Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: CSW

Thursday 15 September 2022

NETHERLANDS: CSW

Sportpark Pieter Joostenlaan II, Wilnis (CSW)

Netherlands, province: Utrecht

15 IX 2022 / CSW - SV KDO 4-4 / District West I, Regional Cup - group stage, group 1-13

Timeline

1946 (June) / Foundation of Christelijke Sportvereniging Wilnis (CSW). With just a Roman-Catholic club, playing its football on Sundays, available in the vicinity of the village (RKSV Stormvogels, its ground, Sportpark Molenland, situated halfway between Mijdrecht and Wilnis), the protestant community in Wilnis felt the urge to form a sports club of its own, with all activities taking place on Saturdays. At the outset, CSW consists of three branches, focusing on football, netball, and walking sport respectively. Lacking a ground of its own, CSW concludes a groundsharing agreement with RKSV Stormvogels.
1946 (December) / Due to much of the membership insisting on a more inclusive name, CSW changes the meaning of its abbreviation, becoming Combinatie Sportclub Wilnis - thus shedding off the reference to its 'Christian', i.e. protestant, roots. Even so, CSW remains a staunchly protestant club.
±1947 / CSW moves into its first ground, at Herenweg - not far from the local skating rink. The pitch is little more than a cow pasture.
1948 / After a twilight existence, CSW's branches for netball and walking sports meet their end, with the club henceforth focusing exclusively on football. Short-lived volleyball and gymnastics branches are set up around 1950, but neither holds out for more than five years.
±1951 / Abandoning Herenweg, CSW moves to a new ground situated at Bovendijk, referred to commonly as De Wilnisse Zuwe or simple De Zuwe. There are no more facilities available at the ground than just a wooden hut serving as a changing room.
±1972 / After having played on various grounds which were little more than meadows in the open field, CSW moves into a purpose-built ground with two pitches at Pieter Joostenlaan in Wilnis' village centre.
1979 / Probably for the first time in club history, CSW wins promotion to Saturday League 2 - at the time the second-highest level in the Netherlands' Saturday (non-)League pyramid, staying at that level - with an interruption of one season in Saturday League 3 - until 1993.
1980 / CSW starts an indoor football branch, which has existed until the current day.
1982 / CSW moves into its current ground, situated on the other - southern - side of Pieter Joostenlaan. The new ground disposes of three pitches (later extended with a fourth pitch) and a clubhouse. The old pitches across the road remain in use for one more year for lower team football and training sessions.
±1990 / The main pitch at Pieter Joostenlaan II is adorned with a covered stand.
1999 / For the first time, CSW manages to accede to Saturday League 1, holding its own at that level for two seasons.
2010 / After two successive promotions, CSW is back in Saturday League 1. Ever since, the club has alternated spells in Saturday Leagues 1 and 2.
2017 / CSW's main pitch is equipped with a synthetic surface.
2023 / Finishing in 5th place in Saturday League 2B, CSW qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it is eliminated in R1 by HC&FC Victoria (4-0).