Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKAV (1978-2014) / FC Aalsmeer (B) (2014-2016) / FC Aalsmeer (2016-)

Sportpark Hornmeer, Aalsmeer (FC Aalsmeer, formerly RKAV / B ground of FC Aalsmeer)

Netherlands, province: North Holland = Noord-Holland

28 IX 2024 / FC Aalsmeer - vv VIOS-W 4-2 / Combined Sunday & Saturday League 1A (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1918 / Foundation of a first football club in Aalsmeer, a town in North Holland; the new club, founded by a group of schoolboys, is given the name AFC (Aalsmeersche Football Club). Recreational matches are played on a pitch situated at Kerkweg.
1919 / With AFC, no more than an attempt at founding a football club, folding, plans are made to form a scouting group in Aalsmeer. As this project never comes to fruition, the decision is taken to form a new football club, which is given the name VVA (Voetbalvereeniging Aalsmeer). For the time being, this club, like its predecessor, sticks to playing friendly matches against makeshift teams from surrounding towns and villages. Due to not disposing of a pitch of its own, VVA only plays away matches for the time being.
1920 / Having had to make do without a pitch in the first year of its existence, VVA now settles at Terrein Geniedijk (at the crossroads with Bennebroekerweg), a plot of land owned by a local smallholder, Mr Enthoven.
1921 / After one year at Terrein Geniedijk, VVA moves to a newly laid-out pitch, Terrein Zwarteweg (at the crossroads with Groenedijk), a plot of land owned by a local smallholder, Mr Verdegaal.
1923 / As VVA joins the AVB (Amsterdamsche Voetbalbond), the Amsterdam sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, later KNVB), the club is ordered to adapt its name, becoming vv Aalsmeer, due to a club from Amsterdam founded in 1889 already using the acronym VVA (Voetbalvereeniging Amsterdam) as its name. Throughout its existence, though, vv Aalsmeer continues to be referred to locally as ‘VVA’. For the 1923-24 season, vv Aalsmeer is placed in AVB Division 3.
1924 / In its first season, vv Aalsmeer finishes in third place in AVB Division 3. Although not eligible for promotion on grounds of sports considerations, the club is co-opted to be placed in AVB Division 2 for the new season.
1928 / vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in AVB Division 2 behind champions NVS (Amsterdam).
1929 / Clinching the title in AVB Division 2, vv Aalsmeer accedes to AVB Division 1 for the first time.
1932 / After eleven years at Terrein Zwarteweg, vv Aalsmeer now moves to a newly laid-out pitch near Aalsmeer’s town centre, Terrein Sportlaan – still in use today by Aalsmeer’s athletics and tennis clubs.
1936 / After thirteen years in the ranks of the AVB, vv Aalsmeer now wins the title in AVB Division 1, thus acceding to KNVB (Sunday) League 4 for the first time. Also in 1936, a clubhouse and wooden dressing rooms are added to the set-up at Terrein Sportlaan. The new facilities are inaugurated with a gala match against an AFC Ajax XI (1-7, att. 1,500).
1937 / In February 1937, a grandstand is inaugurated, with the construction being made use of for the first time for vv Aalsmeer’s home match against TDO (att. 500). The costs for the building works are taken care of by a conglomerate of local entrepreneurs and benefactors, united in the SETA Foundation (‘Stichting Eretribune Aalsmeer’); as such, the new grandstand is given the name SETA-tribune. Also in 1937, as champions in District West I’s League 4E, 3 points ahead of runners-up SLTO, vv Aalsmeer fails to win promotion to League 3 in the subsequent round of play-offs.
1938 / Finishing in joint first place in District West I’s League 4E with ZSGO, vv Aalsmeer meets the club from Amsterdam in a tie-break match on the pitch of vv Schoten in Haarlem, going on to win the encounter 3-1. In the subsequent round of promotion play-offs, the club meets DJK, vv Oosterpark, among other clubs, going on to win all of its matches and thus acceding to League 3 for the first time. The skipper of the successful team is G. Kniep.
