceded by the establishment of SODA, Sport Onder De Arbeiders, a corporate team for employees of the Solvay chemical factory in Merum. Very little information is available about the latter club, first traces of which are found in 1940. As the RKF and its sub-branch RKLVB are abolished under pressure of German occupation authorities following the occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, SODA and KSV SHH both joined the Netherlands’ FA (KNVB, renamed NVB at the behest of the Germans for the duration of the war) – or more specifically its sub-branch Afdeling Limburg, the successor of the pre-war LVB. 
• 1941 / As KSV SHH takes its place in LVB (Sunday) Division 3, the bottom tier of the LVB pyramid, the club moves away from Terrein Rosslag, settling at Terrein Wolfhagen at Schepersweg in Merum – actually very close to modern-day Sportpark De Wolfsberg. This pitch was previously in use by SODA, with the location where this club had moved to being unknown.
• 1942 / With SODA clinching the title in its group of LVB Division 3, 6 points ahead of closest rivals KSV SHH, both clubs from Merum win promotion to LVB Division 2. 
• 1944 / Champions in LVB Division 2N, KSV SHH goes on to win a championship play-off against BVV from Beegden (4-2 aggr.), resulting in the club gaining promotion to LVB Division 1. After 1944, no more is heard about corporate club SODA, which may well have folded before the end of World War II.
• ± 1946 / Moving away from Terrein Wolfhagen, KSV SHH moves to a pitch situated at Rosslag in Herten – not the initial location used in 1940-41, but a newly laid-out pitch near the local water tower (at the crossroads of modern-day Rosslag and Hondsbergje).
• ± 1947 / Abandoning Terrein Rosslag (II), KSV SHH moves back to its old Terrein Wolfhagen at Schepersweg. With source material being rather confusing, the club apparently also used Terrein Jupiter at Roerderweg at some point in the late 1940s or early 1950s, only to move back to Terrein Wolfhagen a third time.
• 1953 / Clinching the title in LVB Division 1H, 3 points ahead of closest rivals RKAVC, KSV SHH wins promotion to District South II’s (Sunday) League 4 for the first time. The decisive points are cliched in the away match at RKVV Sint-Odiliënberg (1-2). The successful coach is Frans Pijpers. In the summer of 1953, moving away from Terrein Wolfhagen, SHH moves into the newly laid-out Gemeentelijk Sportpark De Donderberg at Veestraat in Herten, the laying out of which had taken the best part of the preceding year. On June 28th, an inaugural match takes place between SHH and vv Bieslo (4-6). The ensuing gala match on July 12th between VVV and SV Maurits is called off at the behest of local authorities, with the match being moved to the old Terrein Wolfhagen.
• 1955 / In spite of finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 4E, KSV SHH stays up due to the fact that the introduction of a professional league, which saw many teams in the upper divisions leave the regular pyramid, means that the open places have to be taken by teams from the lower reaches of the league – and with fewer clubs having to be retrograded as a result.
• 1956 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 4E with coach Bair Toebosch, KSV SHH drops back into Afdeling Limburg Division 1 after three years.
• 1960 / Coached by Wiel Smeets, KSV SHH finishes bottom of the table in Afdeling Limburg Division 1H, thus descending into Division 2 of the said league system.
• 1963 / KSV SHH finishes as runner-up in Afdeling Limburg Division 2M, 2 points behind champions vv Boekoel.
• 1964 / Champions in their group of Afdeling Limburg Division 2, 2 points ahead of closest followers vv RIOS ’31, KSV SHH manages a return to Division 1 of the said league system after four years. The successful coach is Frans Pijpers.
• 1966 / KSV SHH finishes as runner-up in Afdeling Limburg Division 1H, 2 points behind champions RKVV Sint-Odiliënberg.
• 1968 / Finishing in joint first place of its group of Afdeling Limburg Division 1 with RKVV Baarlo, 2 points ahead of closest followers KSV Horn, KSV SHH goes on to meet the club from Baarlo in a tie-break match, played at the ground of vv (DES) Swalmen (1,500 spectators). However, losing the tie (2-1), the club misses out on a return to Sunday League 4.
• 1972 / Finishing in joint first place in Afdeling Limburg Division 1H with vv VOS, 1 point ahead of closest followers vv Eiker Boys, KSV SHH goes on to meet the club from Venlo in a tie-break match, with the ground of vv (DES) Swalmen once again being the venue (1,500 spectators). However, losing the tie (2-0 A.E.T.), SHH sees VOS walking away with the promotion ticket.
