Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKVV Volharding

Sportpark Soetendaal, Vierlingsbeek (RKVV Volharding)

Netherlands, province: North Brabant = Noord-Brabant

10 XI 2024 / RKVV Volharding - GSV '28 1-3 / District South II, League 1E (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1912 / Two years before the official foundation of a football club in Vierlingsbeek, there is already talk of a team, which may have been formed even somewhat earlier, perhaps in 1910 and 1911 – with the names VVV (meaning of abbreviation unclear) and Volharding being mentioned in local media. The ‘club’s’ first pitch is a plot of farmland, Terrein De Staay, on the eastern outskirts of the village.
1914 / Official foundation of a football club in Vierlingsbeek, which takes on the name Rooms-Katholieke Voetbalvereeniging (RKVV) Volharding. The club joins a Roman-Catholic football association, the so-called Bossche Voetbalbond). Probably due to the outbreak of World War I, however, with potential players being called up for army service – although remaining neutral throughout the war, the Netherlands’ armed forces were mobilised to guard the borders – the club does not seem to have taken part in any competition in the four years after its foundation.
1918 / After a dormant existence of several years, RKVV Volharding is re-founded under a new name, Rood Wit, with the club joining the Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalbond (RKVB), being placed in the Maasbuurt branch. The club’s new pitch is Terrein De Vogel (exact location unclear).
1920 / After having worn the name Rood Wit for two years, the old name RKVV Volharding is reinstated, probably coinciding with the moment the club joined the Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, the future KNVB) after two years of playing in the Roman-Catholic RKVB. For the 1920-21 season, the club is placed in Division 1 of the so-called Noord-Brabantsche Voetbalbond (NBVB), NVB’s sub-branch in North Brabant organising league football in this province below the level of NVB (Sunday) League 3.
1921 / Probably after winning a title in NBVB Division 1, RKVV Volharding accedes to NVB League 3.
1923 / Champions in District South’s League 3D, 3 points ahead of runners-up vv Vaals, RKVV Volharding wins promotion to NVB League 2.
1924 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South’s League 2C, RKVV Volharding drops back into League 3.
1926 / In its last season in the ranks of the NVB, RKVV Volharding finishes in fourth place in District South’s League 3E. The club temporarily ceases its activities, fielding no team in the 1926-27 season.
1927 / RKVV Volharding resumes its activities, but not as a member of the neutral NVB, instead returning to Roman-Catholic football as a member of the RKVB, being placed in Division 2 South of the Maasbuurt branch of this league system. Meanwhile, the club plays its football on a new pitch, situated in the hamlet of Schafferden, to the west of Vierlingsbeek proper.
1928 / In its first season following the club’s return in the RKVB, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in Afdeeling Maasbuurt Division 2 South, thus winning promotion to Afdeeling Maasbuurt Division 1.
1934 / Possibly after a conflict of some sort, part of RKVV Volharding’s membership leaves the club, forming a breakaway club called Nooit Gedacht, which plays its football at Terrein Den Dries – however folding after just one year. In the 1930s, there are at least four other short-lived rival clubs in Vierlingsbeek; De Mortel, Fortuna, EMM, and DEVO.
1936 / Under the aegis of the club’s first-ever trainer, Piet Schelbergen, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in RKVB Afdeling Maasbuurt Division 1 South, but the club does not manage to win the play-off matches for promotion to the so-called IVCB (Interdiocesane Voetbalcompetitiebond) or nationwide Roman-Catholic divisions.
1937 / Coached by Wiel Peeters, RKVV Volharding wins the title in RKVB Afdeling Maasbuurt Division 1 South for the second year in a row, with the club also succeeding at winning promotion to IVCB Division 3 this time around. The club stays in this division until the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1940.
1940 / Having spent the previous thirteen of its existence in the RKVB / IVCB, RKVV Volharding is now constrained to make the step to the official Netherlands’ FA (renamed NVB following the German oppression of the Netherlands, abandoning the royal epithet ‘koninklijk’ for obvious reasons) as all other football associations are abolished by German occupation authorities. For the 1940-41 season, the club is placed in District South’s Sunday League 3F.
