Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKSV NEO

Gemeentelijk Sportpark 't Wooldrik Zuid, Borne (RKSV NEO)

Netherlands, province: Overijssel

29 VI 2023 / RKSV NEO - RKSV Nemelaer 0-1 / Sunday League 1 - lucky loser promotion play-off round (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1919 / Foundation of a first Roman-Catholic football club in Borne, which is given the name RKVV (Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalvereeniging) Borne Vooruit. Its founders, Johan Hassels Mönning, Jan Hendrik Besseler, and Gerrit Grobben (who is the new club's first chairman), had been jealous of Borne's non-confessional club BVV Borne, deciding that the town's Catholic population deserved a football club as well. A first match is organised, a friendly against the seminarists of Gymnasium Zenderen, who are defeated (3-1). Subsequently, RKVV Borne Vooruit joins the so-called RKUVB (Roomsch-Katholieke Utrechtsche Voetbalbond), an association of Roman-Catholic clubs organising a feeder league of RKF (Roomsch-Katholieke Federatie). Borne Vooruit's first ground is situated at Erve Mösselboer, more specifically on a plot of land rented by tenant Johan Hassels Mönning, co-founder of the club. In its first season, Borne Vooruit is placed in RKUVB Division 2C.
1920 / In its first season, following a tie-break match against Hengelo-based RKSV GOLTO, RKVV Borne Vooruit clinches the title in RKUVB Division 2C. In the subsequent promotion matches against Volharding Reserves (from Deventer), a 3rd match, played at a neutral venue in Goor, gives Borne Vooruit victory as well as a place in the newly formed RKF Division 2. For the start of the 1920-21 season, the club abandons Terrein Erve Mösselboer, settling at the so-called Gemeenteveld, a plot of undeveloped land at Veldkampsweg.
1922 / Abandoning Gemeenteveld, RKVV Borne Vooruit settles at Almelosche Straatweg, former ground of BVV Borne.
1923 / The club is placed in the so-called RKF Overgangsklasse, probably a new name for RKF Division 2. Abandoning Terrein Almelosche Straatweg in October 1923, RKVV Borne Vooruit settles at the newly laid-out Terrein Achter de Dennen at Deldensestraatweg. In the latter stages of the year, the club changes its name to become RKSV NEO (Roomsch-Katholieke Sportvereeniging 'Nomen Est Omen') at the behest of RKF authorities - due to the fact that the club under its old name was often referred to simply as 'BV', leading to confusion with BVV (Borne). The new name, actually a Latin pun (Nomen Est Omen freely translates as 'The Name Speaks for Itself'), was an idea by the club's spiritual advisor, chaplin Terwisscha van Scheltinga.
1928 / Winning the decisive match emphatically at the expense of RKVV Almelonia (6-0), RKSV NEO, with its star forward player Chris van Wanrooy, obtains the RKF Division 2 title. Subsequently, the club plays a set of promotion matches against RKVV Lisse and RKAVV Wilskracht (Amsterdam), in which Wilskracht comes out on top - with NEO consequently missing out on promotion to RKF Overgangsklasse.
1929 / RKSV NEO wins the Kring Twenthe Cup, defeating RKSV EMOS 3-0 in the final.
1930 / Construction of a set of changing rooms as well as a small stand at Terrein Achter de Dennen.
1931 / Winning a tie-break match against RKSV De Zweef 3-0 (goals by H. Leushuis, G. Korf, and B. Olde Olthof), RKSV NEO wins the title in IVCB Division 1 - IVCB (Interdiocesane Voetbal-Competitie-Bond) being the renamed and reorganised RKF. The club plays a national competition against IVCB Division 1 winners from other parts of the country, SV DHL (Delft), SV HMS (Utrecht), RKTVV (Tilburg), and vv Caesar (Beek Lb.), in which it finishes 5th and last.
1934 / In a conflict between various clubs from Guelders and Overijssel and IVCB, which wants to create one single Division 1 for both provinces, RKSV NEO, worried about travel costs in the severe economic crisis of the 1930, chooses voluntary relegation to RKUVB Region Twenthe's Division 1. This so-called 'Twentsche Kwestie' is solved 2 years later, with NEO being offered a place in IVCB Division 1.
