Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna Sittard
Full name Fortuna Sittard Combinatie
Nickname(s) Fortuna, Fortunezen
Founded July 1, 1968; 43 years ago (1968-07-01)
Ground Trendwork Arena,
Sittard
(Capacity: 12,500)
Manager Wim Dusseldorp
League Eerste Divisie
2010–11 Eerste Divisie, 16th
Home colours
Away colours

Fortuna Sittard is a football club in Sittard, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Trendwork Arena and features in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. The club was a merger of former clubs 'Fortuna 54' and 'Sittardia' to merge as the Fortuna Sittard Combinatie on July 1, 1968. 'Fortuna 54' was a relatively successful club which once won the KNVB Cup in the 1956/1957 season where they finished the Eredivisie season 2nd place behind champions Ajax Amsterdam whereas the 'Sittardia' battled against relegation for many seasons. Another KNVB Cup triumph was also celebrated by 'Fortuna 54' in 1964 before the merging of the two clubs in 1968 due to financial difficulties. On May 19, 2009 the KNVB announced it will withdraw the license to play of Fortuna Sittard for the 2010–2011 season. After going to civil court, this decision was revoked and the club did not lose its license. [1]

Contents

History

The club experienced mixed fortunes throughout its history although they were a regular fixture in the Eredivisie in the 1990s, with many talented players such as Kevin Hofland, Mark van Bommel and Fernando Ricksen emerging from its youth system. These players later joined PSV Eindhoven and Rangers thereafter featured for the Dutch team. The team's management also had an eye for talent, as they snapped up Wilfred Bouma and Patrick Paauwe from the youth setup of PSV. Both players developed well under manager Bert van Marwijk, before breaking into the Dutch national side and moving towards bigger clubs.

At the end of the 1999–2000 season, successful manager Bert van Marwijk left to join Feyenoord and the team seemed to collapse. Due to poor management, the team signed a number of over-paid and under-performing "stars". Fortuna relegated to the First Division in the 2001–2002 season, where things were getting from bad to worse very quickly. Financial irregularities had been discovered and the team has been facing bankruptcy for the past 4 seasons. A little highlight came in the winter of 2003, when two of the clubs fans won the Dutch lottery and donated all of the prize money to the club.

Things have been looking up recently for Fortuna, as they were able to clear most of their debts by selling of the new stadium, the Wagner & Partners stadium. Unfortunately, the team hasn't been performing on the pitch and finished dead-last in the Dutch First Division for three consecutive seasons.

In the 2005–2006 season, the club managed to set a new record in Dutch professional football, going a staggering 28 league games without a win. The club also set a new record by finishing last for the third time in a row.

Honours


Current squad

As of 1 August 2011

For recent transfers, see List of Dutch football transfers summer 2011

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Danny Wintjens
2 DF Fernando Ricksen
3 DF Roel Janssen
4 DF Timothy Dreesen
5 DF Joeri Schroyen
6 MF Yoann de Boer (captain)
7 MF Danny Hoesen (on loan from Fulham)
8 MF Richard Stolte (on loan from SC Heerenveen)
9 FW Harrie Gommans
10 MF Ramon Voorn
11 FW Kevin Diaz
12 MF Lars Gulpen
13 FW Faton Trstena
14 DF Marc Wagemakers
No. Position Player
15 DF Roy Goossens
16 GK Mark Voss
17 FW Jeremy Lemmens
18 MF Fatih Turan
20 MF Adnan Sečerović (on loan from Roda JC)
21 FW Dario Cannova
22 DF Randel Shakison
23 FW Mitch Vandegard
24 FW Thijs Nieuwland
25 GK Sven Van Der Jeugt
26 DF Rick Geenen
27 FW Rachid Ofrany
28 MF Wouter Scheelen (on loan from Westerlo)

Notable players

Netherlands
Canada
England
Ghana
New Zealand
Northern Ireland
Norway
Romania
Scotland
Yugoslavia

Managers

See also

References

  1. ^ (Dutch)KNVB gaat licentie Fortuna Sittard intrekken, Voetbal International (May 19, 2009)

External links