Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: CSV BOL

Sportpark Het Bolwerk, Broek op Langedijk (CSV BOL)

Netherlands, province: North Holland = Noord-Holland

16 XII 2023 / CSV BOL - vv Hoogland 2-1 / National Division 4A (= NL level 5)

Timeline

1949 / Foundation of a football club in Broek op Langedijk, which takes on the name CSV BOL (Christelijke Sportvereniging ‘Broek op Langedijk’). Contrary to most clubs in the surrounding area, CSV BOL is a protestant club – and thus chooses to take its place in Saturday league football rather than in the Sunday divisions of the Noord-Hollandse Voetbalbond (NHVB). Not disposing of its own ground in Broek op Langedijk, the club concludes a groundsharing agreement with Sunday league club SV Vrone, being allowed to play its football on that club’s B pitch at Terrein Boeterslaan in Sint Pancras.
1961 / Having groundshared at SV Vrone for twelve years, CSV BOL finally inaugurates its own ground at Prinses Margrietstraat in Broek op Langedijk proper. This newly laid-out ground, later rebaptised Sportpark Het Bolwerk, initially disposes of just one pitch. The inaugural match is a friendly against SV Vrone – with a CSV BOL defender scoring the first-ever goal… an own goal, that is.
1966 / For the first time in club history, CSV BOL accedes to KNVB District West I’s Saturday League 4 following a title win in NHVB Division 1.
1967 / In its first season in the regular KNVB divisions, CSV BOL wins the title in Saturday League 4B, thereby acceding to Saturday League 3.
1969 / Having held out in L3 for two seasons, CSV BOL now finishes last in Saturday League 3A, thus descending back into League 4.
1973 / A second pitch is added to CSV BOL’s ground at Prinses Margrietstraat; this new pitch, situated to the south of the new clubhouse and adjacent to the Ringvaart canal, has since been the park’s main pitch.
1984 / Having played in District West I’s Saturday League 4 for the past fifteen seasons, CSV BOL now finishes in last place in Saturday League 4A, thus dropping back into the ranks of NHVB after eighteen years. Also in 1984, the current two-storey clubhouse is inaugurated.
1994 / After an absence of ten years, CSV BOL manages a return to the ranks of District West I’s Saturday League 4.
1996 / Finishing in 7th place in L4A, CSV BOL wins a subsequent round of promotion play-offs to accede to Saturday League 3 – marking a return to that level after 27 years.
2005 / CSV BOL drops back into League 4 following an 11th place finish in L3A. Also in 2005, a third pitch, laid out to the south of the main pitch, is added to the set-up at Sportpark Het Bolwerk.
2006 / Coached by Martin van Leuven, CSV BOL finishes in 3rd place in Saturday League 4A; in the subsequent round of promotion play-offs, the club manages to break down the door to League 3 for a second time.
2007 / A thorough renovation of BOL’s clubhouse is carried out, involving a slight extension of the building.
2011 / Finishing 7 points ahead of derby rivals vv Opperdoes, CSV BOL – coached by Jorgen Heurter – clinches the title in Saturday League 3A, resulting in a historic promotion to Saturday League 2.
2012 / In its first season ever at L2 level, CSV BOL finishes in 12th place in Saturday League 2A, ahead of vv Amstelveen Heemraad and RKSV TOB, both of which descend directly into League 3. Having escaped that fate initially, Jorgen Heurter’s men eventually drop back into that same division following a 2-3 aggregate defeat at the hands of vv Kagia in R1 of the play-offs.
2013 / Still coached by Jorgen Heurter, CSV BOL wins the title in Saturday League 3A, 2 points ahead of EVC and without suffering a single defeat; centre-forward Pieter-Bas den Hartigh crowns himself top scorer of the league with no fewer than 51 goals (of a total of 121 scored by BOL in 26 matches). Also in 2013, the main pitch at Sportpark Het Bolwerk is equipped with a drainage system, while a start is made with the renovation of the park’s changing rooms.
2017 / With CSV BOL and WV-HEDW finishing in joint-first place in Saturday League 2A – although BOL has a far better goal difference (+53 as opposed to +37 for the Amsterdam side) – the two clubs play a tie-break match at EVC’s Sportpark Het Bolwerck in Edam, in which BOL is defeated (1-2). In the subsequent round of promotion play-offs, CSV BOL defeats FC De Bilt in R1 (6-3 on aggregate), but is defeated by SV Marken in the final round (6-2 aggr.) – thus missing out on the coveted ticket for Saturday League 1.
2018 / Finishing 7 points ahead of runners-up vv Blauw-Wit Beursbengels, CSV BOL, coached by Bart Hoogland, clinches the title in Saturday League 2A, thus winning promotion to Saturday League 1 for the first time in club history. In the following season, the club holds its own admirably well at this level with a 5th place in L1A.
2023 / Under the guidance of trainer Erwin Tump, CSV BOL wins the title in Saturday League 1A, 4 points ahead of closest followers Montfoort SV ’19. In the decisive 1-0 win over FC De Bilt, the all-important goal is scored by Ruben Beentjes, who had joined BOL from League 4 side VAVV Alcmaria Victrix the previous year. As such, CSV BOL finds itself in National Division 4 for the first time ever.
2024 / Finishing in fourteenth place in National Division 4A, CSV BOL has to play a set of play-offs to assure itself of a prolonged stay at that level. Defeating vv Winsum (3-0) and WV-HEDW (3-1) in the first two rounds, the club eventually suffers defeat at the hands of vv d'Olde Veste '54 in R3 (5-0). In a lucky loser competition, organised due to one extra place in National Division 4 being available, CSV BOL is eliminated in R1 by vv Flevo Boys (4-1), resulting in the club dropping back into League 1 after one season of national league football.