Extreme Football Tourism: February 2009

Cambuurstadion = Gemeentelijk Sportpark Cambuur West, Leeuwarden (formerly vv Leeuwarden / LAC Frisia 1883 / SC Cambuur / SC Leeuwarden / Cambuur-Leeuwarden / Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV)

Netherlands, province: Frisia = Friesland

20 II 2009 / Cambuur-Leeuwarden - FC Omniworld 2-0 / Eerste Divisie (= NL level 2)
4 VIII 2013 / SC Cambuur - NAC Breda 0-0 / Eredivisie (= NL level 1)

Timeline

1883 / At the initiative of Baron Van Harinxma thoe Slooten, future Governor of the Province of Frisia, a cricket club sees the daylight in Leeuwarden, the capital of the northern province. The new club, which is given the name Cricketclub (CC) Frisia, settles on a pitch laid out in the Achter de Hoven neighbourhood, to the southeast of the town-centre.
1894 / As football is added to the myriad of activities, the club changes its name to become Cricket & Football Club (C&FC) Frisia. That same year, C&FC Frisia is the first club from the northern provinces to join the Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, renamed KNVB in 1929) – in fact, the sixth club in the NL as a whole to be accepted as new member club.
1895 / C&FC Frisia takes part in the first-ever NVB competition to be held in District North, with only two other clubs taking part in the (Sunday) League 2 competition – no League 1 would be added to the pyramid until over twenty years later: GGCC Be Quick and vv Achilles. That same year, Frisia’s cricket branch ceases its activities, as the membership prefers to focus solely on football.
1896 / Now that cricket is no longer part of the club’s activities, C&FC Frisia’s board takes the decision to adapt the club name to Leeuwarder Athletische Club (LAC) Frisia.
1904 / LAC Frisia clinches its first title, with the team crowning themselves ‘Champions of the North’ by finishing in first place in District North’s League 2, 1 point ahead of closest rivals HVV Quick (Kampen).
1905 / Moving away from Terrein Achter de Hoven, LAC Frisia settles on a newly laid-out pitch, Terrein Wilhelminabaan.
1908 / Champions in District North’s League 2 following a tie-break match against WVV, LAC Frisia crown themselves ‘Champions of the North’ for a second time.
1909 / Champions in District North’s League 2 for the second year in a row, this time finishing 3 points ahead of runners-up WVV, LAC Frisia are ‘Champions of the North’ for the third time.
1911 / Champions in District North’s League 2 following a tie-break match against vv Achilles, LAC Frisia crown themselves ‘Champions of the North’ for the fourth time.
1916 / As a League 1 is finally put in place as top division in District North, LAC Frisia is one of the clubs acceding to this new competition.
1917 / A new club sees the daylight in Leeuwarden, the distinctly working-class vv Leeuwarden. The origins of the club are to be found in a street football team from Oldehoofsterkerkhof in the town-centre. As the new club does not have the finances to help itself to the necessary equipment, LAC Frisia helps out, borrowing balls and other material to the membership of vv Leeuwarden. Due to the poverty of most of its members, the new club earns itself the derogatory nickname De Klomp, in English: ‘The Wooden Shoe’, given that money to buy proper football shoes is not available in the case of most vv Leeuwarden players. The nickname actually became vv Leeuwarden’s badge of honour in the following decades. For the 1917-18 season, vv Leeuwarden is placed in Sunday Division 1 of the so-called Friesche Voetbalbond (FVB), the Frisia sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association. Initially, football is played at Terrein Bleekerstraat, a pasture used as an ice-skating rink in the winter months. With several other clubs also having been founded in Leeuwarden, LAC Frisia remains a firmly segregated club for the local elite.
1920 / Finishing in last place in District North’s League 1, LAC Frisia only avoids the drop following a vote among the other clubs in the division. Meanwhile, vv Leeuwarden clinches the title in FVB Sunday Division 1, winning promotion to NVB District North’s (Sunday) League 3. Due to Terrein Bleekerstraat not having the correct measurements for league football, the club concludes a groundsharing agreement with LVV Friesland, settling on that club’s ground, Terrein Nieuwlandsweg, for the time being.
1921 / Clinching the title in District North’s League 3A, 1 point ahead of closest rivals MSC, vv Leeuwarden accedes to League 2 for the first time. Also in 1921, LAC Frisia adapts its name to become LAC Frisia 1883.