1937 / Coached by J. Tinsel, RKSV NEO clinches the title in IVCB Division 1 once more, defeating DOS '19 6-0 to obtain the decisive points.
1940 / In the wake of Germany's occupation of the Netherlands, IVCB as well as all other football associations except the official KNVB, renamed NVB (losing the epithet 'koninklijk' or royal, for obvious reasons), RKSV NEO seeks affiliation with NVB, being placed in Sunday League 2 - meeting town rivals BVV Borne at a competitive level for the first time, with BVV Borne winning the first encounter emphatically (5-0). Still in 1940, NEO are forced out of their ground at Deldensestraatweg at the behest of nazi authorities, who have the stand as well as the changing rooms demolished, using the pitch to place a set of spotlights searching for enemy aircraft. For 5 years, NEO is left without a home, groundsharing with BVV Borne and BCSV for the duration of the war.
1943 / RKSV NEO manages a cup win over League 1 side Heracles (4-1), only to be eliminated in the following round by Hoogezand club HSC (8-0). On October 10th, 1943, during the away match at GVV Eilermark, the game is interrupted due to a heavy American bombardment of the Enschede area, in which 151 are killed - and several footballers at Sportpark Ekersdijk severely wounded.
1945 / Having groundshared at other clubs for the past 5 years, RKSV NEO returns to its ravaged home ground, Terrein Achter de Dennen. After some hard work, the pitch is ready for gala matches in May 1945 against teams made up of English and Canadian soldiers. The stand, demolished by the Germans in 1940, is not rebuilt.
1949 / In one of the highlights of club history, coached by Jan Stuve, RKSV NEO wins the title in Sunday League 2A with a comfortable margin over closest follower, future professional league side vv Rigtersbleek. Following the title win, NEO have the opportunity to win promotion to League 1, the top league of the Netherlands' football pyramid at that time, in a group against NEC, who finished second-last in League 1, as well as other eastern League 2 title winners, ZVV Be Quick, VV & AC Gelria (Velp), and DVV Labor (Deventer). NEO's first home game, against NEC, is attended by 8,000 spectators - with some 5,200 finding a place on makeshift stands added alongside the pitch to allow a larger crowd into Terrein Achter de Dennen. In the end, with NEC winning the group and thus assuring itself of a prolonged stay in the top flight, NEO finishes in 3rd place, thus missing out on promotion.
1952 / Finishing 12th and last in Sunday League 2A, RKSV NEO, coached by Hans van Heesch, drops back into League 3.
1953 / In back-to-back relegations, RKSV NEO, finishing last in District East's Sunday League 3A, descends into League 4. In spite of this disappointing result, trainer-coach Frans Leushuis stays on, continuing to guide NEO's first team for the following 4 years.
1954 / RKSV NEO has to abandon Terrein Achter de Dennen after 32 years - 27 when taking out the war years, spent in exile - due to the owner of part of the pitches, Scholten's stone factory, extending its business premises. Having announced its intention to cancel the renting agreement 2 years previously, Scholten had already taken over the ground's practice pitch in 1953. Not having a viable alternative by mid-1954, RKSV NEO concludes groundsharing agreements with BVV Borne and BCSV, while also using a temporary pitch situated at Azelosestraat.
1955 / Bereft of a home ground since mid-1954, a solution is found in the summer of 1955, with the club moving to Terrein Veldweg, previously in use by BVV Borne as a training pitch. The set-up comes with a set of (outdated) changing rooms, but generally speaking the facilities here are a far cry when compared to what the club was used to at Terrein Achter de Dennen. The state of the pitch is a constant worry, while a new set of dressing rooms is added to replace the old ones in 1959.
1958 / Johan Oude Egberink takes over the post of trainer at RKSV NEO. Oude Egberink, who had been part of the club's successful squad of 1949, had a professional league adventure at Twentse Profs and vv Rigtersbleek behind him, hanging up his boots in 1958.