• 1974 / Moving away from Gemeentelijk Sportpark De Donderberg, KSV SHH settles at the newly laid-out Sportpark Offerkamp, consisting of two pitches, in the early months of 1974.
• 1975 / Finishing bottom of the table in Afdeling Limburg Division 1H, KSV SHH drops back into Division 2 of the said league system alongside the club in second-last place, VCH. Also in or around 1975, SHH says goodbye to its last spiritual advisor, a requirement for any Roman Catholic sports club, resulting in the official club name changing from KSV SHH to SV SHH. However, it should be pointed out that, both before and after the name change, the prefix was (and is) hardly ever used.
• 1977 / SV SHH finishes as runner-up in Afdeling Limburg Division 2O, 2 points behind champions SC Leeuwen.
• 1978 / Finishing in joint first place in its group of Afdeling Limburg Division 2 with vv Boekoel, 10 points ahead of closest followers SV EMS and PSV ’35, SV SHH meets its rival club in a tie-break match, played at SC Leeuwen’s ground in front of a crowd of 1,500. However, suffering a 1-0 defeat, SHH has to leave the promotion ticket to Boekoel.
• 1981 / Champions in its group of Afdeling Limburg Division 2, 3 points ahead of closest rivals RKVV Juliana K, SV SHH wins promotion to Division 1 of the said league system. The decisive points are clinched in a 5-0 home win over vv Putbroek. The successful coach is Hennie Roelofs. 
• 1987 / SV SHH finishes as runner-up in Afdeling Limburg Division 1F, 6 points behind champions RKVB.
• 1993 / As Sportpark Offerkamp is hit by a flooding of the River Meuse in December 1993, SV SHH has to hold its training sessions during the winter break at the grounds of vv Linne and SV EMS.
• 1994 / Coached by Jean Smeets, SV SHH finishes in ninth place in Afdeling Limburg Division 1G, resulting in the club descending into Division 2 of the said league system.
• 1995 / Champions in its group of Afdeling Limburg Division 2, 3 points ahead of closest followers RKHVC and RKVV Sint-Joost, SV SHH manages an immediate return to Division 1 of the said league system. The successful coach is Jan Helwegen.
• 1996 / As Afdeling Limburg and all other KNVB sub-branches are abolished, SV SHH is placed in District South II’s Sunday League 5.
• 1997 / Runner-up in District South II’s Sunday League 5C, 3 points behind champions RKVV Sint-Joost, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club loses both of its group matches – against RKVV Juliana K and RKSVV – thus missing out on promotion.
• 1998 / Finishing in third place in District South II’s Sunday League 5C, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Being drawn into a group with RKSNA and vv Beegden, SHH manages wins against both, thus gaining promotion to Sunday League 4 after an absence of 42 years at that level. The successful coach is Con van Keeken.
• 1999 / Finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 4F, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is drawn into a group with RKVV Eindse Boys and vv (DES) Swalmen. Suffering a comprehensive defeat against the former (3-0), SHH cannot make up for this poor start in spite of a 2-1 win over the latter – having to leave the honours as well as the promotion ticket to Eindse Boys.
• 2001 / Moving away from Sportpark Offerkamp, which has to make way for housing, SV SHH moves into the newly laid-out Sportpark De Wolfsberg in Merum on January 1st, 2001, with the opening ceremony being attended by Roermond’s mayor Herman Kaiser. The new facility, which has the luxury of four pitches, is actually very close to the former Terrein Wolfhagen, where SHH played its home matches between 1941 and c. 1946. In the 2001-01 season, the club manages a runner-up finish in District South II’s Sunday League 4E, 7 points behind champions vv Linne. Qualifying for the promotion play-offs, SHH defeats vv DESM in R1, only to be knocked out in R2 by vv Roosteren (4-4 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out).
• 2002 / Finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 4D, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by SV Abdissenbosch (2-1 aggr.).
• 2003 / Runner-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4D, 7 points behind champions RKVV Heel, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past vv Heidebloem in R1 (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out), only to bow out in R2 against SV UOW ’02 (4-2 aggr.).
• 2006 / The main pitch of Sportpark De Wolfsberg is laid out anew with a synthetic surface, while the same renovation round also sees an extension of the clubhouse and the construction of additional dressing rooms.
• 2007 / Runaway champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4D, 10 points ahead of closest rivals vv Brevendia and vv Kessel, SV SHH wins promotion to Sunday League 3 for the first time in club history. The decisive points are clinched in a 2-1 away win at vv Kessel. The successful coach is John Halmans.
