Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: WHC

Gemeentelijk Sportpark Mulderssingel, Wezep (WHC)

Netherlands, province: Guelders = Gelderland

7 V 2011 / WHC - SVZW 0-0 / Zaterdag Hoofdklasse C (= NL level 4)

4 V 2024 / WHC - RKSV NEO 3-0 / Saturday League 1H (= NL level 6)

Timeline

± 1920 / Youngsters from Wezep gather to play football on makeshift pitches, initially at Elburgseweg (at the back of Jan van Diepen’s house), later at Voskuilersteeg (a plot of land owned by Mannes van Putten).
1923 / Foundation of a first football club in Wezep, Blauw Wit. Making use of a plot of land at Voskuilersteeg (adjacent to the initial pitch located at this same street), the club sticks to playing friendly matches against teams from neighbouring villages.
1924 / Applying for membership of the so-called Noord-Centrale Voetbalbond (NCVB), one of the associations organising football under the auspices of the official Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, later KNVB), Blauw Wit is ordered to take on a new name to avoid confusion with other clubs bearing this name; eventually, the club is accepted as WVV (Wezeper Voetbalvereeniging).
1927 / Having ceased its activities for the 1925-26 season, WVV manages a return in the following year, even going on to win the title in its division after winning a tie-break match against a team from Heino (possibly HSC?), played on the pitch of a football club in Zwolle, De Pelikaan (2-0). Subsequently, WVV refuses to meet Old Forward from Frederiksoord in a promotion match due to the travelling costs being too high – with the club even folding after the season. Between 1927 and 1929, football activities in Wezep is not suspended, with makeshift teams from various streets and hamlets meeting for ‘wild’ matches – the only name of such a team having been preserved being KMD (‘Klein Maar Dapper’).
1929 / Foundation of a new football club in Wezep, Wezeper Boys, which goes on to win its first NCVB title in 1930. Wezeper Boys settles on a pitch situated at the crossroads of Molenweg and Keizersweg – adjacent to the Zwolle-Harderwijk railway line.
1930 / Foundation of a football club in Hattemerbroek, HVV (Hattemerbroek Voetbalvereeniging). This Sunday club’s first pitch is situated at Zuiderzeestraatweg – a plot of land owned by HVV’s first chairman, the local baker, mr G.J. Koopman. Not staying at this location for very long, the club goes on to play at Vogelzangveldweg before settling at Voskuilersteeg, probably in 1931.
1931 / One year after the club’s foundation, HVV now applies for membership of the NCVB, being placed in the same division as Wezeper Boys.
1932 / Wezeper Boys wins the title in its division, but due to unsportsmanlike behaviour on the part of some of the club’s players, its NCVB membership is terminated, sounding the death knell for the club. Most of the players join HVV.
1933 / Shortly after the demise of Wezeper Boys, which had taken part in Sunday football, a new club sees the daylight in Wezep, Quick, which chooses to play on Saturdays only for religious reasons. The club’s ground is situated at modern-day Industrieweg. Quick must have folded after about a year following unsuccessful merger talks with HVV.
1935 / A new Sunday club is founded in Wezep, WSV (Wezeper Sportvereniging), which settles on Quick’s former pitch at modern-day Industrieweg.
± 1936 / HVV terminates its NCVB membership, instead joining a ‘free association’ of clubs from the wider Zwolle region. Also in or around 1936, a second club sees the daylight in Wezep, GVV (Grintweg Voetbalvereniging), which settles at Terrein De Zeven Heuvels (near Café Bosch).
1937 / The new Zwolle football association not having proved successful, HVV rejoins the NCVB.
1938 / After an existence of some two years, the smaller GVV allows itself to be absorbed by WSV. Also in 1938, a new Saturday club is founded in Wezep, taking on the name Wezeper Boys. This reincarnated Wezeper Boys, groundsharing with WSV at Industrieweg, does not apply for membership of the official Netherlands’ FA (KNVB), instead joining the so-called Christelijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (CNVB), being placed in that association’s sub-branch Apeldoorn, Division 1.
± 1939 / HVV wins the title in NCVB Division 2C, winning all of its twelve matches (goal difference: 61-3). Also in or around 1939, WSV folds, ceasing all activities.