1959 / Finishing in joint-first place in District East's Sunday League 4A with vv Glanerbrug, NEO faces its rivals head-to-head in a tie-break match played at Stadion Veldwijk in Hengelo. With vv Glanerbrug winning the match, NEO misses out on promotion - all the more disappointing given the fact that the club had been top of the table for most of the season.
1961 / After a drawn-out race with PH and SV Almelo being its main rivals, RKSV NEO clinches the Sunday League 4B title following a 1-1 draw against PH. Due to the questionable state of the pitch at its own Terrein Veldweg, NEO plays its sest of promotion matches at BVV Borne's ground. In a group against vv TAR (Losser), Koninklijke UD (Deventer), and WSV (Apeldoorn), RKSV NEO is one of 3 clubs gaining promotion - with vv TAR being the only one to miss out on a place in League 3. NEO's decisive points are brought in with a 3-1 away win at vv TAR, with J. te Kiefte, A. Oude Nijhuis, and L. Leurink scoring the goals.
1964 / Having played at Terrein Veldweg for the past 9 seasons, RKSV NEO moves to the newly built municipal sports park, Gemeentelijk Sportpark 't Wooldrik, in the spring of 1964. NEO is given the northernmost end of the ground, with the entrance being at Bornerbroeksestraat.
1965 / Official inauguration of Sportpark 't Wooldrik by Borne's mayor, J. van Bemmel. In spite of all works that have been accomplished, NEO does not dispose of a clubhouse in situe, with Café Leushuis remaining the club's 'spiritual' home for the time being.
1967 / Only 3 years after having moved in, RKSV NEO is forced away from its pitch at Bornerbroekseweg due to the construction works of an indoor hall commencing on this location; the club is allotted the eastern end of the park now, with the entrance being at Prins Hendrikweg. Also in 1967, trainer Jan Oude Egberink leaves NEO after 9 years, following a conflict with the club's board.
1968 / Finishing 14th and last in District East's Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO, coached by Bennie ter Braak, drops back into League 4.
1970 / Guided by trainer Frans Olde Riekerink, RKSV NEO clinches the Sunday League 4A title after a closely-fought contest with FC Berghuizen - thus managing an immediate return to League 3. Unfortunately, the stay at that level lasts just 1 season, with relegation duly following in 1971.
1973 / In view of RKSV NEO's projected move to the southwestern end of Sportpark 't Wooldrik, works get underway on the construction of a new clubhouse - with the first stone being laid by club chairman Henny Hemink.
1974 / Coached by Henk Meijer, RKSV NEO wins the title in Sunday League 4B, thus gaining promotion to League 3. On March 11th, 1974, one day after the title win, the new clubhouse is inaugurated, with Borne's mayor Koen Hekenkamp performing the ceremony. Thereupon, NEO moves to its new ground at the far southwestern end of Sportpark 't Wooldrik - the club's current ground, with the entrance gate at Twickelerblokweg. Along with NEO, BCSV moves to this part of the park as well, with its main pitch being situated immediately to the north of NEO's. BVV Borne, on the other hand, takes over the pitches previously used by BCSV and NEO at the eastern half of the park.
1975 / With derby rivals BVV Borne and RKSV NEO finishing in joint-1st place in District East's Sunday League 3A, both clubs have to play a tie-break match at a neutral venue, SV Wilhelminaschool's Terrein 't Lansink in Hengelo. Attended by 4,000 spectators, the match is won by NEO (3-1), with Willy Loman and Gerard Leliefeld (twice) marking the goals. Thus, NEO, coached by Hennie Even, finds its way back to League 2 after 23 years.
1984 / After 9 consecutive seasons at League 2 level, RKSV NEO finishes in joint-1st place in Sunday League 3B along with RKVV STEVO. To determine the champion, a tie-break match is organised at KVV Quick '20's Sportpark Vondersweijde in Oldenzaal in front of a crowd of 6,500. NEO wins the one-off match 3-2 (goals by Richard Bertelink, Raymond Hoekstra - and an own goal by STEVO's Leon Oude Wesselink), thus acceding to Sunday League 1 for the first time in club history.