• 2009 / Finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3B, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by FC Kerkrade-West (2-0).
• 2010 / Finishing in tenth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3B, SV SHH has to stave off relegation in a set of promotion-relegation play-offs. Drawing a bye in R1, the club suffers defeat in R2 against SV Schinnen (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out). However, in a lucky-loser round, the club manages a narrow 4-3 A.E.T. win over OVCS, resulting in the club eventually securing its spot in League 3 for the following season.
• 2011 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 3B with coach Theo Pansters, SV SHH drops back into Sunday League 4 alongside SV Schinnen and SV EMS.
• 2012 / Finishing in third place in District South II’s Sunday League 4D, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past SV Schinnen (1-1 aggr. & penalty shoot-outs) and vv Spaubeek (1-0 aggr.) in the first two rounds, only to suffer defeat in the final at the hands of vv Belfeldia (1-0).
• 2013 / Runaway champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4D, 10 points ahead of closest followres RKVV Haelen, SV SHH manages an immediate return to Sunday League 3. The successful coach is Pie Schmitz.
• 2015 / Runner-up in District South II’s Sunday League 3B, 13 points behind runaway champions Geusselt Sport, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion  play-offs, in which the club manages successive wins over FC Geleen Zuid (6-1 aggr.) and vv HEBES (5-2 aggr.). As a result, SHH accedes to Sunday League 2 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Peter Verstappen.
• 2016 / Finishing in eleventh place in Sunday League 2G, SV SHH manages to stay up thanks to a successful promotion-relegation play-off against SVME (3-0).
• 2017 / Finishing in sixth place in Sunday League 2G, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by vv De Valk (5-2 aggr.).
• 2018 / Coached by Maarten van Lieshout, SV SHH finishes bottom of the table in Sunday League 2G, thus descending into Sunday League 3 alongside vv Sittard and vv Centrum Boys.
• 2019 / Finishing in third place in District South II’s Sunday League 3B, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out FC Hoensbroek in R1 (0-1), only to suffer elimination in R2 against FC Geleen Zuid (2-1).
• 2020 / Former SHH youth goalkeeper Loek Hamers, who had moved to the youth academy of Roda JC Kerkrade in 2010, makes his professional league debut for this club at the age of 20. Hamers bowed out at Roda JC Kerkrade after four years, in which he managed 8 first team matches. 
• 2021 / Former SHH youth academy midfielder Levi Smans makes his professional league debut at VVV-Venlo at the age of 18, going on to sign a deal with SC Heerenveen in 2024.
• 2022 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 3B, 4 points ahead of runner-up SV Langeberg, SV SHH manages a return to Sunday League 2 after an absence of four years. The successful coach is Patrick Wolters.
• 2023 / Finishing in third place in Sunday League 2E, SV SHH qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club has an excellent run, successively knocking out BSV Olympia ’18 (1-1 & penalty shoot-out), RKVV Venlosche Boys (1-2 A.E.T.), and vv Schaesberg (1-2) in the first two rounds, going on to defeat RKSV Bekkerveld in the final, played at a neutral venue, Sportpark ‘t Hetjen in Stein (5-3). As a result, SHH manages a historic promotion to Sunday League 1.
• 2024 / Coached by Ruud Peters, SV SHH finishes in eleventh place in Sunday League 1F, resulting in the club having to save its skin in the promotion-relegation play-offs. Drawing a bye in R1, the club goes on to defeat RKVV Sportclub ’25 in R2 (0-1) – only to be knocked out in the final, with Sportpark ‘t Hetjen in Stein being the venue once again, against GSV ’28 (2-1). As a result, the club descends into Sunday League 2 after just one season.
• 2025 / Coached by Siem Nijssen, SV SHH finishes in eleventh place in Sunday League 2E, resulting in the club having to save its skin in the promotion-relegation play-offs. Drawing a bye in R1, the club is eliminated in R2 by BSV Olympia ’18 (1-2). As such, SHH suffers back-to-back relegations, descending into Sunday League 3, along with Geusselt Sport and bottom club vv Maastricht West.
• 2026 / Champions in Sunday League 3H, 5 points ahead of runner-up FC Landgraaf, SV SHH manages an immediate return to Sunday League 2. The decisive points are clinched in a 4-1 home win over RKFC Lindenheuvel-Heidebloem Combinatie (4-1, cp. photos below). The successful coach is Peter Decrae.

