Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: BFC (1923-) / BSV Allen Weerbaar (1923-1986)

Sportpark Meerweg, Bussum (BFC, formerly BSV Allen Weerbaar)

Netherlands, province: North Holland = Noord-Holland

25 I 2025 / BFC - SDC Putten 2-1 / District East, League 1F (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1900 / In Bussum, two football clubs, Trap Raak and Leonidas, conclude a merger, resulting in the foundation of BFC (‘Bussumsche Football Club’). This ‘first’ BFC reaches NVB League 2 in 1903, but folds three years later. It is unclear where the pitch of this BFC was situated.
1903 / In Bussum, a football club is founded as a sub-branch of the local chapter of the so-called Vereeniging Volksweerbaarheid, a paramilitary organisation founded three years previously following an outburst of sympathy for the Boers in South Africa in their second war against the British; the new sports club in Bussum is given the name Bussumsche Sportvereeniging (BSV) Allen Weerbaar (sometimes abbreviatedly referred to as ‘AW’). BSV Allen Weerbaar finds itself a pitch at Fort Werk IV in Bussum, later moving to a pitch situated closely to the village’s old cemetery – and from there to Terrein Bilderdijkpark, where the club would stay until 1923.
1904 / Probably following co-optation, BSV Allen Weerbaar makes its debut in NVB District West’s (Sunday) League 3.
1906 / Champions in District West’s League 3A, 2 points ahead of vv Holland (from Amsterdam, absorbed into AFC Ajax in 1908), BSV Allen Weerbaar wins promotion to League 2.
1912 / BSV Allen Weerbaar manages a third place in District West’s League 2A – an achievement repeated in 1913, 1914, and 1915. The club has never finished in a higher position in the remainder of its history.
1917 / In the Godelindebuurt, a neighbourhood in Bussum, a football club is founded, which is given the name DVV (‘Door Vrienden Verenigd’). For the moment, the club does not seek affiliation with any league association – also due to the fact that DVV does not dispose of a pitch of its own.
1920 / After having seen its application as new members of the AVB (Amsterdamsche Voetbalbond), the Amsterdam sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, KNVB from 1929 onwards), turned down, DVV joins another sub-association, the so-called UPVB (‘Utrechtsche Provinciale Voetbalbond’), being placed in UPVB Division 3 for the 1920-21 season. By this time, the club disposes of a pitch not far from Bussum’s water tower. The club wins its first home match, an encounter with HV&AV Donar Reserves, 2-0, with Hein Braam scoring the club’s first-ever official goal. On October 31st, 1920, DVV has its request filed at the UPVB to continue its life with a new name, BFC (‘Bussumsche Football Club’), granted. In the BFC’s annals, 1920 – rather than 1917 – is regarded as the club’s founding year.
1921 / Finishing in second-last place in District West’s League 2B, BSV Allen Weerbaar drops back into League 3 along with bottom club SV Gouda. Meanwhile, winning the title in UPVB Division 3 in its first season, BFC wins promotion to UPVB Division 2. That same year, BFC moves to a new pitch on the southern outskirts of Bussum, near the Bussumerheide natural reserve.
1922 / Managing back-to-back titles, BFC crowns itself champions in UPVB Division 2, thus acceding to UPVB Division 1.
1923 / BFC and BSV Allen Weerbaar move into the newly laid-out Sportpark Meerweg together, becoming groundsharers – with first team matches on the main pitch being alternated. In fact, the main pitch of the original park was situated in roughly the same position as the current main pitch. Laid out by Bussum’s municipal authorities, the park, which covered the same area as nowadays, was made use of not just by the two football clubs, but by netball club Olympia, cricket club De Vleermuizen, and the so-called Gooische Hockey & Bandyclub as well. The villa on the northwestern corner of the park served as entrance gate as well as caretaker’s lodge.