1922 / Finishing in joint first position in District North’s League 2A, with an equal number of points as LVV Friesland, vv Leeuwarden loses a tie-break match for the title against the club with which it groundshares. As such, vv Leeuwarden misses out on promotion to League 1.
1923 / Champions in District North’s League 2A, 1 point ahead of runners-up FVC, vv Leeuwarden goes on to win the championship play-offs against vv HSC. As such, the club accedes to League 1 for the first time. Also in 1923, after three years of groundsharing with LVV Friesland, vv Leeuwarden moves into a newly ground of its own, Terrein Schenkenschans, situated at Sneekertrekweg.
1925 / In the most successful season in club history, LAC Frisia 1883 clinches the title in District North’s League 1 following a tie-break match against GVV Be Quick. Taking on the League 1 champions of the other districts in a title competition, LAC Frisia 1883 is unable to cope with the level of play in the other parts of the Netherlands, finishing in last position, just picking up one single point from the home match against eventual champions HBS.
1928 / Finishing bottom of the table in District North’s League 1, LAC Frisia 1883 suffers its first-ever relegation, descending into League 2.
1929 / Champions in District North’s League 2A, 3 points ahead of vv Sneek, LAC Frisia 1883 goes on to win a championship competition, thus reclaiming its place in League 1. Also in 1929, vv Leeuwarden manages its best result so far, finishing as runners-up in District North’s League 1, 3 points behind champions GVV Velocitas. Meanwhile, vv Leeuwarden’s membership has risen so steadily, that the club has to rent extra pitches for lower team football and training sessions at Sonnenborgh, to the north of the town-centre.
1932 / At the behest of Leeuwarden’s municipal authorities, construction works get underway at a municipal sports stadium to the east of the town-centre, the Gemeentelijk Sportpark, with the project being carried out by the so-called Koninklijke Nederlandse Heidemaatschappij (Royal Netherlands’ Association for Wasteland Redevelopment). Most of the handwork is done by unemployed locals in a job creation scheme. The works take several years, mainly due to the fact that the terrain has to be raised considerably.
1933 / vv Leeuwarden finishes as joint runners-up in District North’s League 1 with vv Veendam, 11 points behind runaway champions GVV Velocitas. In the following years, the club usually manages safe mid-table positions.
1935 / Finishing bottom of the table in District North’s League 1, LAC Frisia 1883 drops back into League 2 after six seasons.
1936 / On September 12th, just ahead of the start of the 1936-37 season, the inauguration takes place of the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Cambuur – Cambuur being a bastardisation of a castle (‘burcht’) of the noble Van Cammingha family, which stood in the area of the stadium in Medieval times. Apart from the main pitch at the western end of the ground, three more football pitches as well as a hockey pitch have been laid out. The only facility for spectators at the main pitch is a main stand erected in brick, with a capacity of 546 seats. The main pitch is taken in use by LAC Frisia 1883 as well as vv Leeuwarden, with these clubs abandoning their respective original grounds, Terrein Wilhelminabaan and Terrein Schenkenschans. The inaugural match sees a combined team of players of both clubs taking on League 1 side IJVV Stormvogels (1-5).
1942 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 2 points ahead of vv Helpman, LAC Frisia 1883 fails to win promotion in the championship play-offs.
1943 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 4 points ahead of LVV Friesland, LAC Frisia 1883 does not get the opportunity to fight for promotion following a decision by the Netherlands’ FA to postpone the title play-offs to the following year due to the ongoing – and ever-more harsh – German occupation of the Netherlands.
1944 / Champions in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 3 points ahead of LVV Friesland, LAC Frisia 1883 goes on to win the title play-offs against vv Emmen, thus managing a return to Sunday League 1 after an absence of nine years – although it has to be pointed out that the club can only reclaim its place in 1945 due to the 1944-45 season not being held due to the harsh conditions in the northern half of the Netherlands in the last year of German occupation.
1949 / In a renovation of the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Cambuur, an uncovered all-seater stand (900 seats) is added to the side of the pitch opposite the main stand, with open terracing surrounding it on both sides as well as the northern and southern ends of the ground, which is now able to receive some 16,000 spectators in total. From now on, the facilities are known as the Cambuurstadion. The extended stadium is inaugurated with a gala match between a team of players from LAC Frisia 1883 and vv Leeuwarden taking on a District East XI (5-1).