Note – The bulk of the information provided above has been derived from a book, published on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of SV SHH: “Hadrianus, krijgsman met palm en zwaard 1940-2015. De historie van S.H.H.”, by Eugène Lamers, ed. SHH: Herten 2015.

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

BELGIUM: R Lierneux FC

Rue de la Gare, Lierneux (R Lierneux FC)

Belgium, province: Liège = Luik

24 V 2026 / R Lierneux FC - FC Bercheux 0-1 / Belgian Luxembourg, Provincial League 2 - promotion play-off  (= BE level 7)

Timeline

• 1923 / Foundation of a first football club in the village of Lierneux, in the far south of the Province of Liège in Belgium; the new club is given the name FC Albert Star and joins the Belgian Football Association (URBSFA / KBVB). It is unclear where the ground of this club was situated.
• 1926 / After an existence of merely three years, FC Albert Star folds, ceasing all activities. However, in the fall of that same year, a phoenix club sees the daylight in the shape of Sportsmen Club, which acquires registration number 780 upon the introduction of the registration numbers by the Belgian FA in December 1926. Again, it is unclear where the ground of this new club was situated.
• 1930 / After an existence of four years, Sportsmen Club folds, ceasing all activities, thus leaving Lierneux without a football club.
• 1939 / Foundation of a new football club in Lierneux, which is given the simple and straightforward name Lierneux FC. With Théophile Mention taking on the role of chairman, Lierneux FC acquires registration number 2804 upon joining the Belgian FA. The club takes its place on a newly laid-out pitch at Rue de la Gare – in fact the pitch still in use as the main pitch today. In the following decades, Lierneux FC competes in the provincial divisions of Liège.
• 1974 / Lierneux FC wins promotion to Liège’s Provincial League 1 for the first time in club history.
• 1976 / After two seasons, Lierneux FC suffers relegation from Liège’s Provincial League 1 into Provincial League 2.
• 1977 / Lierneux FC manages a return to Liège’s Provincial League 1 after just one season.
• 1980 / In the best season in club history, Lierneux FC manages a top place in Liège’s Provincial League 1, with the club qualifying for a play-off to win promotion to National Division 4. Taking on RFC Malmundaria 1904 and SRU Verviers, the club ultimately has to leave the honours to the latter club, which joins champions RCS Visétois in an adventure in national league football.
• 1981 / After four years, Lierneux FC suffers relegation from Liège’s Provincial League 1, with the club never managing a return to that level in subsequent years.
• 1989 / Upon the club’s fiftieth anniversary, Lierneux FC acquires the royal epithet, thus officially becoming Royal Lierneux Football Club, abbreviated as R Lierneux FC.
• 1997 / Following the example of their derby rivals RUS Sartoise from Petit-Sart of a couple of years before, R Lierneux FC chooses to leave the provincial leagues of Liège to join the league system of the neighbouring province of (Belgian) Luxembourg. In the isolated Northern Ardennes region, this allows R Lierneux FC to take on clubs from nearby villages such as Salmchâteau, Vielsalm, Harre, Regné, and Manhay. For the 1997-98 season, the club takes its place in the bottom division of Luxembourg’s league pyramid, Provincial League 3.
• 1998 / Runaway champions in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, 17 points ahead of closest followers CS Odeigne, R Lierneux FC wins promotion to Provincial League 2.
• 2001 / Runner-up in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, 10 points behind champions RCS Vielsalm, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by ES Bourcy (4-4 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out).