1924 / BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes in joint first place in District West I’s League 3C with ASC SDW, but the club fails to win promotion to League 2. Meanwhile, following a 0-4 away win at vv En-Avant in Utrecht, BFC clinches the title in UPVB Division 1, thus achieving a historic promotion to NVB District West I’s (Sunday) League 4.
1925 / Champions in District West I’s League 4A, 4 points ahead of closest rivals Ahrends VC, BFC qualifies for the championship play-offs against AVV Swift and AVV Wilhelmina Vooruit – and finishing in first place in this competition as well, the club achieves its second promotion in a row, acceding to NVB League 3 for the first time.
1927 / Runaway champions in District West I’s League 3D, 7 points ahead of closest followers vv Culemborg, BFC qualifies for the championship play-offs against WFC Rapiditas and SV Kampong – and finishing in first place in this competition as well, the club accedes to NVB League 2 for the first time.
1928 / BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes as runners-up in District West I’s League 3C, 6 points behind champions AFC DWS.
1931 / Finishing in joint last place in District West I’s League 2B with AVV HVC, BFC meets the club from Amersfoort in a tie-break match at the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Soestdijkerstraatweg (‘Hilversumsch Sportpark’) in Hilversum attended by some 4,000 spectators. Winning the encounter (3-0), BFC avoids relegation.
1933 / BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes as runners-up in District West I’s League 3D, 3 points behind champions DOS ’01.
1938 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West I’s League 2B, 2 points behind the club in second-last position, future professional league side vv Velox, BFC drops back into League 3 after eleven seasons.
1941 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, BSV Allen Weerbaar descends into Sunday League 4 for the first time in its history.
1942 / Finishing in joint first place in District West I’s Sunday League 3E with LFC Laren, BFC meets its local rivals in a tie-break match at the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Soestdijkerstraatweg (‘Hilversums Sportpark’) in Hilversum attended by some 6,000 spectators. Suffering a heavy (4-0) defeat, the club descends into Sunday League 4, a level at which it last placed eighteen seasons before.
1943 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4K, 4 points ahead of closest rivals HVV De Zebra’s, BSV Allen Weerbaar does not get the opportunity to win promotion to League 3 due to no promotion play-offs being held at the behest of the Netherlands’ Football Association.
1944 / BFC finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 3E, 2 points behind champions AVV DEC. Also in 1944, although winning no title in the 1943-44 season, BSV Allen Weerbaar is given the opportunity to play promotion matches against 1944 League 4 champions HVV De Zebra’s on the back of its title in 1943. After two tie-break matches, BSV Allen Weerbaar walks away with the ticket for League 3. That same year, handball club BHC moves into Sportpark Meerweg.
1946 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 3F following a tie-break match against HV&AV Donar at the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Soestdijkerstraatweg (‘Hilversums Sportpark’) in Hilversum attended by some 10,000 (!) spectators (1-0, goal by Cees Boerhout), BFC fails to achieve promotion in the ensuing round of championship play-offs. Meanwhile, in District West I’s Sunday League 3E, BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes in joint first position with ASC WMS, but no promotion is achieved.
1951 / With coach P. Beugelaar leaving the club in the course of the season following his decision to emigrate from the Netherlands, BFC finishes bottom of the table in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, thus dropping back into Sunday League 4.
1954 / Finishing in joint last position in District West I’s Sunday League 3D with ZSC Patria and vv Maarssen, BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes in last place in a tie-break competition with these two clubs, thus suffering relegation to Sunday League 4. Meanwhile, finishing in joint last position in District West I’s Sunday League 4G with vv Amersfoortse Boys, BFC saves its skin in a tie-break match against the club from Amersfoort, thus avoiding relegation.
1955 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4G, 5 points ahead of closest followers – and village rivals – RKVV SDO, BSV Allen Weerbaar goes on to win the championship play-offs, thus achieving promotion to Sunday League 3.
1956 / BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, 3 points behind champions JSV.
