Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKSV HBC

Sportpark De Toekomst, Heemstede (RKSV HBC)

Netherlands, province: North Holland = Noord-Holland

14 X 2023 / RKSV HBC - SV Huizen 0-0 / National Division 4A (= NL level 5)

Timeline

1902 / Foundation of HVV (Heemsteedsche Voetbalvereeniging) on October 29th, 1902. In the following fifteen years, the club successively plays its home matches on various pitches in and around Heemstede; Terrein ‘t Molentje (Groenendaal), Terrein Meerweg (the future Meer- & Boscomplex), Terrein Dolleman (near Wapen van Heemstede at Molenwerf), Terrein Het Clooster (at Cloosterweg, which used to be the home ground of HFC until 1900).
1903 / Foundation of RKVV (Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalvereeniging) Berkenrode.
1911 / Climbing out of the ranks of the so-called Haarlemsche Voetbalbond (HVB), HVV accedes to NVB (Sunday) League 3 for the first time.
1912 / HVV changes its name to become HVV Heemstede; possibly, this name change came about due to the NVB forcing the club to adapt its name due to an older member club – HVV in The Hague – bearing the same name. Another possibility, though, is that the adaptation of the name was the result of a merger with another club, which is simply called Heemstede and which played in HVB as well; HVV Heemstede is a neutral football club, not affiliated to any church or political organisation. Also in 1912, another football club is founded in Heemstede, RKSV (Roomsch-Katholieke Sportvereeniging) Berkenrode. Possibly, this club was a refoundation of an older club bearing the same name, allegedly founded in 1903. Berkenrode’s ground is situated at Heerenweg. The club starts its life in HVB Division 3.
1913 / The newly renamed HVV Heemstede wins promotion to NVB (Sunday) League 3 for the first time.
1915 / Following three promotions in a row, RKSV Berkenrode is placed in NVB (Sunday) League 3.
1916 / Climbing up from the ranks of HVB, RKVV Berkenrode wins promotion to NVB (Sunday) League 3 for the first time.
1917 / A merger deal is concluded between the neutral HVV Heemstede and the Roman-Catholic RKVV Berkenrode, resulting in the foundation of HBC (Heemstede-Berkenrode Combinatie). All of the new club’s activities move to Berkenrode’s ground, Terrein Heerenweg. The new merger club’s first team is placed in NVB (Sunday) League 3, losing its first match of the new season 2-0 away at VSV in Velserbroek.
1920 / The Roman-Catholic element of the former RKSV Berkenrode in the new club ostensibly prevailing over the neutral element of HVV Heemstede, HBC, having played in NVB League 3 for three seasons, withdraws its NVB membership, instead preferring to join the Roman-Catholic association RKF (Roomsch-Katholieke Federatie). Moreover, the club changes its name to become RKSV (Roomsch-Katholieke Sportvereeniging) HBC, eventually receiving official permission from the Haarlem diocese to bear this name in 1924.
1925 / RKSV HBC clinches the title in RKF’s Overgangsklasse C – Overgangsklasse being the top level of the RKF pyramid at that time. In fact, the club repeats this achievement in 1926 and 1927. In those years, three players are called up for the Roman-Catholic Netherlands’ selection taking on Belgium and Germany in international matches; Frits Mooren, Leo van der Vlugt, and Tinus van Deursen. Also in 1932, HBC commences a groundsharing agreement with Saturday club vv Tramvogels from Haarlem to allow its fledgling youth academy some extra space at Tramvogels’ Terrein Bronstee.
1930 / Following the introduction of an RKF Division 1 as the top level of the Roman-Catholic league pyramid, RKSV HBC is placed in this new division.
1932 / Terrein Heerenweg is given a thorough refurbishment, involving – among other renovations – the construction of a 50-metre-long covered terrace at the western side of the pitch. The renovated ground is inaugurated by the local priest, Mr Van der Tuyn.
1935 / Winning the title in RKF Division 1 Afdeling Westen under the guidance of British coach Bill Yates, RKSV HBC ultimately fails to win the nationwide title, losing out against RKVV Brabantia from Eindhoven. Also in 1935, a Roman-Catholic international match between the Netherlands and Belgium is played at HBC’s Terrein Heerenweg, attended by some 5,000 spectators and ending in a Dutch win (probably 2-0 being the final score).
1937 / Coached by Willem Toledo, RKSV HBC wins the title in RKF Division 1 Afdeling Westen for the second time – in fact repeating the achievement for the third time and for a second time running in 1938 – but fails to win the nationwide Roman-Catholic title yet again.
1940 / For the fourth time in five years, HBC wins the title in RKF Division 1 Afdeling Westen, finishing 3 points ahead of vv Santpoort – the decisive points being obtained in a 7-2 win over TYBB. After four matches in the nationwide title play-offs – two matches against VVZ (Zaandam) and two more against KVV Quick ’20 (Oldenzaal) – the championship is cut short due to the German invasion of the Netherlands; and never completed. Following the German occupation of the Netherlands, all football associations except the official Netherlands' FA (Nederlandsche Voetbalbond, NVB) are abolished. RKSV HBC rejoins the NVB, being placed in Sunday League 2B for the 1940-41 season. From 1940 onwards, the club is boosted by the presence of player-coach Kick Smit, who joined from HFC Haarlem. Smit is a former Netherlands’ international player (29 caps, 26 goals).
1943 / The German armed forces commandeer Terrein Zeeweg, rendering it unusable for football following the construction of a large bunker. Thus forced to leave, RKSV HBC commences a groundshare with RCH at Heemsteeds Sportpark, which is destined to remain the club's temporary home for no fewer than fifteen years.
