Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: FCEB (1964-1968) / RKSV Excelsior '18 (1968-1990) / SVEB (1990-2024) / SSA-SJO SVEB-Sporting ST (B) (2024-)

Sportpark 't Venneke, Broekhuizenvorst (B ground of SSA-SJO SVEB-Sporting ST, formerly FCEB / RKSV Excelsior '18 / SVEB)

Netherlands, province: Limburg

July 2025 / no match visited

Timeline

1918 / Foundation of a football club in Broekhuizenvorst, a village in the north of the Netherlands’ part of Limburg, on the banks of the River Meuse. The new club takes on the name Roomsch-Katholieke Sportvereeniging (RKSV) Excelsior. Excelsior would go on to prove the most resilient club in the village, but there were more teams in Broekhuizenvorst and the neighbouring village of Broekhuizen, with names such as ADO (Alles Door Oefening), HBS (Houdt Braaf Stand), ELTO (probably: Eenheid Leidt Tot Overwinning), and ODO (probably: Oefening Doet Overwinnen). ADO and HBS were older than Excelsior. In the early years of the club’s existence, RKSV Excelsior played its football on various makeshift pitches in and around the village, the first probably being the so-called Wei achter Bouten, followed by Terrein Stegen Brug at Blitterswijckseweg and Terrein De Heide.
1920 / In 1920 at its latest, RKSV Excelsior applies for membership of the so-called RKLVB (Roomsch-Katholieke Limburgsche Voetbalbond), the Limburg sub-branch of Roman Catholic Football Association RKF (Roomsch-Katholieke Federatie), which was a rival of the non-religious NVB (later renamed KNVB, Koninklijke Nederlandsche Voetbalbond) in pre-war Netherlands. Also in or around 1920, RKSV Excelsior found a permanent playing field, the so-called Burgemeesterswei or Wei van Geloven, situated at the crossroads of Raathweg and Broekhuizerweg. Due to the vicinity of the Meuse to the field, home matches have to be moved to the Terrein ‘t Roath, situated further away from the river, in case of floods.
1922 / Champions in RKLVB Division 1E, RKSV Excelsior wins promotion to the lowest step of the supra-regional RKF divisions (probably RKF Division 2 at the time).
1925 / Probably following a relegation from RKF Division 2 into RKLVB Division 1, RKSV Excelsior is on the brink of folding, but, in the end, the club manages to avoid its demise.
1928 / RKSV Excelsior wins its second RKLVB Division 1 title. It is unclear if the club won promotion to the ranks of the RKF on this occasion.
1929 / Excelsior's rival club ADO, also from Broekhuizenvorst, joins the RKLVB. At the time, ADO has its own pitch, situated at Swolgenscheweg. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring village of Broekhuizen, a first football team is formed, Juliana, which does not join any football association, sticking to playing just friendly matches. Juliana plays its matches at Terrein Frits Janssen, situated in the hamlet of Stokt, halfway between Broekhuizen and Lottum.
1930 / In Broekhuizen, a second football team is formed, consisting of a group of boys who had been refused membership of Juliana. The foundation of the new club, which is given the name UVO (‘Uit Vriendschap Ontstaan’), is supported by the local priest, Fr Mullecom. Other than Juliana, UVO applies for membership of the RKLVB straightaway following a successful summer tournament at Broekhuizenvorst club ADO, where UVO wins first prize. For the 1930-31 season, UVO is placed in RKLVB Division 3F. The club’s first chairman is Casper van Megen. UVO’s ground, Terrein Op de Berg, is laid out on a plot of farmland owned by Gradus van Soest, a pitch with a remarkable slope of at least 2 metres.
1932 / Moving away from its pitch for the past ten odd years, the so-called Burgemeesterwei, RKSV Excelsior moves to a newly laid-out pitch at Swolgenscheweg. Meanwhile, in Broekhuizen, UVO changes its name to become Roomsch-Katholieke Sportvereeniging (RKSV) Brughusia – Brughusia being the oldest known notation of Broekhuizen. The new name was an idea of Fr Van Dooren, who had succeeded Fr Mullecom as Broekhuizen’s village priest in 1930.