1957 / BSV Allen Weerbaar’s baseball branch continues life independently as HCAW – destined to become one of the Netherlands’ main baseball clubs.
1958 / BFC finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, 3 points behind champions AVV Swift.
1962 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, 1 point ahead of closest rivals ASV Meerboys, BFC fails to win promotion to Sunday League 3 in the ensuing round of championship play-offs.
1963 / At Sportpark Meerweg, a new clubhouse is erected by Bussum’s municipal authorities, giving BSV Allen Weerbaar and BFC the luxury of a set of dressing rooms as well as a canteen.
1964 / Finishing in second-last place in District West I’s Sunday League 3B along with AVV Swift, BSV Allen Weerbaar meets the club from Amsterdam in a tie-break match at RKAVIC’s ground in Amstelveen, suffering defeat in the last minute of extra time (2-1) – thus being condemned to relegation to League 4 along with bottom club RKVV SDO.
1965 / After having been selected for the Netherlands’ U15 team, BFC youth player Jan Penneweert joins the youth academy of professional league side AFC DWS in Amsterdam.
1970 / Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, BFC plays a gala match at Sportpark Meerweg against a selection of former Netherlands’ international players, including the legendary Abe Lenstra.
1971 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4G, 3 points ahead of runners-up SVF, BFC wins promotion to Sunday League 3 – a level at which the club last played nineteen years before. The decisive point is clinched in an away match against vv SEC. The successful coach is Mr Stokwielder. Meanwhile, BSV Allen Weerbaar finishes in last place in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, thus being retrograded to the ranks of the UPVB for the first time in its history. Also in 1971, after six years at professional league side AFC DWS, in which he did not manage more than a handful of first team matches, Jan Penneweert returns to BFC.
1972 / BFC reaches the final of District West I’s Regional Cup (the so-called Districtsbeker), losing the match, played at Sportpark Meerweg, after a penalty shoot-out (1-1 A.E.T.) against SV Hoofddorp. Earlier that same year, the clubhouse at Sportpark Meerweg had been consumed in a fire. By the end of 1972, a temporary construction has been put in place by way of replacement – which in fact lasts for the following seventeen years.
1973 / BFC finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, 2 points behind SV Saestum.
1974 / Finishing in joint second place in District West I’s Sunday League 3D with HVV ‘t Gooi and VVIJ, 4 points behind champions vv Stichtse Boys, BFC meets these two clubs in a tie-break competition due to extra promotion places being available following the introduction of a Zondag Hoofdklasse as the new top level of the Sunday pyramid. Winning the tie-break competition, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs against ASV DJK, vv Ripperda, and Victoria O, with only the last-mentioned club missing out on promotion to Sunday League 2. BFC’s successful coach is Mr Stokwielder.
1975 / Handball club BHC leaves Sportpark Meerweg, with just the two football clubs, BSV Allen Weerbaar and BFC, being left as users of the facilities.
1976 / Anton Twisker hangs up his boots after more than 400 matches in BFC’s flagship team.
1977 / Finishing in second-last place in District West I’s Sunday League 2B, BFC drops back into Sunday League 3 along with bottom club vv Celeritudo.
1979 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, BFC descends into Sunday League 4 along with the club finishing in second-last place, AVV BPC.
1983 / Following defeat in a tie-break match for last place in District West I’s Sunday League 4G against vv SEC, BFC drops back into the ranks of UPVB after 59 consecutive seasons of KNVB Sunday League football.
1984 / BFC suffers its second relegation in a row, being retrograded from UPVB Zondag Hoofdklasse to UPVB Sunday Division 1.
1986 / After 63 years as BFC’s groundsharers at Sportpark Meerweg, BSV Allen Weerbaar moves into its own ground elsewhere in Bussum, the so-called Sportvallei, alternatively referred to as Sportpark Zanderijweg.
± 1988 / The grandstand, which had graced the western side of the main pitch at Sportpark Meerweg since the 1940s at its latest, has to be knocked down due to dilapidation.