1949 / With Roman Catholic boys having played in a separate vv Aalsmeer youth team in the previous years, a teacher of the local Roman Catholic primary school, L. Pagano Mirani, takes the initiative to form a separate club. In March 1949, the foundation meeting is held of RKSV DETO (Rooms-Katholieke Sportvereniging ‘Door Eendracht Tot Overwinning’), with the new club immediately holding merger talks with RKDES from nearby Kudelstaart. However, due to the membership of both clubs turning down such a merger, RKSV DETO applies for membership of the Netherlands’ Football Association independently. Due to the name DETO already having been taken the previous year by a merger club from Vriezenveen in Overijssel, the club is admitted on the condition that it changes its name; as such, a new name is devised, RKAV (Rooms-Katholieke Aalsmeerse Vereniging). RKAV settles on a pitch laid out at Zwarteweg, on a plot of farmland owned by a local smallholder, Mr Van Wees. Apart from football, RKAV also has branches for gymnastics, handball, and several other sports in the first decades of its existence.
1950 / Finishing in joint last position in District West I’s Sunday League 3D with RKVV De Meer, vv Aalsmeer meets the club from Amsterdam in a tie-break match, suffering defeat in that encounter. As such, the club drops back into Sunday League 4 after twelve years.
1951 / vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 4E, 6 points behind champions RKAVIC.
1954 / Having played its football exclusively on Sundays in the first decades of its existence, vv Aalsmeer now allows the town’s Protestant community to form a Saturday branch under the aegis of the club. Henceforth, vv Aalsmeer is represented with a Saturday first team in the ranks of the AVB.
1955 / Finishing as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, 2 points behind champions ADE, vv Aalsmeer wins a tie-break match against VVIJ, played at EMM ’15’s ground in Hilversum (5-0). As such, the club clinches promotion to Sunday League 3 due to extra promotion places being available following the introduction of a professional league pyramid in the Netherlands, as a result of which many clubs from the higher echelons of the amateur divisions abandon the regular Sunday divisions.
1957 / vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, 3 points behind champions NFC.
1958 / Coached by W. de Gooyer, vv Aalsmeer clinches the title in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, 7 points ahead of runners-up JOS. In the subsequent round of play-offs against the other League 3 title winners in District West I – QSC, vv Egmondia, and JSV – vv Aalsmeer and JSV finish in the top two places, resulting in both clubs acceding to Sunday League 2.
1960 / At RKAV’s Terrein Zwarteweg, a second pitch is laid out, while a larger set of dressing rooms is inaugurated that same year.
1961 / RKAV wins the title in AVB Division 3, thereby acceding to AVB Division 2 for the first time. Meanwhile, at vv Aalsmeer’s Terrein Sportlaan, a floodlight installation is put in place at Terrein Sportlaan, with the club developing a habit of playing many of its home matches on Saturday evenings in subsequent years.
1962 / After just one season in AVB Division 2, RKAV drops back into AVB Division 3. Also in 1962, RKAV officially changes its name to become RKAV V.S. (Rooms-Katholieke Aalsmeerse Vereniging Voor Sport), but the additional two letters are seldom used colloquially and may have been dropped in subsequent years.
1964 / Finishing in second-last place in District West I’s Sunday League 2A, vv Aalsmeer drops back into Sunday League 3 along with bottom club NFC. Also in 1964, Henk van Mourik plays his 250th match for the club.
1966 / A new clubhouse, erected in wood, is inaugurated at RKAV’s Terrein Zwarteweg, with Aalsmeer’s mayor Leo Brouwer performing the inaugural ceremony.
1967 / Former vv Aalsmeer player Henk van Mourik joins RKAV as head coach of the first team.
1970 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, 3 points ahead of closest rivals vv Stichtse Boys, vv Aalsmeer manages a return to Sunday League 2 after an absence of six seasons.