1940 / Upon the outbreak of World War II, Wezeper Boys folds following the Germans abolishing all football associations except the official Netherlands’ FA (renamed NVB in the war years). Although HVV in Hattemerbroek is a (K)NVB member, that club ceases its activities as well following the Germans requisitioning the club’s pitch and dressing rooms.
1945 / Refoundation of HVV and Wezeper Boys – but the NCVB refuses to accept the latter’s application due to the bad reputation built up by the club due to its players’ behaviour in the two years of its existence (1938-40), adding the suggestion to Wezeper Boys to allow itself to be absorbed by HVV from neighbouring Hattemerbroek. This leads to the foundation of WHC (‘Wezep-Hattemerbroek Combinatie’) in 1945, with HVV’s G.J. Koopman becoming the new club’s chairman and the club choosing to play Saturday league football (whereas HVV had played on Sundays in the 1930s). Due to WHC officially being a continuation of HVV, the club claims 1930 as its foundation year rather than 1945. It is unclear (to me) where WHC played its football between 1945 and 1960, but probably at Hattemerbroek’s Terrein Voskuilersteeg.
1946 / Runner-up in Afdeling Oost behind Volharding, WHC is placed in KNVB Saturday League 4, the highest level of Saturday league football since its introduction in 1941.
1949 / A first highlight in WHC’s history, the club reaches the final of the nationwide non-league cup for Saturday teams, having defeated CSV ’28, SV Hatto Heim, SC Genemuiden, SV DESZ, SV Excelsior ’31, CVV Sparta Enschede, SV Gramsbergen, vv Poolster, and KVV Quick Boys on the way. In the final, played in Baarn, WHC meets Amsterdam club AMVJ, going on to lose the encounter 2-1.
1950 / WHC wins the title in Saturday League 4A after a tie-break match in ‘t Harde played against vv Nunspeet (4-2) attended by some 4,000 spectators. As such, the club wins promotion to the newly introduced Saturday League 3, the new top level of the Saturday league pyramid.
1960 / Runners-up in Saturday League 3A, 3 points behind champions DOVO, WHC wins promotion to the newly introduced Saturday League 2, the new top level of the Saturday league pyramid. Also in 1960, abandoning the club’s old pitch (probably Terrein Voskuilersteeg, Hattemerbroek), WHC settles at the newly built Sportpark Mulderssingel in Wezep, with the new dressing rooms and clubhouse being inaugurated by Oldebroek’s mayor J.H. Luiting Maten – and with a gala match being played between WHC and Sunday League 1 team ZAC from Zwolle (1-2).
1963 / Sportpark Mulderssingel is sold by the club to the municipality of Oldebroek, with the park thus becoming a ‘Gemeentelijk Sportpark’ or municipal sports park.
1964 / WHC wins the title in Saturday League 2C, 11 points ahead of vv DOS Kampen, going on to finish in third and last place in the Saturday league title competition with vv IJsselmeervogels and RCVV Zwart Wit ’28.
1965 / WHC finishes in second place in Saturday League 2C, just 1 point behind SV Excelsior ’31.
1966 / Clinching its second Saturday League 2C title, 8 points ahead of closest followers SV Spakenburg, WHC goes on to finish in second place in the Saturday league title competition behind vv Voorwaarts V, but ahead of vv SHO and vv IJsselmeervogels. Also in 1966, a grandstand is added to the set-up of Sportpark Mulderssingel, being built at the southern side of the main pitch. During the renovation works at the ground, the club moves to two temporary pitches, Terrein De Brink and Terrein Willem de Zwijgerkazerne.
1967 / WHC wins the title in Saturday League 2D, 6 points ahead of closest rivals SVZW, going on to finish in second place in the Saturday league title competition behind SV Huizen, but ahead of RVVH and DOVO. In April 1967, the new grandstand (though still without a roof, which was added shortly afterwards) is inaugurated in the title competition encounter with SV Huizen (3-1) attended by some 5,000 spectators.
1968 / WHC wins its third consecutive title – and its fourth in five seasons – crowning itself Saturday League 2D champions after winning a tie-break match against Go Ahead Kampen. In the Saturday league title competition, the club yet again finishes in second place behind SV Huizen, but ahead of vv Noordwijk and vv IJsselmeervogels. Also in 1968, the new clubhouse and floodlights are inaugurated at Sportpark Mulderssingel – the latter with a gala match in which WHC hosts professional league side DWS (3-4).
1969 / After renovation works which took the best part of three years, the renovated Sportpark Mulderssingel is inaugurated by Oldebroek’s mayor J.H. Luiting Maten.