1985 / In the best season in club history up until that point, RKSV NEO finishes in 4th place in Sunday League 1D. In spite of the good result, coach Jan Lentink leaves the club. Also in 1985, two sets of open terraces are constructed at the western end of NEO's main pitch.
1986 / Finishing 11th and 2nd-last in Sunday League 1D, RKSV NEO, coached by Hans Fransen, drops back into League 2 after 2 seasons.
1989 / Dead-last in Sunday League 2B, RKSV NEO finds itself in League 3 for the first time in 14 years. Trainer Gerrit Postma had been dismissed in the course of the season, being replaced by caretaker Freddy Bruggink, but without any tangible result.
1991 / NEO's 13-year old academy player Niels Oude Kamphuis leaves the club, being taken over by FC Twente's youth academy. Oude Kamphuis, a defender, goes on to have a respectable professional career at FC Twente, FC Schalke 04, and Borussia VfL 1900 (1994-2007). Moreover, he also won one cap for the Netherlands, coming on as a sub at White Hart Lane, where England was defeated 0-2.
1992 / Managing a 3rd place in Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO, guided by trainer Ben Bartelink, qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Reaching the final, the club defeats vv Lemelerveld (2-1) at PH's Sportpark Schelfhorst in Almelo to win promotion to League 2. Also in 1992, a grandstand, for which the foundation had been laid in 1991, is added to the set-up at Sportpark 't Wooldrik Zuid.
1993 / With trainer Herman Zandstra leaving the club in the course of the season - again Freddy Bruggink steps in as caretaker manager -, RKSV NEO has a disappointing season, finishing in 10th place in League 2B and suffering relegation into League 3.
1994 / Runners-up in Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Defeating KSV BWO and RKSV EMOS along the way, the club reaches the final, played at RKSV Rohda Raalte's Sportpark Tijenraan. Losing the match 4-1 (A.E.T.) against AV & CV Robur et Velocitas, the club misses out on promotion.
1995 / Runners-up in Sunday League 3A yet again, RKSV NEO, coached by Jan Kemkens, manages to win the promotion play-offs this time (no data about adversaries available), thus gaining promotion to League 2.
1999 / Finishing 6th in Sunday League 2J, RKSV NEO wins the promotion play-offs (no data about adversaries available) to accede to League 1 for the first time in 13 years. The successful coach in Bert Jan Heins.
2000 / Following the unexpected promotion of the previous year, RKSV NEO has a difficult season in Sunday League 1E, eventually finishing last and dropping back into League 2. Meanwhile, first plans are made for a move to the new neighbourhood Bornsche Maten, at Borne's eastern fringes - and NEO's chairman Ton Tammerveld even contacts KSV Achilles '12, a club from Hengelo also interested in a new ground at Bornsche Maten, for some first merger talks. With NEO's membership rejecting the merger, the plans are stalled - and Tammerveld relinquishes the club's chairmanship the following year.
2002 / Following its 2nd and 3rd relegations in a row - with coaches Bert Jan Heins and Han Perik respectively -, RKSV NEO suddenly finds itself in Sunday League 4 for the first time in 28 years.
2003 / Easing to the title in District East's Sunday League 4B with coach Charles Hoekstra, RKSV NEO finds its way back to League 3.
2007 / After an exciting race with AJC '96 and vv Twenthe, RKSV NEO, coached by Gerard Bos, clinches the title in Sunday League 3A, with the decisive 3 points being picked up in the last game of the season, a 1-2 away win at SV Schalkhaar's Sportpark De Wijtenhorst with goals by Rob Slootheer and Christiaan ter Braak. New plans are made to move to Bornsche Maten, but following the start of a worldwide economic crisis, the plans are shelved for good in 2009.