1933 / RKSV Brughusia clinches the title in RKLVB Division 3, thus gaining promotion to Division 2 of that league system. Meanwhile, in Broekhuizenvorst, ADO folds, ceasing all activities, with most of the remaining membership switching to RKSV Excelsior.
1934 / RKSV Excelsior clinches the title in Overgangsklasse RKLVB, gaining promotion to ICVB Division 2 (as RKF Division 2 had been renamed in 1932). It is unclear how long the club held out at this level, but the spell cannot have lasted for longer than three seasons.
1938 / In a repeat of the events four years previously, RKSV Excelsior clinches the title in Overgangsklasse RKLVB, gaining promotion to ICVB Division 2. Also in 1938, at the behest of RKF authorities, RKSV Excelsior has to change its name due to the ubiquitousness of the name Excelsior among the association’s member clubs. Willy-nilly, the club takes on the new name FCEB, i.e. Football Club Excelsior Broekhuizenvorst, but locally, it keeps being referred to as ‘Excelsior’ almost universally in the following decades.
1939 / Clinching the title in RKLVB Division 2 without suffering a single defeat, RKSV Brughusia wins promotion to RKLVB Division 1. The decisive points are clinched in a 5-2 home win over its last remaining rival, RKSV Oostrum.
1940 / Following the occupation of the Netherlands by the German Reich, all football associations except for the official Netherlands’ FA (renamed NVB for the duration of the war) cease their activities to prevent being wound up by German authorities. As so many other RKF clubs, FCEB and RKSV Brughusia join the new federation, with FCEB being placed in District South’s (Sunday) League 4F and Brughusia in the NVB Limburg sub-branch, Afdeling Limburg – more specifically in Division 1 of that league system, organised below the level of (Sunday) League 4.
1943 / Moving away from Terren Op de Berg after thirteen years, RKSV Brughusia settles at Terrein Aerts, situated at Meulenpedje – later known as Ellenberg.
1944 / With Broekhuizen and Broekhuizenvorst being completely destroyed following the liberation of the southern half of the Netherlands in the fall of 1944, the pitches of FCEB and RKSV Brughusia are in a deplorable state, with much time and effort having to be invested in their reconstruction. Moreover, Brughusia’s trophy cabinet has been taken away to Germany by fleeing Wehrmacht soldiers. Much of FCEB’s cabinet has been saved thanks to its having been hidden under a pile of straw at the farmstead of Mr Van Lin.
1946 / Finishing in last place in District South II’s Sunday League 4H in the first season after war’s end, FCEB suffers defeat in a promotion-relegation play-off against vv RESIA ’42 (3-2), played at RKSV Wanssum’s ground. As such, the club descends into Afdeling Limburg Division 1, where it stumbles upon derby rivals RKSV Brughusia for the first time.
1947 / RKSV Brughusia finishes bottom of the table in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, but manages to save its skin in the relegation play-offs.
1949 / Finishing in joint first place in Afdeling Limburg Division 1 with RKSV Lottum, FCEB goes on to suffer defeat in a title play-off, played at RKDEV’s ground in Arcen. As such, the club misses out on the opportunity of a return to Sunday League 4. Also in 1949, works get underway at a new ground for FCEB at Ooyenseweg, at the crossroads with Sint-Annapad.
1950 / Finishing bottom of the table in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, RKSV Brughusia descends into Division 2 of this league pyramid.
1951 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, FCEB fails to win promotion to Sunday League 4 due to losing out in a championship play-off against RKVV Kessel. Meanwhile, down in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, RKSV Brughusia also wins the title, but like its local rivals, the club is deprived of success in the championship play-offs, thus missing out on promotion. Also in 1951, after some two years of work, FCEB’s new ground, Terrein Ooyenseweg, is inaugurated.
1954 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, FCEB manages a return to Sunday League 4 after an absence of eight years following a successful round of championship play-offs. To be in accordance with KNVB rules concerning the facilities in its leagues, FCEB club members build a set of dressing rooms in situ.
