| Full name | Football Club Zwolle | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Blauwvingers (Bluefingers) | ||
| Founded | June 12, 1910 (as PEC) July 1, 1990 (as FC Zwolle) |
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| Ground | FC Zwolle Stadion Zwolle (Capacity: 10,000) |
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| Chairman | Adriaan Visser | ||
| Manager | Art Langeler | ||
| League | Eerste Divisie | ||
| 2010–11 | Eerste Divisie, 2nd | ||
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FC Zwolle is a Dutch football club based in Zwolle, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie, the country's second level of professional club football. The club was founded in 1990 after the bankruptcy of PEC. They have played in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football, for a total of twelve seasons, reaching eighth place in 1979. They reached the KNVB Cup final in 1928 and 1977, but lost both matches.
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PEC was founded on June 12, 1910, which stood for PH EDN Combinatie (PH EDN Combination). The club was formed by a merger of Prins Hendrik (April 1, 1906; Prince Henry) and Ende Desespereert Nimmer (1904; And Never Despair). PEC has been a professional football club since February 23, 1955. The club name was changed to PEC Zwolle in 1971 and to PEC Zwolle '82 in 1982. Instantly after the bankruptcy a new name was chosen for the new club: FC Zwolle.
PEC was one of Zwolle's three top football clubs, along with ZAC (founded in 1893) and Zwolsche Boys (1918). ZAC was associated with the local high society, Zwolsche Boys were associated with the working class, while PEC was the club of the local middle class.[1] There was considerable rivalry between these three clubs, especially between Zwolsche Boys and PEC. Not only were their stadiums on walking distance from each other, the clubs frequently met each other in league matches.
Despite this rivalry, PEC and Zwolsche Boys merged in 1969, taking the name PEC. In 1971, this became PEC Zwolle, in an attempt to promote the image of the city of Zwolle. In 1977, PEC Zwolle reached the finals of the KNVB Cup, losing to FC Twente in extra time, and missed out on promotion to the Eredivisie by one point. In 1978, the club won the Dutch first division title and was promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time in its history. In its first season in the Eredivisie, the club finished eighth, which remains PEC Zwolle's highest ever league position. Their most impressive result that season was a 0–1 away victory at PSV Eindhoven. These results were achieved by a talented group of players bought from other clubs, such as Rinus Israël. The money for this came from the Slavenburgse Bank, which was led by FC Zwolle chairman Jan Willem van der Wal. By 1982, the club had built up a debt of six million guilders and was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Real estate developer Marten Eibrink took over power in FC Zwolle in 1982. He managed to end the debt and restructure the club, which was epitomized by a change in the name: PEC Zwolle '82. He also had the club's stadium renovated and decided to name the stadium's main stand the Johan Cruyff Stand, because Johan Cruyff had played his last official match against PEC Zwolle '82 on May 13, 1984. Eibrink brought legendary players like Piet Schrijvers, Johnny Rep and Cees van Kooten to the club. The club managed to revive, but the revival was short-lived. In 1985, PEC Zwolle '82 were relegated to the Dutch first division, largely due to an injury-ridden main squad. They managed to return after only one season, having finished in second place. That team was led by the coach Co Adriaanse and the player Foeke Booy. Eibrink, however, grew increasingly disappointed in sponsors and local authorities, accusing them of not loving the club in the way that he did, and he left the club in 1988. Despite a promising start to the 1988/89 season, the club finished in 16th place, which meant that it was relegated to the First Division. The financial crisis worsened, as sponsors refused to invest in the club any longer. The players' wages could not be paid, and a debt to the Slavenburgse Bank appeared which had been overseen by the board for around ten years. This led to the club's bankruptcy in March 1990.
After the bankruptcy, it was decided that the club had to sever all ties with the troubled finances of the past and make a fresh start. The club got a new name (FC Zwolle), a new organisational structure, new sponsors, new club colours (blue-white shirts with white shorts instead of green-white shirts with black shorts) and a new crest. The first years of the 'new' club were hard, but after 1992/1993, a new team filled with talents such as Jaap Stam (who would later play for PSV, Manchester United, Lazio Roma, A.C. Milan and Ajax), Bert Konterman (Feyenoord and Rangers), Johan Hansma (SC Heerenveen) and Henri van der Vegt (Udinese) played attractive and successful football. In 1992/93, FC Zwolle narrowly missed promotion to the Eredivisie. In the KNVB Cup, FC Zwolle reached the quarter finals, losing to Feyenoord in a penalty shootout.