1951 / vv Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up in District North’s Sunday League 1A, 11 points behind runaway champions vv Heerenveen, who have the benefit of their star striker Abe Lenstra.
1953 / Finishing bottom of the table in District North’s Sunday League 1A, LAC Frisia 1883 drops back into Sunday League 2.
1954 / As professional league football is finally introduced in the Netherlands, two clubs from the Province of Frisia decide to take the leap, vv Heerenveen and vv Leeuwarden. LAC Frisia 1883 refuses to relinquish its amateur status, thus remaining behind in what is ‘non-league’ from this point onwards. For the 1954-55 season, vv Leeuwarden is placed in Professional Division 1A, making its debut with a 5-2 home win over TSV LONGA.
1955 / Finishing in eleventh place in Professional Division 1A, vv Leeuwarden misses out on being-placed in the new top tier, the so-called Hoofdklasse (renamed Eredivisie in 1956).
1956 / Finishing in sixth place in Professional Division 1B, the second level of the fledgling national league pyramid, vv Leeuwarden misses out on qualification for the new-to-be created second tier, the Eerste Divisie, thus dropping back to the Tweede Divisie, the third and lowest professional league division.
1957 / Clinching the title in Tweede Divisie A, 4 points ahead of closest rivals vv Rheden, vv Leeuwarden wins promotion to the Eerste Divisie. The club owes a large part of its success to three prolific goal scorers, André Hofman, who had joined vv Leeuwarden from Fortuna ’54 the previous summer (32 goals), Jaap van Oosten (27 goals) and Jan Hoekema (17 goals). The successful coach is Piet Dubbelman.
1958 / Former AC Fiorentina and Netherlands’ international André Roosenburg joins vv Leeuwarden from RKSC Helmondia ’55, crowning himself the Eerste Divisie’s top scorer with 31 goals in 29 matches in the 1958-59 season. Also in 1958, LAC Frisia 1883 celebrates its 75th anniversary with a gala match against a team of former Netherlands’ international players at the Cambuurstadion (1-2).
1959 / In its best season during its spell as a professional league club (1954-64), vv Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up in the Eerste Divisie, 4 points behind champions RKSV Volendam. Following a decision by Leeuwarden’s municipal authorities to only allow vv Leeuwarden to play in the Cambuurstadion, LAC Frisia 1883 is exiled to the Gemeentelijk Sportpark’s side-pitches, situated to the east of the stadium proper – and eventually moving on to a new, purpose built park of its own, Sportpark De Magere Weide, in 1968.
1961 / vv Leeuwarden reaches the semifinal of the Netherlands’ Cup (KNVB-Beker), in which the club is eliminated by AFC Ajax (6-4 in a match played at Stadion Alkmaarderhout in Alkmaar).
1962 / Coached by Piet Dubbelman, vv Leeuwarden finishes in thirteenth place in Eerste Divisie A, suffering relegation to the Tweede Divisie, along with a considerable number of other clubs – due to the fact that the two Eerste Divisie branches are put together to just one nationwide second tier. Also in 1962, after six seasons with vv Leeuwarden, the club’s prolific midfielder Pier Alma signs a contract with GVAV. Also in 1962, floodlights are added to the set-up at the Cambuurstadion.
1964 / With vv Leeuwarden having run into grave financial problems, the club sees no other option but to withdraw into non-league. To avoid professional league football from disappearing from Frisia’s capital altogether, socialist politician Anne Vondeling becomes the driving force behind the foundation of a new professional league club, Sportclub (SC) Cambuur, named after the stadium, which takes over vv Leeuwarden’s league license. Some of vv Leeuwarden’s players are signed by SC Cambuur, but not crowd favourite Johannes ‘Hampie’ Bakker, who had been in vv Leeuwarden’s first team since 1949, because Mr Vondeling deems his style of playing too rough for his new club. SC Cambuur’s most spectacular signing is 42-year-old goalkeeper Frans de Munck from vv Veendam. De Munck had won 31 caps for his country between 1949 and 1960. SC Cambuur’s league debut in Tweede Divisie A is marked by a comprehensive 6-0 win over AVC Vitesse, with Johan Wieringa scoring the club’s first-ever league goal. Meanwhile, vv Leeuwarden takes on a new name, Sportclub (SC) Leeuwarden, being placed in District North’s Sunday League 4 for the 1964-65 season. SC Leeuwarden is allowed to groundshare with SC Cambuur in the Cambuurstadion.
