Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: SVE (± 1953-2023)

Sunday 4 June 2023

NETHERLANDS: SVE (± 1953-2023)

Sportpark Op de Hei, Einighausen (formerly SVE)

Netherlands, province: Limburg

June 2023 / no match visited

Timeline

1945 / Foundation of EVC (probably meaning: Einighausense Voetbalclub). The club's ground is situated to the east of the village, not far from modern-day Bielvelderweg.
1946 / Given that the abbreviation EVC has already been taken by a club from Edam, North Holland, the Netherlands' FA (KNVB) orders the new club in Einighausen to change its name. The solution chosen is as straightforward as unimaginative: SVE (Sportvereniging Einighausen).
± 1953 / Moving away from its first pitch, SVE moves to Sportpark Op de Hei, situated to the south of the village centre at Bokslootweg.
1972 / For the first time since the club's foundation, SVE manages to accede to District South II's Sunday League 4 after winning the title in Division 1 of LVB (Limburgse Voetbalbond).
1977 / Clinching the title in Sunday League 4E, SVE wins promotion to District South II's Sunday League 3 for the first time.
1980 / In the best season in club history, SVE finishes runners-up in Sunday League 3C.
1984 / Having played 7 seasons in Sunday League 3, SVE now finishes 12th and last in League 3C, thus descending into League 4.
1989 / Winning the Sunday League 4E title again, SVE returns to League 3, but the joy is short-lived, as the club finishes last in League 3A in the 1989-90 season, thus suffering relegation back into League 4.
1997 / Rock bottom in Sunday League 4D, SVE descends into Sunday League 5 - the level which replaced LVB Division 1 in 1996. It is the first time in 27 years the club finds itself at a level lower than League 4.
1999 / Finishing in 1st place in Sunday League 5B, SVE accedes to League 4, managing to hold its own at that level for 2 seasons.
2002 / Following back-to-back relegations, SVE finds itself in Sunday League 6, a lowpoint in club history. In the following 13 seasons, the club alternates spells in League 6 (2002-06, 2011-12, 2014-15) & League 5 (2006-11, 2012-14).
2015 / SVE wins the title in District South II's Sunday League 6A, 9 points ahead of closest followers SV Sibbe. Due to the abolition of Sunday League 6, the club climbs two levels up the league ladder, acceding to League 4.
2022 / Finishing dead-last in Sunday League 4C, SVE drops back into League 5.
2023 / In its last season, SVE finishes second-last in District South II's Sunday League 5B, with only RKAVC picking up fewer points. Due to a decreasing club membership (in the 2022-23 season, SVE had just 2 teams left), the Sittard-Geleen municipality refused to further look after the pitches of a club which was deemed unviable; thereupon, SVE's board took the decision to fold, ceasing all activities.