1972 / A new sports park is inaugurated in the Hornmeer area of Aalsmeer, with both vv Aalsmeer and RKAV moving to these new facilities – with each club disposing of its own corner of the park and a proper main pitch. vv Aalsmeer’s ground is mostly referred to locally as Sportpark Aan de Dreef, while RKAV’s park is known colloquially as Sportpark De Bok. The inauguration of vv Aalsmeer’s part of the park is celebrated with an inaugural match against AFC Ajax.
1973 / Champions in AVB Division 3, RKAV wins promotion to AVB Division 2 for the second time.
1974 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 2B, 3 points ahead of runners-up AVV Zeeburgia, vv Aalsmeer and its trainer Frans Kramer win promotion to Sunday League 1 for the first time in club history. The decisive points are clinches in a direct encounter against AVV Zeeburgia (2-0, goals by Jan Reurings & Dick Fiene). That same match, Bram Landzaat plays his 250th match for the club. At the end of the season, vv Aalsmeer’s player Martin Eijlers is signed by professional league side FC Amsterdam.
1975 / Champions in its first season in Sunday League 1A, 5 points ahead of closest followers ASV DWV, vv Aalsmeer and its coach Frans Kramer manage a historic promotion to Zondag Hoofdklasse, the top level of the non-league pyramid since its introduction in 1974 – and thereby the third tier of the Netherlands’ league system, right below the two professional divisions (although it has to be pointed out that these are a ‘closed shop’). The decisive point is clinched in an away match against RKSV DCG (1-1), with Wim Keessen scoring the Aalsmeer equaliser in the dying seconds of the encounter. Also in 1975, vv Aalsmeer’s Saturday team wins promotion from the ranks of AVB for the first time, thus acceding to KNVB District West I’s Saturday League 4. In the following three decades, while the focus in the club remains firmly on Sunday football, the Saturday team alternates spells in Saturday League 4 (1975-78, 1981-82, 1984-87, 1989-91, 1995-96), AVB Division 1 (1978-81), Saturday League 3 (1982-84, 1987-89, 1991-93, 1994-95, 1996-06), and Saturday League 2 (1993-94).
1978 / A force to be reckoned with at Hoofdklasse level since its promotion three years previously, vv Aalsmeer now manages a respectable third place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, finishing only 4 points behind champions HSV VUC. Meanwhile, RKAV clinches the title in AVB Division 2, thus acceding to AVB Division 1 for the first time – with the decisive points being obtained in a 3-1 home win against RCA (3-1). Also in 1978, with the new sports park, inaugurated only six years previously, already proving too small to house vv Aalsmeer as well as RKAV, the latter club now moves to a park somewhat further down the road, Sportpark Hornmeer, where it was due to stay for the remaining 36 years of its existence.
1979 / After just one season in AVB Division 1, RKAV drops back into AVB Division 2.
1980 / Finishing in second-last place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, vv Aalsmeer descends into Sunday League 1 along with bottom club vv Blauw-Wit.
1982 / Coached by Joop van Veen, RKAV clinches the title in AVB Division 2, thus managing a return to AVB Division 1 after an absence of three years.
1987 / vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in Sunday League 1A, 6 points behind champions vv Blauw-Wit.
1990 / Runaway champions in Sunday League 1A, 11 points ahead of runners-up USV Holland and vv Alphense Boys, vv Aalsmeer returns to Zondag Hoofdklasse after an absence of ten years. Meanwhile, RKAV wins promotion from the ranks of the AVB, acceding to KNVB Sunday League 4 for the first time in club history.
1991 / In the most successful season in club history, vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, 4 points behind champions USV Elinkwijk, while also winning District West I’s Regional Cup (Districtsbeker).