1965 / In its first season, SC Cambuur clinches the title in Tweede Divisie A, 5 points ahead of AGOVV and 7 points ahead of WVV Wageningen – with these two clubs joining SC Cambuur in a set of promotion play-offs for two places in the Eerste Divisie. First, SC Cambuur meets the champions of Tweede Divisie B, DFC, in an encounter played at AGOVV’s Sportpark Berg & Bos in Apeldoorn in front of a crowd of 18,000. On the day, Cambuur manages a convincing 6-2 win (three goals by Dirk Roelfsema, one each by Jaap Mulder, Johan Wieringa, and Arend van der Wel) – resulting in the club booking the first ticket for the second professional league tier, with the second eventually going to RFC Xerxes. The successful Cambuur coach is Jan Bens. One of the players who had made his debut in the course of the season was 16-year-old striker Oeki Hoekema, the son of former vv Leeuwarden player Jan Hoekema. Meanwhile, SC Leeuwarden proves by far the strongest side in District North’s Sunday League 4A, finishing 12 points ahead of closest followers vv De Sweach and winning promotion to Sunday League 3; the successful coach is Jitze de Groot. For the 1965-66 season, SC Cambuur signs former vv Leeuwarden midfielder Pier Alma from GVAV. Alma would stay with Cambuur for six seasons, eventually hanging up his boots in 1971.
1966 / Clinching its second title in a row, SC Leeuwarden finishes top of the table in District North’s Sunday League 3A, 8 points ahead of runners-up SC Emmeloord, thus winning promotion to Sunday League 2. The successful coach is Jitze de Groot.
1967 / SC Cambuur’s new star player, Oeki Hoekema, leaves the club, signing a deal with DVV Go-Ahead. Hoekema goes on to have spells with PSV, BV De Graafschap, K Lierse SK, and FC Den Haag before returning to SC Cambuur in 1979. He would also go on to win one cap for the Netherlands, in a European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg (0-8), in which he scored one goal. Meanwhile, back in 1967, down in District North’s Sunday League 2A, SC Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up, 2 points behind champions vv Drachten.
1968 / After six seasons for vv Leeuwarden and SC Cambuur, striker Dirk Roelfsema, who scored a total of 101 league goals for both clubs, withdraws into non-league with vv Drachten. Also in 1968, SC Cambuur signs 19-year-old wing back Johan Derksen from DVV Go-Ahead’s youth academy. Derksen wore the colours of SC Cambuur for the four following seasons, going on to have spells at vv Veendam, HFC Haarlem, SV Meppen, and MVV. Derksen would win more fame later on in his career as a sports journalist and TV pundit. Meanwhile, back in 1968, SC Leeuwarden clinches the title in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 15 points ahead of vv GRC. As such, the club wins promotion to Sunday League 1, the highest non-league division. The successful coach is Jitze de Groot.
1970 / SC Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up in Sunday League 1C, 8 points behind champions vv Sneek.
1972 / Finishing in joint first place in Sunday League 1C with vv Oosterparkers, SC Leeuwarden meets the club from Groniningen in a tie-break match at Terrein De Appelhof in Sneek, with some 5,000 spectators witnessing SC Leeuwarden clinching the title with a 3-1 win (two goals by Heinkens, one by Toonstra). The successful coach is Kees van der Leij. As a matter of fact, the sole vv Oosterparkers goal was signed by young striker Dick Nanninga, who would score the Netherlands’ goal in the 1978 World Cup final in Buenos Aires six years later. Following the club’s title win, SC Leeuwarden takes part in the nationwide Sunday title play-offs against the League 1 winners of the other districts, USV Elinkwijk (West I), RFC Xerxes (West II), RKSV Sparta ’25 (South I), vv Caesar (South II), and vv Ede (East) – with RKSV Sparta ’25 walking away with the national title. Meanwhile, before the start of the 1972-73 season, SC Cambuur signs Leo Beenhakker as its new coach. Beenhakker would go on to have a singularly successful coaching career with spells at AFC Ajax, Real Madrid CF, and many more clubs, as well as two (markedly less successful) periods as trainer of the Netherlands’ national team.