1989 / At the instigation of Bussum’s municipal authorities, merger talks are held between BFC and BSV Allen Weerbaar. While BFC’s membership votes in favour of the arrangement, BSV Allen Weerbaar turns down the merger. The two clubs have continued life independently until the present day. Also in 1989, the temporary clubhouse at Sportpark Meerweg, erected in the latter stages of 1972, has to make way for a new construction, with the first stone being laid by BFC’s archivist Maarten Rem.
1993 / Following a 3-0 home win against FAK, BFC conquers the title in UPVB Sunday Division 1, thus winning promotion to UPVB Zondag Hoofdklasse. The successful coach is Joop van der Kruis. Also in 1993, former BFC winger Marco Holster, who had moved to SV Huizen in 1991, makes his debut as a professional league player at AZ. Holster would go on to enjoy spells at SC Heracles ’74, Ipswich Town FC, and Go Ahead Eagles before withdrawing into non-league at vv DOVO in 2003.
1995 / BFC wins promotion from UPVB Hoofdklasse to Sunday League 4, thus managing a return to that level after an absence of twelve seasons. That same year, the club absorbs a small Saturday club from Bussum, vv Bussum, without changing its name.
1998 / At the age of nineteen, former BFC youth academy defender Michael van der Kruis makes his professional league debut at SBV Excelsior. Van der Kruis would go on to defend the colours of BV De Graafschap, HFC Haarlem, and FC Emmen, before hanging up his boots in 2009.
1999 / Following extension works in 1998 and 1999, the renovated clubhouse at Sportpark Meerweg is inaugurated.
2001 / Former BFC youth goalkeeper Jeroen Verhoeven, who had moved to AFC Ajax’s youth academy at the age of fourteen in 1994, makes his professional league debut at RKC Waalwijk. Verhoeven would go on to have spells at FC Volendam, AFC Ajax, and FC Utrecht, before withdrawing into non-league with ASV De Dijk in 2016.
2002 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4G, 2 points ahead of closest rivals SV Kampong, BFC wins promotion to Sunday League 3, managing a return to that level after an absence of 23 years. The successful coach is Han Westerink.
2004 / Coached by Han Westerink, BFC finishes bottom of the table in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, thus dropping back into Sunday League 4 along with the club finishing in second-last place, ASV Fortius.
2005 / In a thorough renovation of Sportpark Meerweg, the three original pitches are replaced by four pitches, situated closely together. As a result, the terrace which had replaced the grandstand on the western side of the main pitch has to be removed.
2006 / Coached by Gert Willigenburg, BFC finishes bottom of the table in District West I’s Sunday League 4H, thus dropping back into Sunday League 5 along with the club finishing in second-last place, SV Saestum. Also in 2006, former BFC youth goalkeeper Kevin Rijnvis, who had moved to AFC Ajax’s youth academy at the age of eight in 1996, made his professional league debut at RKC Waalwijk. Rijnvis’ professional career, which lasted for just four years, would also take him to AZ, FC Dordrecht, and FC Omniworld – upon which he withdrew into non-league at SV Argon.
2007 / BFC finishes as runners-up in District West I’s Sunday League 5G, 3 points behind champions SV Rivierwijkers.
2009 / Runaway champions in District West I’s Sunday League 5H, 12 points ahead of closest followers AVV HVC, BFC wins promotion to Sunday League 4. The successful coach is Marino Osimani. Also in 2009, new dressing rooms are inaugurated on the western side of the main pitch.
2010 / Finishing in third place in District West I’s Sunday League 4H, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by vv OSM ’75 (7-4 aggr.).
