NETHERLANDS: Steenbergse Boys (1947-1966) / vv Maurits (1966-1983) / LHBMC (1983-1994)

Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lindenheuvel Noord, Geleen Lindenheuvel (formerly Steenbergse Boys / vv Maurits / LHBMC)

Netherlands, province: Limburg

June 2023 / no match visited

Timeline

• 1931 / Inauguration of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lindenheuvel. It is unclear if the northernmost pitch of the park was part of the original lay-out of the park, which comprised athletics facilities as well as a football pitch at the time.
• 1947 / Foundation of Steenbergse Boys. This club probably played its home matches on the northernmost pitch of Sportpark Lindenheuvel from the outset, although no absolute certainty can be given on this subject (as yet).
• 1953 / Winning the title in LVB (Afdeling Limburg) Division 1 - and probably winning an ensuing round of play-offs, Steenbergse Boys accedes to KNVB Sunday League 4 for the first time.
• 1966 / Steenbergse Boys takes on the new name vv Maurits - thereby echoing the former football club Staatsmijn Maurits, founded in 1926 and renamed SV Maurits in 1936, which merged into Fortuna '54 in the 1950s.
• 1982 / With the club's performances in the preceding 29 years being shrouded in obscurity, it is clear that vv Maurits suffered relegation from Sunday League 4 into LVB (Afdeling Limburg) Division 1 in the 1981-82 season.
• 1983 / vv Maurits concludes a merger with Lindenheuvelse Boys, resulting in the foundation of LHBMC (Lindenheuvelse Boys-Maurits Combinatie). Lindenheuvelse Boys - not to be confused with the short-lived Lindenheuvelsche Boys from the early 1930s - was a recreational club, playing its football in the so-called Geleense Zomeravond-Competitie; with a first mention of the club in newspaper sources in 1968. Initially playing its football at various grounds across Geleen (including Sportpark Lindenheuvel), Lindenheuvelse Boys later settled at 'De Berg', a pitch situated near the chemical plants to the west of Geleen. Upon the merger with vv Maurits, this pitch is abandoned - with all activities moving to vv Maurits' Sportpark Lindenheuvel Noord.
• 1986 / Clinching the title in LVB (Afdeling Limburg) Division 2E with an astounding goal difference of +100 (110-10), LHBMC, coached by Sip Bergsma, wins access to LVB's top division.
• 1987 / Winning its 2nd title in a row, this time in LVB (Afdeling Limburg Division 1E, obtaining the decisive point in a 2-2 draw with vv Slekker Boys (both LHBMC goals being scored by A. Geurts), LHBMC, still coached by Sip Bergsma, accedes to KNVB District South II's Sunday League 4.1
• 1989 / After a 5-2 away win at vv KASPORA (2 goals by Patarek and Wetsels each, 1 by Virdis), LHBMC obtains the Sunday League 4D title with trainer Jean Cloos, thus winning promotion to Sunday League 3. It is unclear how the club fared in the last 5 seasons prior to its merger with RKSV Lindenheuvel.
• 1994 / LHBMC concludes a merger with its southern neighbours RKSV Lindenheuvel, resulting in the foundation of RKFC (Rooms-Katholieke Fusieclub) Lindenheuvel. First team football moves to the southernmost pitch of the park, hitherto RKSV Lindenheuvel's main pitch. It is unclear from when on the pitch previously used by vv Maurits and LHBMC was abandoned. The clubhouse was taken over later by the local boy scouts.

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