1941 / Finishing in eighth place in District South’s (Sunday) League 3F, RKVV Volharding is retrograded to Sunday League 4 for the new season.
1944 / A new pitch is laid out for RKVV Volharding close to the old location in the hamlet of Schafferden. Due to tanks of the Allied forces liberating the south of the Netherlands in the fall of 1944 ravaging this pitch, however, it takes until the summer of 1945 before it is first taken in use.
1950 / RKVV Volharding player Wim Koelen, who had spent the three previous years away from home as part of the Netherlands’ army in the Dutch East Indies, is signed by Sunday League 1 club PSV, where he would stay for six years – without becoming a regular first team player, however.
1951 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, 4 points behind champions RKSV Gennep.
1959 / Under the aegis of Wim Koelen, who returned to RKVV Volharding as player-coach after a spell with SV TOP, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, finishing 1 point ahead of closest rivals RKVV Montagnards. The decisive points are clinched in an away win at RKOSV Achates. However, the club fails to secure promotion in the ensuing championship play-offs.
1960 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 5 points behind champions RKOSV Achates.
1962 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, 1 point ahead of closest rivals RKVV Montagnards, RKVV Volharding wins promotion to Sunday League 3. The decisive point is clinched in an away draw at RKVV Brughusia (1-1). The team is still coached at the time by player-trainer Wim Koelen.
1963 / Still under the aegis of Wim Koelen, RKVV Volharding wins its second title in a row, this time finishing in first place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, 8 points ahead of runners-up IVO. As such, the club accedes to Sunday League 2 after an absence of 59 years at this level. Also in 1963, moving away from its pitch in Schafferden, RKVV Volharding settles at the newly laid-out Sportpark Soetendaal, where it initially disposes of two pitches – later extended to the present five. The clubhouse is built in an empty factory building, previously used as an abattoir. The new park is officially inaugurated by Vierlingsbeek’s mayor, Mr Van Heusden, with Volharding’s chairman, Dr. Smets, upon which the main pitch is consecrated by the village priest, Fr Lamers. To celebrate the occasion, Sunday League 1 team SV TOP is invited for a gala match. The current main pitch has served in that capacity from the very beginning.
1965 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 1 point behind champions RKSV De Ster. Volharding loses the title on the last day of the season, suffering a 5-4 away defeat at RKTVV Tiglieja in front of a crowd of 5,000.
1966 / The football club in Maashees – name unknown – is absorbed into RKVV Volharding, with the club from Vortum Mullem – name unknown as well – following suit in 1967. The pitch is Maashees remains in use for lower team football and training sessions by RKVV Volharding for some years after the absorption.
± 1967 / A covered stand as well as an uncovered terrace are added to the set-up at Sportpark Soetendaal – with the latter still featuring on the southern side of the main pitch.
1968 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 7 points behind champions RKVV Voerendaal.
1971 / A floodlight installation is put in place alongside the main pitch at Sportpark Soetendaal, with this new feature being inaugurated with a gala match against FC VVV.
1974 / RKVV Volharding celebrates its sixtieth anniversary with a gala match at Sportpark Soetendaal against FC VVV.
1976 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 4 points behind champions RKTVV Tiglieja.
1977 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 2 points behind champions SV Megacles. In the summer of 1977, Volharding entertains PSV in a pre-season friendly at Sportpark Soetendaal (2-4, Volharding’s goals by Geert Franssen & Karel van Laaken).
1978 / A new clubhouse is erected at Sportpark Soetendaal.
1979 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 1 point behind champions RKSV Blerick. Also in 1979, a new main stand is erected at Sportpark Soetendaal, with the construction being inaugurated officially in January 1980 with a gala match against Roda JC (2-4).