1973 / Coached by Kees van der Leij, SC Cambuur finishes in second-last position in Sunday League 1C, thus dropping back into Sunday League 2 along with bottom club vv Jubbega, only one year after having won the League 1 title.
1974 / SC Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 1 point behind champions vv Hoogeveen. Due to a Zondag Hoofdklasse being introduced as the new top tier of the Sunday non-league pyramid, this second place is sufficient for the club to be admitted to Sunday League 1. The successful coach is Jan Slotemaker.
1977 / Coached by Henk Prinsen, SC Leeuwarden finishes bottom of the table in Sunday League 1C, thus dropping back into Sunday League 2 along with the club finishing second from bottom, vv Harkema-Opeinde.
1980 / After long years as an also-ran in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur now finishes in fifth place, enough to reach the promotion play-offs for the first time. However, the club only finishes in fourth and last place, behind FC Wageningen, which wins the Eredivisie ticket, FC Volendam, and BV De Graafschap. Oeki Hoekema, who had joined SC Cambuur for the 1979-80 season, signs a contract with FC Wageningen in the fall of 1980. Meanwhile, SC Leeuwarden narrowly misses out on an immediate return to League 1, finishing as runners-up in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 2 points behind champions vv Harkema-Opeinde. Also in 1980, former SC Leeuwarden youth academy striker Foeke Booy makes his professional league debut with SC Cambuur, going on to have a long and rather successful playing career with BV De Graafschap, PEC Zwolle ’82, FC Groningen, KV Kortrijk, Club Brugge KV, KAA Gent, and FC Utrecht. After hanging up his boots, Booy turned to a new career as a professional league coach and manager. Still in 1980, renovation works are carried out at the Cambuurstadion, involving roofs being added to the East and South Stands. Moreover, all remaining terracing in the two corners of the East Stand are replaced by seating, while the floodlight installation dating back to 1962 is replaced by a new and stronger version.
1982 / Following riots between supporters at the Eerste Divisie fixture between SC Cambuur and FC Den Haag in September 1982, fences are put in place between the different stands, as a result of which the core of Cambuur’s supporters have to give up their habit of changing ends at halftime.
1983 / Finishing in fifth place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the promotion play-offs, with FC VVV, MVV, and FC Den Bosch ’67 being the other clubs taking part. Eventually, Cambuur only falls 1 point short of promotion, with the Eredivisie ticket going to FC Den Bosch ’67.
1985 / SC Leeuwarden finishes as runners-up in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 1 point behind champions vv Harlingen.
1986 / In a disastrous 1985-86 season, SC Cambuur ends up at the bottom of the Eerste Divisie table, 5 points behind league newcomers vv Emmen, which finishes second from bottom. Due to the Netherlands’ two professional division being organised as a closed shop, no relegation follows.
1987 / Following a grave injury incurred by legendary SC Cambuur goalkeeper Oscar Zijlstra, the club signs AFC Ajax youth academy goalkeeper Fred Grim as his replacement. Grim would go on to stay with Cambuur for seven seasons, in which he played 288 matches – with a record of 272 matches in a row without missing a single minute. Following the humiliating result in the previous season, SC Cambuur now manages a solid third place in the Eerste Divisie, only 3 points behind champions FC Volendam – with striker Willem van der Ark scoring an impressive 26 goals. In the ensuing round of promotion play-offs, in which the club takes on RKC, DS ’79, and NEC, SC Cambuur finishes in second place behind surprise winners DS ’79, thus missing out on promotion to the top tier of the Netherlands’ football pyramid yet again.
1989 / In an amendment of both clubs’ articles of association, professional league side SC Cambuur and non-league club SC Leeuwarden conclude a merger, resulting in the foundation of Cambuur-Leeuwarden. The deal was brought about by a new KNVB rule, stipulating that each professional league side would be obliged to run a youth academy – and with SC Cambuur having none, the absorption of its non-league mother club proved the simplest solution. As before, Cambuur-Leeuwarden and the first team of Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV (Amateurvereniging) remain groundsharers at the Cambuurstadion.
1991 / Finishing as runners-up in District North’s Sunday League 2A, 4 points behind champions DIO Groningen, Cambuur-Leeuwarden (AV) goes on to win promotion to Sunday League 1 in the ensuing play-off rounds. The successful coach is Gerrit Roffel.
