Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: vv DOS Kampen

Sportpark De Maten Zuid, Kampen (vv DOS Kampen)

Netherlands, province: Overijssel

21 I 2023 / vv DOS Kampen - vv Hulzense Boys 3-1 / Saturday League 1E (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1926 / Foundation of Voetbalvereniging (vv) Door Oefening Sterk (DOS) Kampen, often referred to locally as 'DOSK'. The first pitch of this Saturday league club is situated at Sint Nicolaasdijk.
1937 / DOS Kampen moves from its first ground to the so-called Singel-Terrein, situated in Kampen's main park (Kamper Stadspark). The club's nickname, 'Poelänten', is a reference to ducks from the nearby canal regularly flying onto the pitch.
1958 / After a relatively anonymous first three decades of club history, DOS Kampen wins promotion to Saturday League 3 by obtaining the title in District East's Saturday League 4B.
1960 / DOS Kampen wins promotion to Saturday League 2, the highest level of the Saturday league pyramid at the time.
1963 / Winning the title in Saturday League 2C without losing a match, DOS Kampen qualifies for the National Saturday League championship play-offs, in which SV Spakenburg and vv Noordwijk prove too strong. In the following decades, DOS remains a force to be reckoned with in the higher reaches of Saturday League 2, but the club misses out on promotion to Saturday League 1, a new level which is created in 1970.
1972 / Moving away from its Singel-Terrein after a stay of 35 years, vv DOS Kampen settles at the newly built Sportpark De Maten on the southern outskirts of Kampen. The main pitch disposes of a covered grandstand holding some 750 spectators; and a covered terrace facing it. Due to being situated in a new housing estate with an ever-growing population, the club attracts large groups of young new members in the following years.
1977 / Winning the title in Saturday League 2C after a comprehensive victory over CVV Be Quick '28, vv DOS Kampen finally qualifies for Saturday League 1.
1981 / Quickly establishing itself as one of the dominant teams in Saturday League 1 after the promotion in 1977, vv DOS Kampen clinches the title in Saturday League 1B - subsequently also winning the National Saturday League title by defeating vv Noordwijk. In the National Non-League final against Sunday League champions (and future professional league side) RKC, DOS loses the away leg (5-2), but makes up for that with a home win (4-1). In the end, the club misses out on the title by emphatically losing the ensuing third game, played at a neutral venue in Veenendaal (5-1).
1982 / In a reversal of fortunes, after the very successful 1980-81 season, DOSK finishes in 13th place in Saturday League 1B, resulting in the first-ever relegation in club history. On March 19th, 1982, the main stand, offering a place to some 750 spectators, is inaugurated; prior to 1982, there were no spectator facilities at all around DOS' main pitch. In the 1990s, an uncovered terrace was added on the side of the pitch facing the main stand; and this terrace was given a plastic roof - purchased from the nearby gas station - in c. 2010.
1983 / After finishing second in Saturday League 2D, vv DOS Kampen manages to return to League 1 after an absence of just one season by winning the play-offs.
1988 / In the most successful year of club history, DOSK first manages to win the title in Saturday League 1B for the second time in seven years; the decisive match, away at vv Heerjansdam, is won 1-0. Following this, the club also wins the National Saturday League title by winning a group of 3 against fellow-champions in 1A and 1C, vv IJsselmeervogels and vv Bennekom. Lastly, making up for the loss against RKC in 1981, DOS Kampen clinches its first and only-ever National Non-League title by defeating Sunday champions SV De Treffers (the first two matches end in 1-1; finally, in the tie-break, played at Rohda Raalte's Sportpark Tijenraan, DOS has the better of their rivals from Groesbeek (2-1).
1992 / Following the title in 1988, some more, mostly satisfactory, seasons followed in Saturday League 1B, until relegation follows in 1992. Meanwhile, 19-year-old youth prodigy Jaap Stam earns himself a transfer to professional league side FC Zwolle - and goes on to have an impressive career at Cambuur-Leeuwarden, Willem II, PSV, Manchester United FC, SS Lazio, AC Milan, and AFC Ajax (as well as earning 67 caps for the Netherlands). Stam is not the only DOS Kampen player who made it to the pro ranks - others include Henri van der Vegt, Gerard van den Belt, and the brothers Jeroen & Henrico Drost.
1993 / Winning the title in League 2D, DOSK manages an immediate return to Saturday League 1.
1996 / At ABS's Sportpark De Looënk in Bathmen, vv DOS Kampen loses the final of District East's Regional Cup against Sunday League 2 side vv DVC '26 (2-1). That same year, a new division is created to top the Saturday League pyramid, the so-called Hoofdklasse (already in existence in Sunday League football since 1974) - and by virtue of its third place in Saturday League 1C, DOSK qualifies automatically for the new division.
1998 / After two seasons at Hoofdklasse level, DOS Kampen is relegated to Saturday League 1, but manages an immediate return in 1999 through a title win in League 1D. In the following decade the club alternates two spells in Zaterdag Hoofdklasse (1999-2000 & 2003-2008) with a three-year spell in Saturday League 1 (2000-03).
2003 / In July 2003, vv DOS Kampen plays host to English pro side Sheffield Wednesday FC, losing the pre-season friendly 4-0. The following year, another high-profile side from abroad visits Sportpark De Maten - Argentina's CA Boca Juniors.
2008 / DOSK is relegated from Hoofdklasse - and have never returned to that level (renamed National Division 4 since 2022) since.
2012 / A synthetic surface is installed on DOS' main pitch.
2015 / vv DOS Kampen suffers an humiliating relegation to Saturday League 2.
2019 / Winning the title in League 2H, the club manages a return to Saturday League 1.
2023 / Finishing in 11th place in Saturday League 1E, vv DOS Kampen has to play a round of play-offs to secure its place in that division for the following season. Eliminating SV Nieuwleusen in R1 (4-1), the club suffers a 4-3 away defeat at vv DOS '37, thus descending into L2 after 4 years.