1981 / Coached by Lei Janssen, RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 3 points behind champions SV Megacles. Due to an extra promotion place being available, the club gets to play a tie-break match against RKVV Venlosche Boys. With the encounter taking place at SV Venray’s Sportpark De Wieën in front of a crowd of 3,500, RKVV Volharding eventually walks away as winners thanks to a sole Jan Cremers goal. As such, the club accedes to Sunday League 1 for the first time.
1983 / Coached by Toon Verdeuzeldonk, RKVV Volharding finishes in second-last place in Sunday League 1F, thus dropping back into Sunday League 2 along with bottom club vv Walram. Also in 1983, Volharding’s legendary former player-coach Wim Koelen passes away at the age of 56.
1984 / RKVV Volharding hosts Feyenoord Rotterdam in a pre-season friendly at Sportpark Soetendaal, suffering a 14-0 defeat. Feyenoord’s side included the likes of Ivan Nielsen, Ruud Gullit, and Simon Tahamata.
1985 / RKVV Volharding hosts Feyenoord Rotterdam in a pre-season friendly at Sportpark Soetendaal for the second year running, with the guests booking a 10-1 win this time. Volharding’s goal is scored by midfielder René Meulensteen. Meulensteen would go on to have a successful coaching career, assisting Alex Ferguson at Manchester United FC and also working as head coach at Brøndby IF, FC Anzhi Makhachkala, Fulham FC, and Maccabi Haifa FC.
1986 / Coached by Lei Janssen, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in District South II’s Sunday League 2B without suffering a single defeat all season, 6 points ahead of closest followers vv Born. The title was obtained in an away match against vv Born (2-3, goals by Geert Franssen, Tonnie Theunissen, and Toine Oudenhoven) attended by some 1,000 spectators. As such, the club manages a return to Sunday League 1 after an absence of three seasons.
1989 / RKVV Volharding hosts AFC Ajax in a pre-season friendly at Sportpark Soetendaal, suffering a 7-1 defeat. Ajax’s team included the likes of Jan Wouters, John van ‘t Schip, Aron Winter, and Dennis Bergkamp.
1990 / Still coached by Lei Janssen, RKVV Volharding manages a seventh place in Sunday League 1F – but, more importantly, the club qualifies for the promotion play-offs thanks to a good run in the last quarter of the season. In a tie-break match for one promotion spot, played at RKVV Maasbracht’s Sportpark Mortelskoel (att. 700), Volharding has the better of RKONS (2-1, goals by Manfred Jacobs & Wil Berden. As such, the club achieves a historic promotion to Zondag Hoofdklasse, the top division of the Netherlands’ non-league at the time.
1991 / Coached by Tonnie Theunissen, RKVV Volharding finishes in second-last place in Zondag Hoofdklasse C, thus dropping back into Sunday League 1 after just one season, along with bottom club RKVV Wilhelmina. The defeat sealing the club’s fate was suffered in an away match at vv DESK in Kaatsheuvel (4-1).
1992 / Finishing in third-last place in District South II’s Sunday League 1F, RKVV Volharding, still coached by Tonnie Theunissen, goes on to suffer defeat in a relegation play-off, thus experiencing its second relegation in a row, and dropping back into Sunday League 2 along with vv Sittard and bottom club RKVV Veritas.
1993 / Coached by Ronald Gits, RKVV Volharding wins the title in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, 4 points ahead of runners-up RKSV FCV. The decisive points were obtained in a home win over RKMSV. As such, the club manages an immediate return to Sunday League 1F.
1994 / RKVV Volharding wins District South II’s Regional Cup (Districtsbeker), defeating Heerlen Sport in the final, played at Sportpark Soetendaal, with the only goal of the match being scored by Peter van Rhee.