2011 / After one of the side-pitches had already been laid out in 3G six years previously, the main pitch of Sportpark Meerweg is now laid out anew with artificial turf as well. Four years later, in 2015, the two remaining pitches of the park are also turned into 3Gs. Also in 2011, more than 2,000 spectators gather around the main pitch of Sportpark Meerweg for a gala match between BFC and ‘Koeman & Friends’, a squad of former professional league players brought together by former Netherlands’ international player Ronald Koeman, whose son, also called Ronald, was a goalkeeper in BFC’s youth academy at the time. The XI gathered by Koeman includes the likes of Erwin Koeman, Rob Witschge, Richard Witschge, Dennis Bergkamp, and Patrick Kluivert. The revenue of this match is spent on the construction of an additional meeting room in the clubhouse.
2012 / Finishing in third place in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is drawn in a group with SMVC Fair Play (5-1 defeat), vv Sporting ’70 (6-0 win), and SV KDO (2-3 defeat) – as a result of which the club misses out on promotion, with first place and the ticket for Sunday League 3 going to SV KDO.
2013 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 4F, 8 points ahead of runners-up vv AS ’80, BFC wins promotion to Sunday League 3. The successful coach is Ferry Hendrikse. Also in 2013, a renovation of the clubhouse at Sportpark Meerweg is carried out.
2014 / Former BFC youth academy goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jnr., the son of former Netherlands’ international player Ronald Koeman, makes his professional league debut at Almere City FC, going on to have spells at TOP Oss and SC Telstar.
2015 / Coached by Ferry Hendrikse, BFC finishes in thirteenth place in District West I’s Sunday League 3D, thus dropping back into Sunday League 4 along with Forza Almere, Omni Zwaluwen Utrecht ’11, and bottom club vv VEP.
2016 / Following a fifth place in District West I’s Sunday League 4G – and an uninterrupted tradition of 96 years of Sunday football – BFC takes the decision to swap to the Saturday pyramid, being placed in District West I’s Saturday League 4.
2017 / Finishing as runners-up in District West I’s Saturday League 4E, 8 points behind champions RKSV Pancratius (za), BFC qualifies for the play-offs, in which the club manages successive wins over vv Hees (9-1 aggr.) and RKSV Roda ’23 (8-2 aggr.). As a result, the club wins promotion to Saturday League 3. The successful coach is Danny Schenkel, former professional league player at Telstar, Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II, AEK Larnaca, and SC Telstar.
2018 / Runners-up in District West I’s Saturday League 3C, 3 points behind champions ASC Waterwijk, BFC qualifies for the play-offs, in which the club manages successive victories over COV DESTO (4-2), JOS Watergraafsmeer (za) (0-3), and SV Lopik (3-0), thus winning promotion for the second year in a row and acceding to Saturday League 2. As the previous season, the successful coach is Danny Schenkel.
2019 / Finishing in fourth place in Saturday League 2B, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by vv ZOB (3-1).
2022 / Runners-up in Saturday League 2B, 6 points behind champions vv De Meern, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out CSV Jong Holland in R1 (3-1), only to be eliminated in R2 by AFC (za) (0-2). Also in 2022, former BFC youth academy player Ryan Flamingo makes his professional league debut for SBV Vitesse. Flamingo, a defender, had left BFC at the age of eleven for Almere City FC’s youth academy, also having a spell at the academy of US Sassuolo Calcio subsequently. After his first taste of first team football in Arnhem, Flamingo went on to have spells at FC Utrecht and PSV.
2023 / Runaway champions in Saturday League 2B, 11 points ahead of closest followers FC Breukelen, BFC manages a historic promotion to League 1. The successful coach is Kwadjo Boateng.
2024 / Finishing in fifth place in its first season in the Combined Sunday & Saturday League 1B, BFC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by WV-HEDW (5-3).

Note – Important parts of the information in the above were derived from a booklet published by BFC on the occasion of the club’s 100th anniversary: Thomas Niehe & Richard Spermon, “Bussumsche Football Club B.F.C. 1920-2020. 100 jaar Bussums Fijnste Club”, ed. BFC: Bussum 2020. Thanks to the club for putting a copy of this magazine at my disposal.