1993 / Finishing in twelfth place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, vv Aalsmeer saves its skin at that level following a victory over RKSV AFC ’34 in a tie-break match, played at ASV DWV’s Sportpark Elzenhagen in Amsterdam (2-1). Meanwhile, RKAV manages a second place in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, 3 points behind champions AS ’80, failing to win promotion in the subsequent round of play-offs.
1994 / Finishing in twelfth place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, vv Aalsmeer fails to save its skin tat that level following a defeat against ASV UVV in a tie-break match, played at SV Argon’s Gemeentelijk Sportpark Hoofdweg (1-0). As such, the club drops back into Sunday League 1 after four seasons, along with HFC EDO and bottom club RCH.
1997 / Finishing in second-last place in Sunday League 1A, vv Aalsmeer descends into Sunday League 2 along with bottom club vv Kolping Boys. It is the first time in 23 years vv Aalsmeer finds itself at this level.
1998 / Finishing in tenth place in Sunday League 2B, vv Aalsmeer descends into Sunday League 3 along with vv Veenendaal and bottom club SV Greenstars Baarn. It is the first time in 28 years vv Aalsmeer finds itself at this level.
1999 / While the focus remains firmly on the first team in the Sunday divisions, RKAV enters a Saturday team in the regular football pyramid in District West I’s Saturday League 5. The team holds out for six years at this level until being withdrawn by the club in 2005.
2001 / Finishing in fourth place in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, vv Aalsmeer withdraws its regular Sunday team from the league pyramid. No longer playing its football on Sundays, the club henceforth focuses on its first team in the Saturday pyramid, which plays at League 3 level as well.
2002 / A covered stand is inaugurated at RKAV’s Sportpark Hornmeer.
2003 / Finishing as runners-up in District West I’s Saturday League 3C, 6 points behind champions vv IJmuiden, vv Aalsmeer fails to win promotion in the subsequent play-off rounds.
2006 / Coached by Klaas Lamberts, vv Aalsmeer clinches the title in District West I’s Saturday League 3B, 2 points ahead of closest followers OSV NITA, thus winning promotion to Saturday League 2. Meanwhile, led by trainer Dirk Cornelissen, RKAV finishes in second place in District West I’s Sunday League 4E, 4 points behind RKSV Pancratius; in the subsequent round of play-offs, RKAV manages successive victories over SV Geinburgia, SV Ouderkerk, and Sporting Maroc, resulting in the club acceding to Sunday League 3 for the first time.
2007 / Coached by Wessel Colijn, vv Aalsmeer finishes bottom of the table in Saturday League 2B, thus dropping back into Saturday League 3 after just one season, along with the club finishing in second-last place, FC Castricum. Meanwhile, under the aegis of trainer Rocco de Vos, RKAV manages the best result in history, finishing in sixth place in District West I’s Sunday League 3C.
2008 / The main pitch of RKAV’s Sportpark Hornmeer is equipped with a synthetic surface.
2009 / Finishing as runners-up in District West I’s Saturday League 3B, 4 points behind champions SV Overbos, vv Aalsmeer fails to win promotion in the subsequent play-off rounds. Meanwhile, coached by Henny Egberts, RKAV finishes in second-last place in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, resulting in the club being retrograded to Sunday League 4 along with bottom club SV Bijlmer. Also in 2009, RKAV and vv Aalsmeer merge their youth academies, with youth teams taking part in their leagues under the name Jong Aalsmeer United from now on.
2010 / Coached by Edwin van Maas, vv Aalsmeer finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Saturday League 3B, 7 points behind champions AFC (za). As such, the club wins automatic promotion to Saturday League 2 following the introduction of the so-called Topklasse as the new top tier of the non-league pyramid, on top of Zondag Hoofdklasse and Zaterdag Hoofdklasse. Meanwhile, in District West I’s Sunday League 4E, RKAV and its coach Henny Egberts manage a second place, 8 points behind champions NFC Brommer. Qualifying for the promotion play-offs, the club is knocked out in R1 by ASV Fortius (3-2 aggr.).