1995 / Having reached the semifinal of the Regional Cup in the 1994-95 season, RKVV Volharding qualifies for the Netherlands’ Cup for the first and – so far – only time in its existence. After defeating AFC in R1 (0-1, goal by Peter van Osch), the club qualifies for the group stage, in which it loses all of its matches (against SV De Treffers, Helmond Sport, and BV De Graafschap). Also in 1995, former RKVV Volharding youth player Pol van Boekel makes his debut as a professional league player at VVV, staying with that club until withdrawing into non-league at JVC Cuijk in 2000. Later on, Van Boekel made a career as a professional league referee.
1996 / Coached by Hans Willems, RKVV Volharding obtains the title in Sunday League 1F, 3 points ahead of closest rivals vv Eijsden. The decisive points are clinched in a 0-3 away win at SV Heerlen. As such, the club wins promotion to Zondag Hoofdklasse for the second time. Also in 1996, the clubhouse and main stand, both dating back to the 1970s, are knocked down to make way for a new, two-tiered clubhouse and main stand combined. The premises are inaugurated in August 1996 by Vierlingsbeek’s mayor Hans Dittner.
1997 / Coached by Hans Willems, RKVV Volharding finishes bottom of the table in Zondag Hoofdklasse B, dropping back into Sunday League 1 after just one season, along with the club finishing in second-last place, EHC.
1998 / Coached by Henk Evers, RKVV Volharding suffers its second relegation in a row, finishing bottom of the table in Sunday League 1C and thus descending into Sunday League 2 along with the club finishing in second-last place, RKVV Roosendaal.
1999 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in Sunday League 2H, 11 points behind runaway champions RKVV IVS.
2000 / Still coached by Henk Evers, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in Sunday League 2H, 8 points ahead of closest followers RKVV EVV. As such, the club wins promotion to Sunday League 1.
2001 / RKVV Volharding reaches the final of District South II’s Regional Cup for the second time. The encounter against SV Panningen is staged at RKSV Groene Ster’s Sportpark Pronsebroek, with Volharding suffering defeat after a penalty shoot-out (1-1 A.E.T., 3-4).
2002 / Coached by John Janssen, RKVV Volharding finishes in tenth place in Sunday League 1D, going on to suffer defeat in a relegation play-off and thus descending into Sunday League 2 along with SV Heerlen and bottom club RFC Roermond. As John Janssen leaves the club, he is replaced as trainer by former VVV professional league defender Chris Burhenne, who would stay on in this capacity for three seasons.
2009 / RKVV Volharding finishes as runners-up in Sunday League 2H, 7 points behind champions RKSV Sparta ’25.
2016 / Coached by Sjoerd van der Coelen, RKVV Volharding clinches the title in Sunday League 2H, 5 points ahead of runners-up RKSV Prinses Irene. The decisive points are obtained in a comprehensive 0-4 away defeat at Prinses Irene’s Sportpark De Schellen. As such, Volharding manages a return to Sunday League 1 after fourteen consecutive seasons in League 2.
2017 / Unable to hold its own at League 1 level, RKVV Volharding, still coached by Sjoerd van der Coelen, finishes in second-last place in Sunday League 1D, thus being retrograded to Sunday League 2 along with SV Someren and derby rivals RKVV SSS ’18. In the summer of 2017, the main pitch at Sportpark Soetendaal is equipped with a synthetic surface.
2022 / Coached by John Vullings, RKVV Volharding obtains the title in Sunday League 2H, 9 points ahead of runners-up SVSSS, thus winning promotion to Sunday League 1 after an absence of five seasons. With Vullings leaving the club, he is succeeded as head coach by former NEC and Helmond Sport trainer Jan Pruijn, who would stay on in this capacity for two seasons.
2023 / Runners-up in Sunday League 1C, 19 points behind runaway champions RKSV Wittenhorst, RKVV Volharding, coached by Jan Pruijn, qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated by RKSV NEO (0-1).

Note – Much of the information in the above has been derived from a book published by RKVV Volharding on the occasion of the club’s centenary anniversary in 2014: “Volharding, dat is onze naam”, by Ron Koenen & Wim Moorman. Thanks to Volharding board member Jan Nabuurs for putting at my disposal a copy of this book.