1970 / WHC clinches the title in Saturday League 2D, 1 point ahead of DOVO, but yet again fails to win the Saturday league title competition, in which vv SHO wins first place. With the introduction of Saturday League 1 as the new top level of the Saturday league pyramid, WHC is placed in this new division.
1971 / In its first season at this new level, WHC finishes runners-up in Saturday League 1B, 4 points behind champions SV Spakenburg. Also in the 1970-71 season, defeating vv IJsselmeervogels and derby rivals vv OWIOS on the way, WHC reaches the final of the nationwide non-league cup for Saturday teams, going on to win the final against RCVV Zwart Wit ’28 (2-1) at Sportpark Panhuis in Veenendaal.
1972 / WHC finishes runnes-up in Saturday League 1A, 6 points behind RCVV Zwart Wit ’28. This result marks the end of the golden decade of club history, with results being markedly less impressive in the following years.
1980 / Finishing second-last in Saturday League 1A, just 1 point ahead of vv Altena which is relegated directly to League 2, WHC has to play a relegation play-off against the second-last team in League 1B, SDCP, played at vv Nunspeet’s Sportpark De Wiltsangh. By winning the encounter comfortably (5-0), WHC assures itself of a prolonged stay in Saturday League 1. Also in 1980, a complete renovation of Sportpark Mulderssingel is undertaken, which sees the main stand from 1967 being knocked down, with a new construction replacing it on the northern side of the main pitch (500 covered seats) and new terracing being built on either side of it as well as on the southern side of the pitch.
1982 / In a disastrous season, which sees trainer Bas Paauwe Jnr being sacked and replaced by Arend Witteveen, WHC finishes second-from-bottom in Saturday League 1A, experiencing a relegation for the first time in club history – dropping back into League 2 along with bottom club vv IJmuiden.
1988 / Clinching the title in Saturday League 2B, 8 points ahead of derby rivals vv OWIOS, WHC, coached by Kees van Pijkeren, manages a return to League 1 after an absence of six years.
1989 / WHC takes part in the nationwide cup (KNVB-Beker) for the first time, bowing out in R1 against professional league side BV Veendam (1-4).
1992 / Finishing in twelfth place in Saturday League 1C, WHC has to play a promotion-relegation tie-break match against League 2 team PVV Excelsior Pernis. The encounter, played in Scherpenzeel in front of 1,500 spectators, finishes in 2-2 (A.E.T.), with WHC winning the penalty shoot-out and thus assuring itself of a prolonged stay in the top division of the Saturday pyramid.
1996 / In spite of trainer Gerrit Verwoerd being replaced by Kees van Pijkeren in the course of the season, WHC cannot avoid finishing in second-last place in Saturday League 1C, resulting in the club missing out on placement in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse – the new top tier of the Saturday league pyramid. The club stays in Saturday League 1, which in this case amounts to relegation in all but name.
1997 / Coached by Kees van Pijkeren, WHC wins the title in Saturday League 1D, 6 points ahead of closest followers vv Nunspeet, with the decisive points being obtained in a 5-1 home win over ASC ’62. As such, the club accedes to Zaterdag Hoofdklasse.
2000 / In a pre-season friendly, WHC hosts FC Barcelona at Sportpark Mulderssingel, with the encounter finishing in 14-0 for the Spanish guests.
2001 / Qualifying for the nationwide cup, WHC bows out in the group stage, in which the club suffers an emphatic 9-0 home defeat at the hands of FC Zwolle.
2003 / Qualifying for the nationwide cup, WHC defeats vv Harkemase Boys in R1 (1-2) before being eliminated by FC Groningen (0-1).
2004 / Qualifying for the nationwide cup, WHC defeats vv Sneek in R1 (5-0) before being eliminated by BVO Emmen (5-1).
2005 / In a pre-season friendly, WHC hosts AFC Ajax at Sportpark Mulderssingel in front of a crowd of 6,500. In spite of AFC Ajax showing up with (fledgling) international stars like Wesley Sneijder, Maarten Stekelenburg, Nigel de Jong, and Johnny Heitinga, WHC nearly causes an upset – with the encounter finishing in a narrow 3-4 defeat; WHC’s goals were scored by Jochem de Weerdt, Michel Füchten, and Stefan Buitenhuis. Also in 2005, WHC qualifies for the nationwide cup, being eliminated in R1 against FC Emmen (3-4 A.E.T.).