2011 / On New Year’s Day 2011, RKAV’s covered stand, only nine years old, is consumed in a fire; only six months later, a replacement stand is inaugurated. Meanwhile, as runners-up in Saturday League 2A, 7 points behind champions CSV DVVA, vv Aalsmeer qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by IJFC (5-5 aggr. & away goals).
2012 / Runners-up in Saturday League 2A, 7 points behind champions FC Castricum, vv Aalsmeer qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by SV Geinoord (5-3 aggr.).
2013 / Coached by Anthony Servinus, vv Aalsmeer finishes in third place in Saturday League 2A. Qualifying for the play-offs, the club manages successive victories over ASV UVV (4-3 aggr.) and SV Marken (5-3), resulting in promotion to Saturday League 1. In November 2013, four years after merging their youth academies, vv Aalsmeer and RKAV conclude a fully-fledged merger, with both clubs agreeing to continue from mid-2014 onwards as FC Aalsmeer.
2014 / In its last season as an independent club, vv Aalsmeer finishes bottom of the table in Saturday League 1B, thus suffering relegation along with WV-HEDW, RCL, and SV BVCB. Meanwhile, RKAV finishes its last season in ninth place in District West I’s Sunday League 4F. Following the 2013-14 season, vv Aalsmeer’s Sportpark Aan de Dreef as well as RKAV’s Sportpark Hornmeer remain in use, with renovation works on the latter commencing in 2015 in view of the club’s plans to move all its activities there in due course. In the new season, FC Aalsmeer enters two first teams, in Saturday League 2B and District West I’s Sunday League 4D respectively.
2016 / After a year of renovation works on the clubhouse, the new Sportpark Hornmeer is inaugurated in January 2016. Eventually, Sportpark Aan de Dreef is abandoned once and for all after the end of the 2015-16 season. Meanwhile, FC Aalsmeer’s Saturday team finishes in joint first place in Saturday League 2B with FC Almere, going on to defeat that club in a tie-break match (2-2 & penalty shoot-out), thus acceding to Saturday League 1. The Sunday team crowns its first season under the new name with success as well, finishing in fourth place in District West I’s Sunday League 4F and winning two rounds of play-offs – against FC Purmerend (4-2 aggr.) and SV De Meteoor (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out) – resulting in promotion to Sunday League 3.
2019 / Finishing in twelfth place in Saturday League 1A, FC Aalsmeer (za) has to play a set of promotion-relegation play-offs to save its skin at this level. Defeating ASV Arsenal in R1 (3-1), the club is knocked out in R2 by vv ZOB (4-1). As such, FC Aalsmeer (za) descends into Saturday League 2 along with CSW and bottom club HC&FC Victoria.
2022 / Finishing in third place in Saturday League 2A, FC Aalsmeer (za) qualifies for the promotion play-offs, being eliminated in R1 by SV Die Haghe (3-2).
2023 / Champions in Saturday League 2D, 3 points ahead of SV DONK, FC Aalsmeer (za) wins promotion to Saturday League 1.
2024 / Finishing in third place in the newly formed League 1B for Sunday & Saturday clubs, FC Aalsmeer (za) qualifies for the promotion play-offs, defeating CVV Oranje Nassau 1918 in R1 (2-3), but being knocked out in R2 by SV DZC ’68 (3-1). Meanwhile, the Sunday team finishes in second-last place in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, resulting in relegation to Sunday League 4 along with bottom club APWC; however, following the 2023-24 season, FC Aalsmeer (zo) is withdrawn from the regular league pyramid.

Note – Much of the information above was derived from two memorial booklets put at my disposal by FC Aalsmeer officials, ‘vv Aalsmeer in beeld 1919-1975’ by J. Wey / A. Eigenhuis / H. van der Sluis; and ‘RKAV 65 jaar 1949-2014’ (anonymous). Many thanks to FC Aalsmeer for allowing me to use these two sources.