1947 / Without the help of Kick Smit, who hung up his boots in 1944-45, RKSV HBC’s first team is weakened and drops back into Sunday League 3 in 1947 following an 11th place finish in League 2B in the 1946-47 season.
1948 / Coached by Mr Rentenaar, RKSV HBC clinches the title in District West I’s Sunday League 3A following a 5-2 home win over SV ASC (Oegstgeest) at Heemsteeds Sportpark attended by 15,000 (!) spectators. In the ensuing promotion play-offs, though, the club is unsuccessful, thus staying put in League 3.
1955 / Due to the introduction of professional league football, which sees dozens of clubs taking the leap to the newly formed professional divisions, extra promotion places in the higher reaches of what can from now on be described as non-league are available, with RKSV HBC – finishing runners-up in Sunday League 3A in the 1954-55 season – being one of the beneficiaries and being placed in League 2 for the new season.
1958 / Having groundshared with RCH at Heemsteeds Sportpark for the past fifteen years, RKSV HBC finally move into a newly built ground fully owned by the club itself at Cruquiusweg – later renamed Sportpark De Toekomst after the clubhouse, which would be erected in the early 1970s. At Terrein Cruquiusweg, the club has the luxury of a covered grandstand. The premises are inaugurated on August 24th, 1958, by Haarlem’s bishop, Johannes Huibers.
1961 / HBC’s skipper Sem de Reus plays his 350th first team match for the club.
1964 / Finishing just 1 point behind champions vv Hillegom in Sunday League 2B, RKSV HBC just misses out on a historic promotion to League 1.
1966 / Second-last in the final ranking in Sunday League 2A, RKSV HBC drops back into League 3 after eleven years.
1975 / After a three-horse-race with KFC and HFC DCO, RKSV HBC – coached by Hans Vlietman – just misses out on the title in District West I’s Sunday League 3B, finishing runners-up behind KFC.
1980 / HBC’s clubhouse, De Toekomst, is consumed in a fire in February 1980, but rebuilt completely before the end of the year.
1982 / Coached by Clemens Koster, RKSV HBC clinches the title in District West I’s Sunday League 3B following a 2-2 home draw with BVV De Kennemers. The club thus accedes to League 2 after an absence of sixteen years.
1983 / RKSV HBC has an excellent first season back at L2 level, finishing runners up in League 2A behind Rood-Wit A.
1989 / Coached by former Telstar player Fred André, RKSV HBC finishes in 2nd place in Sunday League 2B behind the Amsterdam semi-professional side FC Sloterplas.
1992 / For the first time, a Saturday team fielded by RKSV HBC reaches Saturday League 4.
1993 / Finishing second-last in League 2A, HBC’s Sunday team drops back into League 3 after eleven years.
1996 / Second-last in the final ranking in League 3B in the 1995-96 season, RKSV HBC’s Sunday team drops back into League 4 for the first time in club history.
1997 / Taking the decisive point in a draw against vv Hillegom, RKSV HBC’s Sunday team wins the title in Sunday League 4D without suffering a defeat in the entire season, thus returning to League 3 after just one year.
1999 / Not having fielded a regular Saturday team for the previous two seasons, RKSV HBC returns with a Saturday team in Saturday League 5.
2001 / Winning the promotion play-offs, HBC’s Saturday team accedes to Saturday League 4.
2009 / Clinching the title in District West I’s Saturday League 4D, HBC’s Saturday team reaches Saturday League 3 – but the stay at that level does not last longer than one season, with relegation following in 2010.
2011 / Finishing 11th in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, RKSV HBC’s Sunday team drops back into League 4, probably after losing a set of relegation play-offs. Also in 2011, former professional league player Peter van der Waart (playing for AZ ’67, HFC Haarlem, FC Den Bosch ’67, FC Utrecht, PEC Zwolle ’82, Roda JC, and BV De Graafschap between 1982 and 1991) is signed by HBC as its new trainer-coach. Later on, Van der Waart also takes over the directorship of the club’s youth academy.
2018 / Winning the title in League 4E, 2 points ahead of vv Zwanenburg, RKSV HBC’s Sunday squad manages promotion to League 3. After seven seasons, Peter van der Waart relinquishes his post as HBC’s head coach, staying on, however, as the club’s youth coordinator.
2019 / Winning the title in League 3C – the second title win in a row – 4 points ahead of RKSV DCG, RKSV HBC’s Sunday squad manages promotion to League 2.
2022 / Winning the title in League 2C, 8 points ahead of SV DONK, RKSV HBC’s Sunday squad manages promotion to League 2; considering the previous two seasons were cut short due to the COVID lockdowns, this amounts to the club’s third promotion in a row. For the first time in club history, HBC accedes to KNVB Sunday League 1. Also in 2022, HBC withdraws its Saturday team from regular first team football.
2023 / Incredibly, winning the title in Sunday League 1A – in effect the fourth title in a row – with an advantage of no fewer than 11 points over RKSV AFC ’34, RKSV HBC’s Sunday squad accedes to National Division 4.
2024 / Finishing in fifth place in its first season in National Division 4A, RKSV HBC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club successively defeats vv Scherpenzeel (2-2 aggr. & penalty shoot-out) and JOS Watergraafsmeer (4-1 aggr.). As such, RKSV HBC accedes to National Division 3, the fourth tier of the Netherlands' football pyramid.

Note – The main source for the information given above is a book published on the 100th anniversary of RKSV HBC in 2002: “100 jaar RKSV HBC”, written by J.L.J. (Ko) Rees / E.G.H. (Ed) Laurijssen / N.A. (Nico) Eeken / J.G.M. (Jan) Schumacher / Th.J. (Theo) Nunnink. Heartfelt thanks to Ko Rees personally for freely putting at my disposal the last copy of this book present in his personal archives.