1955 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, 6 points ahead of closest rivals AVV America and without suffering a single defeat all season, FCEB goes on to win the championship play-offs, thus managing back-to-back promotions and acceding to Sunday League 3 for the first time. Meanwhile, in Broekhuizen, RKSV Brughusia has to leave Terrein Aerts after twelve years, due to the grounds being required for housing (modern-day Hoogstraat). The club has to move to a temporary pitch, also owned by the Aerts family, at Stadsberg. Due to its vicinity to the River Meuse, the pitch is liable to frequent floodings.
± 1956 / Moving away from Terrein Stadsberg, RKSV Brughusia moves away to a new temporary pitch in the hamlet of Stokt, laid out on the farmland of a local smallholder, J. van Megen.
1958 / Champions in Afdeling Limburg Division 2P, RKSV Brughusia fails to win promotion in the subsequent round of championship play-offs.
1959 / Champions in Afdeling Limburg Division 2 for the second year running, RKSV Brughusia now crowns its season with a successful round of championship play-offs, thus managing a return to Afdeling Limburg Division 1 after an absence of nine years.
1960 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, RKSV Brughusia goes on to win the championship play-offs, thus acceding to District South II’s Sunday League 4 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Theo Breukers. Due to the fact that the club’s ground, Terrein J. van Megen, is deemed unfit for league football by KNVB authorities, Brughusia concludes a groundsharing agreement with FCEB, thus playing its home matches at Terrein Ooyenseweg.
1961 / In the best season in club history, RKSV Brughusia finishes in sixth place in District South II’s Sunday League 4H. Meanwhile, FCEB are notified that Terrein Ooyenseweg will have to make way for housing in the foreseeable future. Before long, works get underway on two separate new parks for RKSV Brughusia and FCEB, laid out by Koninklijke Nederlandse Heidemaatschappij (Royal Netherlands’ Association for Wasteland Redevelopment). Earlier talk of a combined park at De Roath for both clubs, which could have led to a merger, comes to nothing.
1962 / In the best season in club history, FCEB finishes in fifth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3B. Meanwhile, RKVV Brughusia’s home tie against RKVV Volharding in Sunday League 4G, in which Volharding clinches the title (score: 1-1), draws some 800 spectators to Terrein Ooyenseweg.
1963 / After three seasons of groundsharing with FCEB at Terrein Ooyenseweg, RKSV Brughusia moves into its newly laid-out Sportpark De Stokt at Hilkensbergweg, with the inaugural ceremony in June 1963 being performed by the club’s honorary president Bert Litjens and Broekhuizen’s mayor, Mr Van Gerven. The new facilities are blessed by village priest Fr Haest.
1964 / One year after RKSV Brughusia, FCEB also moves into a new ground of its own, Terrein Beerendonckerweg, i.e. the future Sportpark ‘t Venneke. The inaugural ceremony takes place on September 27th, 1964. Terrein Ooyenseweg is abandoned.
1965 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, FCEB drops back into Sunday League 4 after ten seasons. Meanwhile, in Brughuizen, RKSV Brughusia has an equally unsuccessful season, finishing bottom of the table in Sunday League 4H and dropping back into Afdeling Limburg Division 1 after five years.
1966 / Suffering back-to-back relegations, RKSV Brughusia descends from Afdeling Limburg Division 1 into Division 2. Meanwhile, at FCEB’s new Terrein Beerendonckerweg, the main pitch is equipped with a set of floodlights.
1968 / At the club’s fiftieth anniversary, FCEB is allowed to reinstate its old name ‘Excelsior’ by KNVB authorities, on the condition that the foundation year is added to the name to avoid confusion with other clubs. As such, FCEB changes its name to become Rooms-Katholieke Sportvereniging Excelsior 1918, usually written as (RKSV) Excelsior ’18.
1969 / Due to a lack of youth players in some of their lower teams, RKSV Excelsior ’18 and RKSV Brughusia conclude a temporary partnership to field combined youth teams.
1971 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Limburg Division 2 following an emphatic 12-0 win over vv EWC ’46 III, RKSV Brughusia wins promotion to Afdeling Limburg Division 1. The successful coach is Jeu Alards.
1972 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 2 points ahead of closest rivals RKVV Montagnards, RKSV Excelsior ’18 wins promotion to Sunday League 3. That same year, Excelsior inaugurates the newly built clubhouse at Terrein Beerendonckerweg.
