Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: SV Wodanseck

Saturday 19 November 2022

NETHERLANDS: SV Wodanseck

Sportpark Duitsekamp, Wolfheze (SV Wodanseck)

Netherlands, province: Guelders = Gelderland

19 XI 2022 / SV Wodanseck - CVV Redichem 0-4 / District East, Saturday League 4C (= NL level 9)

Timeline

1972 / Foundation of Sportvereniging (SV) Wodanseck in Wolfheze. The name of the club is a reference to a group of oaks, the so-called Wodanseiken, planted in the woods near Wolfheze in the 16th century. Initially, SV Wodanseck used the pitch of Wolfheze's mental hospital for training sessions, while matches were played at Sportcentrum Papendal in Arnhem - not in use by SBV Vitesse's youth academy yet in those days.
1976 / Abandoning Sportcentrum Papendal, SV Wodanseck moves into their new premises at Sportpark Duitsekamp. This park used to be home to Wolfheze's netball club, CKV Animo, but upon this being absorbed by SV Wodanseck, the ground was laid out anew for football purposes. Initially, apart from netball, SV Wodanseck also took part in competitions for volleyball and belote (!). Whereas the netball club disposed of mere basic facilities with only a wooden clubhouse, a group of SV Wodanseck volunteers, relying on the assistance of an architect, built the current premises, consisting of a two-storey clubhouse and changing rooms.
1991 / Probably for the first time, SV Wodanseck, traditionally a Saturday league team, clinches the title in Saturday League 4, the lowest team in the Saturday football pyramid in District East, thus winning promotion to Saturday League 3. The adventure lasted for one season only, with relegation following in 1992.
1996 / Winning promotion by winning the play-offs, SV Wodanseck accedes to Saturday League 3 once again. This time, the club holds out in L3 for five seasons, eventually dropping back into League 4 on 2001, in which the club have played ever since.
2022 / Hardly ever making headlines for their achievements on the pitch, local newspapers make mention of SV Wodanseck, suffering from an ageing and ever shrinking membership, being on the verge of folding. Eventually, against the odds, the club manages a go-around in the 2022-23 season.
2023 / In January 2023, before a match was played in the new year, SV Wodanseck withdrew its first team from District East's Saturday League 4C due to a lack of available players. For the 2023-24 season, the club does not field a first team either; with just 4 recreational teams left, it is clear the continuity of the club is far from secure.