After many failed attempts in the play-offs, FC Zwolle finally managed to secure a return to the Eredivisie by winning the First Division in 2002. In the 2002/03 Eredivisie season, the club finished in 16th place and escaped relegation via the play-offs. A year later, they made a miserable start to the season, and had scored only seven points halfway through the season. An impressive sprint, with victories over the likes of SC Heerenveen and AZ, proved in vain, as FC Zwolle dropped from a 16th place (which would have placed them in the play-offs) to the 18th place (direct relegation) on the last day of the season. They lost 7–1 away at Feyenoord, while their rivals Vitesse and FC Volendam managed to beat their opponents FC Utrecht and RBC Roosendaal.
At the beginning of the 2004–05 season, FC Zwolle was considered one of the favourites for the title in the First Division, along with Sparta. However, it was another club from the province of Overijssel, Heracles Almelo, that won the title. FC Zwolle finished the season in fourth place, and had to play playoff matches against the second- and sixth-placed teams of the First Division (Sparta and Helmond Sport) and the seventeenth-placed team of the Eredivisie, De Graafschap. They finished bottom of their group, with one point from six matches, while Sparta won the group and clinched promotion and De Graafschap was relegated.
The 2005–06 season started well, with FC Zwolle fighting for the league's top spot in the first months. However, the results dwindled in November and December. Angry supporters threatened manager Hennie Spijkerman after a 0–5 home defeat against Excelsior, and Spijkerman resigned a few days later. The club's chairman announced that he would crack down on the supporters involved, and said that some had already received stadium bans of up to 9 years. Spijkerman's assistant manager Harry Sinkgraven finished the season, leading the club to the play-offs, in which Eredivisie side Willem II proved too strong.
Former Feyenoord and Ajax player Jan Everse, who had already managed the club between 1996 and 1999, was presented as the new manager. He was faced with financial problems at the club, and the departure of key striker Santi Kolk. Many players from the club's youth teams were brought into the main squad, with mixed results. The team ended at the 9th place of the table during the 2006–07 season.
The old stadium was built in 1934 and demolished in 2007. It was located at Business park Oosterenk. Since the completion in 1934 two different clubs played in the stadium. PEC from 1934 till 1957, Zwolsche Boys from 1957 till 1970. Since 1970 PEC played its games at the Oosterenk Stadium. The stadium had to be demolished because the new stadium is located at the same spot as the Oosterenk Stadium is.
Officially since August 29, 2009 the stadium no longer in construction. Construction started at March 9, 2007. The first game in the new stadium was against MVV. The final score was 0–0. The first goal in the new stadium was made by FC Zwolle player Bram van Polen. It was scored on August 22, 2008 against SC Cambuur.
FC Zwolle biggest rival is Go Ahead Eagles.[2] Both clubs are located at the river IJssel, hence the name IJssel-derby. In the early years Go Ahead was the best club in the region but since the relegation to the Dutch First Division in 1987, FC Zwolle is considered to be the better club of the two.
| Season | Final position |
Points scored |
Matches played |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978/79 | 8th | 32 | 34 | |
| 1979/80 | 14th | 27 | 34 | |
| 1980/81 | 9th | 30 | 34 | |
| 1981/82 | 15th | 26 | 34 | |
| 1982/83 | 13th | 27 | 34 | |
| 1983/84 | 14th | 29 | 34 | |
| 1984/85 | 18th | 17 | 34 | relegated |
| 1986/87 | 11th | 31 | 34 | |
| 1987/88 | 13th | 29 | 34 | |
| 1988/89 | 16th | 25 | 34 | relegated |
| 2002/03 | 16th | 32 | 34 | |
| 2003/04 | 18th | 26 | 34 | relegated |
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.
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FC Zwolle made it twice to the final round of the national cup. They lost both matches. The first was in 1928 against RHC Heemstede. The final score was 2–0. The second time they made it to the final was in 1977. The opponent that time was FC Twente. They lost 3–0 this time.
Eredivisie statistics
Last update: 10 May 2009 |
Eerste Divisie statistics
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Tweede Divisie statistics
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Overall statistics
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