1992 / After 27 consecutive seasons at the second tier of the Netherlands’ football pyramid, Cambuur-Leeuwarden now clinches the Eerste Divisie title, 6 points ahead of closest followers BVV Den Bosch. As such, the club, coached by Rob Baan, accedes to the Eredivisie for the first time in club history. One of the most important players is club top scorer Jack de Gier (17 goals). In the summer of 1992, Cambuur defender Nico-Jan Hoogma is signed by FC Twente; Hoogma would go on to defend the colours of Hamburger SV and Heracles Almelo before hanging up his boots in 2006. Meanwhile, the non-leaguers of Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV fare less successfully, finishing bottom of the table in Sunday League 1C and thus dropping back into Sunday League 2 after just one season, along with the club finishing second from bottom, MVV Alcides. To allow as many spectators as possible to attend Cambuur-Leeuwarden home matches at the Cambuurstadion, now that the club has acceded to the top flight of the Netherlands’ league pyramid, temporary stands are added on each side of the main stand. The club makes its Eredivisie debut with a 1-1 home draw against Go Ahead Eagles, with youth academy striker Jan Bruin scoring the Cambuur goal. Hailing from the island of Ameland, Bruin would go on to score 73 goals in 2017 matches for Cambuur during two periods (1992-95, 2000-05), while also having spells with FC Zwolle, FC Volendam, and Stormvogels Telstar, eventually hanging up his boots in 2008.
1993 / Coached by Gerrit Roffel, Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV finishes bottom of the table in District North’s Sunday League 2A, thus dropping back into Sunday League 3 along with the club finishing second from bottom, former groundsharers LAC Frisia 1883. In the fall of 1993, as Cambuur’s eternal rivals SC Heerenveen have won promotion to the Eredivisie, the two only Frisian professional league clubs meet each other in the top flight of the Netherlands’ football pyramid for the first time, with 13,000 spectators at the Cambuurstadion witnessing SC Heerenveen walking away as 1-2 winners.
1994 / In its second Eredivisie season, coached by Fritz Korbach, who had replaced Theo de Jong in the course of the season, Cambuur-Leeuwarden finishes bottom of the table, dropping back into the Eerste Divisie along with play-off victim VVV. Meanwhile, Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV finishes in joint first place in District North’s Sunday League 3A with vv Lemmer, with a tie-break match at vv Sneek’s Sportpark De Appelhof eventually bringing the title to Lemmer (6-1) – and Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV misses out promotion altogether in the play-offs. Following the 1993-94 season, after 58 years of playing at the Cambuurstadion, of which the last thirty as groundsharers of the Cambuur professional league side, Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV has to leave the stadium to play first team football on the first side-pitch of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Cambuur. Meanwhile, also in 1994, renovation works are carried out at the Cambuurstadion, with a new all-seater stand being constructed at the northern end of the stadium and the main stand, dating back to the 1930s, being knocked down to make way for a new construction which runs the entire western side of the stadium.
1995 / The renovation works at the Cambuurstadion, which had commenced the previous year, are completed, with the ground’s new capacity being 12,000 (8,000 seated). The ground is reopened with a gala match against FC Barcelona (1-1). Also in 1995, Cambuur’s defender Jaap Stam, who had joined the club from FC Zwolle in 1993, signs a contract with Willem II. Stam would move to PSV as well as win his first cap for the Netherlands in 1996, going on to represent Manchester United FC, SS Lazio, AC Milan, and AFC Ajax, as well as playing 67 matches for the Netherlands’ national team, with which he took part in the 1996 and 2000 European Championships as well as the 1998 and 2004 World Cups.
1996 / Finishing in sixth place in the Eerste Divisie, Cambuur-Leeuwarden qualifies for the promotion-relegation play-offs, being drawn in a group against BV Veendam, BVO Emmen, and Eredivisie side NEC, but the club finishes in last place, having to leave the Eredivisie ticket to NEC. Meanwhile, Cambuur’s defender Bert Konterman, who had joined the club from FC Zwolle in 1993, signs a contract with Willem II. Konterman would go on to have spells with Feyenoord Rotterdam, Rangers FC, and SBV Vitesse before withdrawing into non-league in 2004. He also won 12 caps for the Netherlands, being part of his country’s squad in the 2000 European Championships.