2006 / Reaching the final of District East’s Regional Cup (Districtsbeker Oost) after defeating WSV, SJN, SV De Treffers, KVV Quick ’20, and WHcZ, WHC goes on to defeat vv HHC Hardenberg in the final played at its own Sportpark Mulderssingel in front of 2,500 spectators; the only goal of the match is scored by Henrico Mud. In the nationwide non-league cup, the club stumbles over the first hurdle, being eliminated by ASWH (1-0). Also in 2006, WHC qualifies for the nationwide cup, defeating vv Gemert in R1 (2-0) before being knocked out by SV Meerssen (6-3 A.E.T.).
2007 / WHC reaches the final of District East’s Regional Cup, but has to leave the honours to vv Bennekom, losing the encounter at Bennekom's Sportpark De Eikelhof 6-2. Qualifying for the nationwide cup, WHC defeats RKSV Schijndel in R1 (3-1) before being eliminated by FC Dordrecht (0-2).
2009 / WHC has a decent run in the nationwide cup, defeating FC Chabab (1-2), AFC (0-1), and vv Gemert (2-2 A.E.T. & penalty shoot-out) to qualify for the round of last 16, in which it suffers a 1-14 defeat at the hands of AFC Ajax, with the encounter being played at Zwolle’s IJsseldeltastadion (10,500 spectators).
2011 / Runners-up in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse C, 3 points behind SVZW, WHC qualifies for the play-offs for promotion to Zaterdag Topklasse (the new top level of the Saturday pyramid since its introduction in 2010), but it is eliminated in the group stage against SDC Putten and vv Staphorst.
2012 / Coached by former Netherlands’ international player Jan Everse, WHC finishes in joint-first place in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse C with vv DETO, meeting the club from Vriezenveen in a tie-break match at Hardenberg’s Sportpark De Boshoek with 4,000 spectators in attendance, going on to lose the encounter 1-2 A.E.T. and thus missing out on direct promotion to Zaterdag Topklasse. In the promotion play-offs, the club is eliminated in the group stage against ACV and vv Berkum.
2014 / Coached by former professional league player Theo ten Caat, WHC finishes in eleventh place in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse C, resulting in the club having to play a set of promotion-relegation play-offs against League 1 teams vv d’Olde Veste ’54 and vv Nunspeet – with WHC defeating both to assure itself of a prolonged stay at Hoofdklasse level.
2015 / Coached by André Blom, WHC finishes in thirteenth place in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse C, thus dropping back into Saturday League 1 along with bottom club vv WVF.
2017 / Finishing in joint-second place in Saturday League 1D with vv DUNO, 4 points behind champions vv Berkum, WHC qualifies for the play-offs, in which it is drawn in a group with vv d’Olde Veste ’54 and Hoofdklasse club CVV Oranje Nassau 1918 – with the latter barring the way to promotion for the two other clubs.
2018 / Finishing in third place in Saturday League 1D, 18 points behind champions SVZW, WHC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it defeats vv Gorecht (1-0) and vv Montfoort (0-3) as well as ZSV Sportlust ’46 in the final (2-3, with all three goals being scored by Jonathan van Marle); as such, the club manages a return to Zaterdag Hoofdklasse after an absence of three years.
2019 / Finishing second-last in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse B, WHC drops back into Saturday League 1 after just one season along with bottom club SVZW.
2022 / Finishing runners-up in Saturday League 1E, 9 points behind champions vv d’Olde Veste ’54, WHC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, defeating Voorschoten ’97 (5-1) to qualify for the final against vv Nieuwenhoorn; at Rosmalen’s Sportpark Groote Wielen, the encounter finishes in a 2-2 draw (A.E.T.), with vv Nieuwenhoorn winning the penalty shoot-out (5-4) – as a result of which WHC misses out on promotion.
2024 / WHC wins the title in League 1H, ahead of closest followers SV DZC ’68, thus acceding to National Division 4 for the first time in club history.

Note 1 – Much of the information above was derived from WHC’s historical archives, compiled by club historian Gert Koopman (†).

Note 2 – As a result of the point obtained in the first match I visited at Sportpark Mulderssingel, SVZW were champions, winning promotion to Zaterdag Topklasse.

Note 3 – Below, a compilation of photos of two different match visits: pictures 1-5, 7-11, 13, 17-19 & 21-25 = May 2024 / pictures 6, 12, 14-16, 20 & 26 = May 2011.