1973 / RKSV Brughusia only avoids relegation from Afdeling Limburg Division 1 to Division 2 by saving its skin in a tie-break match against SV Meerlo, played at Sportpark ‘t Hoogveld in Blitterswijck. The match is decided through goals by Jacob van den Hoogen and Charl Tissen in extra time (2-0 A.E.T.).
1974 / Clinching the title in Afdeling Limburg Division 1, RKSV Brughusia manages a return to Sunday League 4 after an absence of nine years. The decisive points are clinched in a home tie against vv RESIA ’42 (3-0). The successful coach is Jos Kerstjens.
1975 / Finishing in last place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, RKSV Excelsior ’18 drops back into Sunday League 4 along with the club in second-last place, BSV Olympia ’18. As RKSV Brughusia easily holds its own in League 4, finishing in sixth place in Sunday League 4H – thereby equalling the best performance in club history from 1961 – the clubs from Broekhuizen and Broekhuizenvorst meet each other in the league for the first time since the 1940s. The first encounter, played at Terrein Beerendonckerweg, ends in a surprising 0-2 win for RKSV Brughusia.
1976 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, RKSV Brughusia drops back into Afdeling Limburg Division 1 after two seasons. That same year, the facilities at Sportpark De Stokt in Brughuizen are upgraded, with the clubhouse being equipped with central heating and showers.
1978 / RKSV Brughusia finishes as runners-up in Afdeling Limburg Division 1.
1981 / With RKSV Excelsior ‘18’s Terrein Beerendonckerweg undergoing a first round of renovations since its inauguration in 1964, the ground is officially renamed Sportpark ‘t Venneke. The inaugural ceremony of the name plate at the entrance of the park is performed by Broekhuizen’s mayor, Mr Simons.
1983 / RKSV Excelsior ’18 finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 3 points behind champions VVV ’03.
1984 / Finishing in joint second place in Afdeling Limburg Division 1 with vv EWC ’46, SV Meerlo, and vv RESIA ’42, RKSV Brughusia meets the three clubs in a play-off for one additional promotion place – but Brughusia misses out on the extra ticket, with vv EWC ’46 finishing in first place in the competition.
1985 / One year after narrowly missing out on a return to Sunday League 4, RKSV Brughusia now suffers relegation from Afdeling Limburg Division 1 to Division 2. Also in 1985, for the first time since the early 1970s, RKSV Excelsior ’18 and RKSV Brughusia conclude a partnership, with part of the youth academy, notably the U12 and U10 teams, being merged into one.
1986 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 2 points ahead of runners-up RKVV Montagnards, RKSV Excelsior ’18 manages a return to Sunday League 3 after an absence of eleven years. The decisive point is clinched in the last match of the season, resulting in an away draw at IVO in Velden, with Montagnards losing its home tie against RKOSV Achates. Also in 1986, the youth academy partnership between RKSV Excelsior ’18 and RKSV Brughusia is further integrated, as the U14 and U16 teams are also merged into one.
1987 / As a last step towards a full integration of both clubs’ youth academies, RKSV Excelsior ’18 and RKSV Brughusia also merge their U18 teams.
1988 / RKSV Excelsior ’18 celebrates its seventieth anniversary in the presence of the only surviving founding member, Egon Haffmans. Also in 1988, members’ meetings of both Excelsior and Brughusia give the go-ahead sign for talks of a fully-fledged merger between the two clubs.
1989 / RKSV Excelsior ’18 finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, 5 points behind champions SV Vitesse ’08.
1990 / In its last season as an independent club, RKSV Excelsior ’18 finishes in sixth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, with RKSV Brughusia having spent the last five years of its existence down in Afdeling Limburg Division 2. Following the 1989-90 season, the two clubs conclude a merger deal, resulting in the foundation of Sportvereniging Excelsior Brughusia, abbreviated as SVEB. The new club’s first chairman is Gerrit Clabbers. With all activities moving to Sportpark ‘t Venneke in Broekhuizenvorst, Brughusia’s Sportpark De Stokt is abandoned. While works get underway on a thorough renovation of the park in Broekhuizenvorst, SVEB starts its life in Sunday League 3, taking the place of RKSV Excelsior ’18.
