NETHERLANDS: RKOSV Achates (1954-2017) / vv Achates (2017-)

Sportpark De Niersvallei, Ottersum (vv Achates, formerly RKOSV Achates)

Netherlands, province: Limburg

12 V 2022 / vv Achates - SV DSV 1-2 / District South II, Sunday League 4G (= NL level 9)

Note: Rooms-Katholieke Ottersumse Sportvereniging (RKOSV) Achates saw the daylight in 1945 as a merger between SVO-Het Centrum (SVO = Sportvereniging Ottersum), founded in 1935, and vv De Pelikaan from Aaldonk-Panoven, founded in 1934. In the first seven years of its existence, RKOSV Achates played at Het Stepke (behind the local girls' school, not far from the current Sportpark De Niersvallei); when the lease contract ran out in 1952, plans were made for a new ground at Kleefseweg (Sint-Janstraat) - but in the meantime, the club had to look for a temporary solution, which was found at a pasture at Goorseweg (not far from the church), turned into a makeshift football ground; Achates was home here for two seasons (1952-54), though, due to the poor state of the pitch, the club had to resort to playing its home matches at Gennep's Sportpark De Groes, then home to SV Vitesse '08. Finally, in the fall of 1954, the first pitch of the newly built Sportpark De Niersvallei at Kleefseweg was ready for use. Building works continued, though, and the current main pitch was officially inaugurated on June 30th, 1957, by Ottersum's priest, Fr. Geurts. In May 2017, RKOSV Achates dropped the reference to its Roman-Catholic origins and officially became vv (Voetbalvereniging) Achates. The club may have to look for another ground as Sportpark De Niersvallei is part of Gennep's town council's plans to allow more space to the Niers river, a tributary of the Meuse which flows only several dozens of yards away from Achates' pitches.

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