1997 / Runners-up in the Eerste Divisie, 3 points behind champions MVV, Cambuur-Leeuwarden qualifies for the promotion-relegation play-offs, being drawn in a group with Go Ahead Eagles, VVV, and Eredivisie side NEC. Eventually, the club manages a third place, with the Eredivisie ticket once again going to NEC. Also in 1997, Cambuur’s mother club, Cambuur-Leeuwarden AV, reverts to its original name, vv Leeuwarden.
1998 / Runners-up in the Eerste Divisie for the second year running, finishing 7 points behind champions AZ, Cambuur-Leeuwarden qualifies for the promotion-relegation play-offs, being drawn in a group with FC Zwolle, FC Den Bosch, and Eredivisie side FC Groningen – and topping the group without suffering a single defeat, the club manages a return to the top flight of the Netherlands’ football pyramid after an absence of four years. Many crucial Cambuur goals (29 during the regular league season) were scored by Harry van der Laan. The successful coach is Han Berger.
1999 / The South Stand of the Cambuurstadion, the last terrace of the ground, is equipped with seats, meaning that the stadium is an all-seater now; total capacity is down to 10,000.
2000 / Finishing second from bottom in the Eredivisie with coach Gert Kruys, Cambuur-Leeuwarden has to save its skin in the promotion-relegation play-offs, for which the club is drawn in a group against SBV Excelsior, FC Zwolle, and RBC Roosendaal. With the last-mentioned club walking away as surprise winners, Cambuur-Leeuwarden finishes bottom of the group, thus dropping back to the Eerste Divisie after two seasons, along with MVV and direct drop-out FC Den Bosch. Following the relegation, two of the club’s strongest players, Evgeniy Levchenko and Gregg Berhalter leave Cambuur-Leeuwarden, signing contracts with SBV Vitesse and Crystal Palace FC respectively. Levchenko would go on to win eight caps for Ukraine (2002-09), while Berhalter was part of the USA’s squads in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups – going on to become his country’s head coach in the 2022 edition of the same tournament.
2001 / Finishing in fourth place in the Eerste Divisie, Cambuur-Leeuwarden takes part in the promotion-relegation play-offs, being drawn in a group with SBV Excelsior, Go Ahead Eagles, and Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam – with the last-mentioned club saving its skin and Cambuur-Leeuwarden finishing in second place, not enough for an immediate return to the top flight.
2002 / Finishing in seventh place in the Eerste Divisie, Cambuur-Leeuwarden qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in last place in a group with RBC Roosendaal (the eventual winners), FC Den Bosch, and BVO Emmen.
2003 / Along with Heracles Almelo, Cambuur-Leeuwarden takes part in a UEFA pilot project, involving a synthetic surface being put in place at the Cambuurstadion.
2005 / Unable to pay for the players’ salaries after having run into grave financial problems, Cambuur-Leeuwarden applies for a bank loan, but the Friesland Bank demands allowing the construction of housing on the grounds of the Cambuurstadion – a condition which is barred by Leeuwarden’s municipal authorities. In spite of its troubles, the club soldiers on for the 2005-06 season, finishing in a meagre fifteenth place.
2006 / Cambuur-Leeuwarden’s financial problems belong to the past, as a group of wealthy supporters agrees to repay all the club’s debts.
2009 / Following several bland seasons, Cambuur-Leeuwarden now manages a respectable third place in the Eerste Divisie final rankings. Qualifying for the promotion-relegation play-offs, the club is allowed to skip R1, going on to knock out FC Zwolle in R2 (6-3 aggr.), but eventually stumbling over Eredivisie side Roda JC in the final (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out). Following the 2008-09 season, after twenty years of being called Cambuur-Leeuwarden, the club reverts to its old denomination SC Cambuur. That same year, SC Cambuur presents plans to the municipality of Leeuwarden for the construction of a new stadium on the west side of Leeuwarden, at the back of the WTC Expo Halls. This stadium has a projected capacity of 12,000 spectators. The intention was to have the new stadium inaugurated by 2013, but the plans ultimately came to naught.
2010 / Runners-up in the Eerste Divisie, 10 points behind champions BV De Graafschap, SC Cambuur qualifies for the play-offs, in which the club is knocked out by Go Ahead Eagles (2-1 aggr.).