1991 / Finishing in joint first place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D with VVV ’03, SVEB meets the club from Venlo in a tie-break match, played at IVO’s Theo Lommen Sportpark in Velden. However, suffering a 1-0 defeat, SVEB misses out on promotion to Sunday League 2. Also in 1991, more specifically on September 1st of that year, the new clubhouse at Sportpark ‘t Venneke is inaugurated.
1992 / Runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, 5 points behind champions RKTVV Tiglieja, SVEB qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club crowns its season with a 3-0 win over vv RIOS ’31 in the final, played at Sportpark De Driesprong in Maasbree. As such, for the first time in the history of football in Broekhuizenvorst and Broekhuizen, SVEB wins promotion to Sunday League 2.
1993 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 2B, SVEB descends into Sunday League 3 along with the club in second-last place, vv Sittard.
1997 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, SVEB is retrograded into Sunday League 4 along with the club in second-last place, RKOSV Achates.
2001 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 3 points ahead of runners-up RKVV Montagnards, SVEB manages a return to Sunday League 3 after an absence of four seasons.
2002 / Unable to hold its own at the higher level, SVEB finishes in third-last place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, suffering defeat in the ensuing round of relegation play-offs and thus dropping back into Sunday League 4 after just one season, along with RKVV Erp and bottom club vv Boskant.
2004 / Finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 4F, SVEB goes on to win the promotion play-offs, thus acceding to Sunday League 3.
2005 / As on the previous occasion, SVEB suffers relegation from District South II’s Sunday League 3D after just one season, finishing in second-last place and dropping back into Sunday League 4 along with bottom club RKSV Sparta ’25.
2010 / Runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, 2 points behind champions vv Boekel Sport, SVEB qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by vv Nooit Gedacht (7-2 aggr.).
2011 / Finishing in joint first place in District South II’s Sunday League 4F with RKSV Venlo, SVEB wins promotion to Sunday League 3 after winning a tie-break match against the aforementioned club, played at Sportpark Wienus in Hegelsom.
2012 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 3C, SVEB drops back into Sunday League 4 along with RKMSV, RKVV Mifano, and vv DESM.
2015 / Finishing in second-last place in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, SVEB descends into Sunday League 5 for the first time, along with bottom club DEV-Arcen. That same year, the club merges its youth academy with neighbour club Sporting ST from Swolgen.
2016 / Finishing as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 5F, 8 points behind champions RKSV Meterik, SVEB goes on to win a play-off encounter against FC Cranendonck (5-2 aggr.), which is sufficient for promotion to Sunday League 4.
2017 / SVEB signs Tom van Bergen as its head coach. Van Bergen, a former professional league midfielder at VVV-Venlo and MVV (2001-07), would stay with the club for two seasons.
2023 / Finishing bottom of the table in District South II’s Sunday League 4F, SVEB suffers relegation to Sunday League 5.
2024 / In its last season as an independent club, SVEB finishes in ninth place in District South II’s Sunday League 5D. Following the 2023-24 season, the club concludes a partnership deal with Sporting ST, resulting in all of the two clubs’ teams merging into one under the provisional name SSA-SJO SVEB-Sporting ST (SSA = Samenwerking Seniorenafdelingen, SJO = Samenwerking Jeugdopleidingen) – the prelude to a fully-fledged merger. First team football is alternately played at Sporting ST’s Sportpark Kerkebos and at Sportpark ‘t Venneke in Broekhuizenvorst.
2025 / All first team matches of SSA-SJO SVEB-Sporting ST are moved to Sportpark Kerkebos in Swolgen. It is as yet unclear what the future will hold for Sportpark ‘t Venneke.

Note – Crucial parts of the information above were derived from various books and booklets released on anniversaries of SVEB and its two predecessor clubs: “Excelsior ’18 50 jaar” (anon. / 1968) / “Excelsior 1918-1978” (anon. / 1978), “RKSV Brughusia 60 1930-1990” (anon. / 1990), and “75 jaar voetbal in de gemeente Broekhuizen” (anon. / 1993). Historical articles in these publications were written by Piet Weys, Wiel Schatorjé, and Hay Reintjes.