• 2007 / Finishing in second-last place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, R Lierneux FC descends into Provincial League 3 after nine years, alongside bottom club ES Bourcy.
• 2008 / Runner-up in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, 7 points behind champions RUS Erezée, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club manages to reach the final – and by beating Union Cécilienne, also to gain promotion to Provincial League 2 after a one-year absence.
• 2010 / Finishing bottom of the table in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, R Lierneux FC drops back into Provincial League 3, along with RES Izier and RCS Vielsalm.
• 2011 / Finishing in fifth place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club bows out in R1 against R Excelsior Fouches (4-2).
• 2012 / Finishing in third place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past R Haut-Fays Sport in R1 (3-3 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out), going on to defeat R Entente Roy-Lignières-Grimbiémont in R2 (0-1); as such, the club manages an immediate return to Provincial League 2.
• 2013 / Finishing in third-last place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, R Lierneux FC drops back into Provincial League 3 after just one season, alongside ES Heydoise and bottom club JS Tavigny.
• 2014 / Champions in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, 2 points ahead of runner-up ES Heydoise, R Lierneux FC once again manages to regain its place in Provincial League 2 after a one-year absence.
• 2018 / Finishing in third-last place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, R Lierneux FC has to stave off relegation in a play-off against the number 14 finishers in the two other Provincial League 2 groups, RES Aubange and RUSA Ochamps. With both Lierneux and Aubange managing to defeat Ochamps (1-4 and 3-2), the final match between Lierneux and Ochamps is never held – with the latter being condemned to relegation to Provincial League 3.
• 2019 / Finishing in third-last place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, R Lierneux FC descends into Provincial League 3 after five years, alongside US Vecmont and bottom club RUS Bérismenil.
• 2020 / R Lierneux FC merges its youth academy with the academies of neighbour clubs RCS de la Salm and RUS Sartoise in a newly formed youth academy club, which is given the name Jeunesse Unie Nord-Ardenne (JUNA) Salm-Sart-Lierneux, with this ‘club’ acquiring registration number 9796 upon being admitted as a new member of the Belgian FA.
• 2022 / Finishing in third place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3F, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by RCS de la Salm (4-6 A.E.T.).
• 2024 / Finishing in fourth place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 3E, R Lierneux FC goes on to win the promotion play-offs following wins over FC Bomal (R1, 1-2) and RSC Rendeux (R2, 2-0). As such, the club manages a return to Provincial League 2 after five years.
• 2026 / Runner-up in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 2C, 12 points behind runaway champions R Entente Roy-Lignières-Grimbiémont, R Lierneux FC qualifies for the promotion play-offs for a place in Luxembourg’s Provincial League 1 for the first time. Successively knocking out RC Erezée-Amonines (R1, 2-1) and RES Champlonaise (R2, 2-1), the club qualifies for the three-way final against FC Bercheux and RES Aubange. After Bercheux and Lierneux both managed a win against Aubange, the final match in the group, played at Rue de la Gare (photos below) brought the decision – and with a 1-0 win for Bercheux, R Lierneux FC narrowly missed out on a historic promotion.

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