2011 / Finishing in fifth place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the play-offs, in which the club is knocked out by FC Zwolle (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out).
2012 / Finishing in seventh place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the play-offs, in which the club eliminates MVV Maastricht in R1 (2-1 aggr.), before being knocked out by VVV-Venlo in R2 (4-3 aggr.).
2013 / Clinching the Eerste Divisie title, 1 point ahead of runners-up FC Volendam, SC Cambuur manages a return to the Eredivisie after thirteen years, along with play-off winner Go Ahead Eagles. Cambuur’s success is overseen by interim coaches Henk de Jong and Jan Bruin, who had replaced Alfons Arts in the course of the season. Also in 2013, SC Cambuur’s mother club, vv Leeuwarden, concludes a merger with vv Rood Geel, resulting in the foundation of SC Leovardia. Subsequently, all activities move away from the side-pitches of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Cambuur, as SC Leovardia settles on vv Rood Geel’s Sportpark Het Kalverdijkje. Later that same year, in November 2013, SC Cambuur presents new plans for the construction of a stadium at the back of the WTC Expo Hall. This new stadium has a projected capacity of 15,000.
2016 / After two relatively undisturbed seasons, SC Cambuur – coached by Marcel Keizer, who replaces Henk de Jong in the course of the season – now finishes bottom of the Eredivisie table, thus descending into the Eerste Divisie along with play-off victim BV De Graafschap.
2017 / Finishing in third place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated by MVV Maastricht (3-2 aggr.). Also in 2017, after nearly four years of standstill, Leeuwarden’s municipal authorities give the green light for the construction of a new stadium for SC Cambuur at the back of the WTC Expo Hall. The projected inauguration date is April 2022.
2018 / Finishing in eighth place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated by FC Dordrecht (5-5 aggr. & penalty shoot-out).
2019 / Finishing in tenth place in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out Almere City FC in R1 (4-3 aggr.) before suffering elimination at the hands of BV De Graafschap (3-2 aggr.). Also in 2019, after sixteen years, the artificial surface on the pitch of the Cambuurstadion is replaced by a grass pitch.
2020 / In the 2019-20 season, cut short by the COVID lockdown in March 2020, SC Cambuur finds itself top of the table after 29 (of 38) matches played, 4 points ahead of closest followers BV De Graafschap. However, at the behest of the Netherlands’ Football Association, promotion and relegation do not take place following the 2019-20 season. Following a case filed against the FA by SC Cambuur and BV De Graafschap, the court rules in favour of the Netherlands' FA.
2021 / Runaway champions in the Eerste Divisie, SC Cambuur finishes 15 points ahead of runners-up Go Ahead Eagles, thus winning promotion to the Eredivisie along with the club from Deventer as well as play-off winners NEC. The successful coach is Henk de Jong. Also in 2021, after several delays, SC Cambuur presents the final design of the new stadium, done by Van Widdershoven Architects, to Leeuwarden’s town council.
2022 / In the best season in club history, SC Cambuur finishes in ninth place in the Eredivisie table. Later that same year, in June 2022, construction works on the new stadium at WTC Expo Hall finally get underway.
2023 / Coached by Sjors Ultee, who had replaced Henk de Jong in the course of the season, SC Cambuur finishes in second-last place in the Eredivisie, thus suffering relegation to the Eerste Divisie along with bottom club FC Groningen and play-off victim FC Emmen.
2024 / In the worst season in years, SC Cambuur finishes in fourteenth place in the Eerste Divisie. On the other hand, the club reaches the semifinals of the Netherlands’ Cup for the first time in 63 years, being eliminated by NEC (1-2 A.E.T.). In the summer of 2024, SC Cambuur leaves its spiritual home, the Cambuurstadion, settling at the newly built Stadion 058, officially called Stadion De Kooi following a sponsorship deal. The capacity of the ground is at 15,000 (14,504 seated). This marks the end of the lifespan of the Cambuurstadion after having been in use continually for 88 years.

Note - Below, a compilation of photographs of four different visits: picture 1 = non-matchday visit, August 2010 / picture 2 = non-matchday visit, March 2019 / pictures 3-4 & 7 = matchday visit, February 2009 / pictures 5-6 & 8-17 = matchday visit, August 2013.