Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: SV Almelo

Sportpark Ossenkoppelerhoek Noord, Almelo (SV Almelo)

Netherlands, province: Overijssel

16 IX 2012 / SV Almelo - vv Reutum 4-4 / District East, Sunday League 4D (= NL level 8)

Note 1: SV Almelo saw the daylight in 1914, but were originally called Almelosche Boys - it is unclear when exactly the name change took place, but it must have happened prior to affiliating to the Netherlands' Football Association in 1921. Football was played at Terrein Nijreesbos (1914-16), Terrein Maatveld (1916-18), several different other pitches in and around Almelo (1918-27), and Sportterrein 't Groenendal, alternatively known as Terrein Het Joostman (1927-39) before SV Almelo finally settled down at Sportpark Ossenkoppelerhoek in 1939. In 1999, when Heracles' old ground at Bornsestraat was knocked down, part of the covered stand behind one of the goals was taken to Sportpark Ossenkoppelerhoek and rebuilt to start a new life as SV Almelo's main stand.

Note 2: Below, a compilation of photos of three different visits: pictures 1-2 = non-matchday visit, September 2009 / pictures 3-15 = match visit, September 2012 / pictures 16-21 = non-matchday visit, April 2022. Note that the entrance of the ground was moved from its western to its southern end between my first and second visit, while the grass pitch was replaced in favour of a 3G in 2015.