2008 / Finishing 10th in Sunday League 2J, RKSV NEO, coached by Gerard Bos, descends into League 3. That same year, following the end of his professional career and 1 season in the top of non-league with SV Excelsior '31, Niels Oude Kamphuis returns to NEO, playing in the club's main squad for a short while before withdrawing into the lower teams. Also in 2008, 16-year old youth player Wout Weghorst leaves the club to join vv DETO. Picked up by Willem II's youth academy later on, Weghorst, a forward player, goes on to have a professional league career at FC Emmen, Heracles Almelo, AZ, VfL Wolfsburg, Burnley FC, Beşiktaş JK, and Manchester United FC, moreover also being called up for the Netherlands' national team.2
2009 / RKSV NEO's main pitch at Sportpark 't Wooldrik Zuid is equipped with a synthetic surface.
2010 / NEO's youth player Mats Wieffer, only 10 years old, takes the step to FC Twente's youth academy. Wieffer goes on to have a professional league career with Jong FC Twente, FC Twente, SBV Excelsior, and Feyenoord, moreover being called up for the Netherlands' national team as well.
2011 / Finishing 10th in Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO loses a tie-break match against DSVD, thereby descending into League 4; the unfortunate coach is Peter Schulte. That same year, a new set of dressing rooms at the northern end of NEO's main pitch is inaugurated.
2012 / Former professional league player Manuel Sánchez Torres (FC Twente '65, FC Twente, Valencia CF, Roda JC, NEC, SC Heracles '74) takes over the role of trainer-coach at RKSV NEO, remaining with the club for 2 seasons.
2016 / Coached by Jan Willem van Holland, RKSV NEO wins the title in Sunday League 4A - winning the decisive match away at SV Enter 2-0 with goals by Max Brunninkhuis and Mauro Lohuis.
2018 / Finishing in 3rd place in Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO, still coached by Jan Willem van Holland, qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Reaching the final, the club is defeated by FC Suryoye Mediterraneo. Due to an extra promotion place being available, the club is given a second chance in a lucky loser final, receiving SV Concordia-Wehl at home in a one-off match; with the match ending in 3-3 (A.E.T.), NEO loses the penalty shoot-out, thus missing out on promotion in the most dramatic of fashions, with SV Concordia-Wehl saving its skin in League 2 narrowly.
2019 / Finishing runners-up in District East's Sunday League 3A, RKSV NEO qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Edging past SV Epe and RKSV De Tukkers, the club goes on to win the final (played at Sportpark Tijenraan in Raalte) against SC Overwetering 2-1 thanks to goals by Twan Weghorst and Robin Oude Kamphuis. As such, NEO wins promotion to League 2.
2022 / Clinching the title in Sunday League 2J with a comfortable 7-point margin over SV Bon Boys, RKSV NEO finds itself in Sunday League 1 for the first time in 22 years.
2023 / In the best season in club history, RKSV NEO finishes runners-up in Sunday League 1E, just missing out on the title - 2 points behind TVC '28. In the promotion play-offs, NEO defeats RKVV Volharding to qualify for the final against RKVV Best Vooruit. In the match, played at SV DCS's Sportpark Hengelder West in Zevenaar, however, NEO is defeated 1-0. In an additional lucky loser competition, organised due to the withdrawal of OFC from national league football, NEO suffers defeats against RKHVV and RKSV Nemelaer, thus missing out on the ticket to National Division 4. In the last match of the season, played at Sportpark 't Wooldrik, Nemelaer comes out on top (1-0) to clinch the last ticket for the national divisions. As such, RKSV NEO misses out on a second promotion in a row.
2024 / Finishing in third place in League 1H, RKSV NEO qualifies for the promotion play-offs, defeating vv De Zouaven in R1 (1-0), but being eliminated by vv Flevo Boys in R2 (0-1).

Note - The main source for the information provided above is a book, published on the occasion of RKSV NEO's 100th anniversary: “NEO 100 jaar jong. Een eeuw kleurrijk zwart-wit”, written by Gerard Bartelink, Hans Spenkelink, Marian Bos, Leo Leurink, Herman Lansink Rotgerink, Harry Slootheer, Harry Filart, and Willem Pfeiffer. The book was published independently by RKSV NEO in 2019.