Topklasse

Topklasse

Country	Netherlands
Confederation	UEFA
Founded	2010
Divisions	2
Number of teams	32
Level on pyramid	3
Promotion to	Eerste Divisie (optional)
Relegation to	Hoofdklasse
Domestic cup(s)	KNVB Cup
Current champions	Spakenburg (2013–14)
Most championships	IJsselmeervogels, Achilles '29, Katwijk and Spakenburg (1)
2014–15 Topklasse

Topklasse (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈtɔp.ˌklɑ.sə]) (English: Top Class) is the third tier of football in the Netherlands, which had its inaugural season in 2010–11. The league is placed between the Eerste Divisie and the Hoofdklasse, the second and fourth tiers of Dutch football, respectively.^[1] The introduction of the Topklasse resulted from discussions between the Royal Dutch Football Association, the Coöperatie Eerste Divisie (the clubs in the Eerste Divisie) and the Centraal Overleg Hoofdklassers (the clubs in the Hoofdklasse).

Background

A national football competition in the Netherlands was established in 1956. Prior to that, the districts of the Dutch football association held their own competitions, and the champions of these competitions faced each other for the national title. The highest national division in the new league structure became the Eredivisie, followed by the Eerste Divisie and the Tweede Divisie. The Tweede Divisie was disbanded in 1971; six clubs were promoted to the Eerste Divisie (champions De Volewijckers along with FC Eindhoven, VVV, Fortuna Vlaardingen, PEC and Roda JC), while the remaining ten clubs became amateur clubs. The Eerste Divisie subsequently became the lowest league in professional football in the Netherlands

The amateur football clubs had a separate league system, the highest league of which was the Eerste Klasse (later: Hoofdklasse). There was no promotion and relegation between professional football and amateur football; a professional football club could only drop to the amateur leagues if its licence for professional football was revoked, while an amateur football club could only be promoted after application and meeting a number of criteria.

The calls for a Topklasse largely stemmed from the professionalization of amateur football clubs in the Netherlands in recent years, in the sense that many Hoofdklasse club players now receive a salary.^[2] This has closed the gap between the top of the Hoofdklasse and the bottom of the Eerste Divisie. Chairman of the Dutch football association Henk Kesler had therefore repeatedly called for the creation of the Topklasse to establish promotion and relegation between professional and amateur football, creating a league pyramid akin to the English football league system.

The first plans for a Topklasse were rejected by the Eerste Divisie clubs in 1999.^[3]

Confirmed structure

The new league structure was approved at an amateur clubs meeting on 6 June 2009.^[4] The KNVB introduced the new level for the 2010–11 season, comprising 32 clubs. After the 2009–10 season, the bottom 2 teams in the Eerste Divisie, whose size was reduced from 20 to 18 clubs, and the top four clubs from each of the six Hoofdklasse divisions – a total of 26 clubs – automatically joined the new level. These clubs were joined by six playoff winners from a pool of 12 clubs that finished in 5th or 6th place in their group within the Hoofdklasse.

The 32 clubs within the Topklasse were divided into two leagues comprising 16 clubs. One league is a "Saturday" league and the other a "Sunday" league. At the end of the season, both clubs that finish at the top of their division play each other. The winner of that tie is promoted to the Eerste Divisie, replacing the team that finishes 18th. If the winner refuses promotion or is ineligible for promotion, the runners-up are promoted. If both teams refuse promotion, no promotion and relegation takes place between the Eerste Divisie and Topklasse.

In January 2010, the exclusion of bankrupt HFC Haarlem from the Eerste Divisie reduced the number of scheduled relegations to one only, and led the federation to announce that this vacancy would be filled by an additional Hoofdklasse club. On May 12, 2010 it was announced that BV Veendam had declared bankruptcy, possibly giving (otherwise relegated) FC Oss a chance to stay in the Eerste Divisie, with the extra slot filled by another Hoofdklasse club. Veendam's bankruptcy was then reversed on appeal, thus confirming FC Oss' relegation into the Topklasse.

Perception among amateur clubs

IJsselmeervogels, one of the most successful amateur football clubs in the Netherlands, was a strong opponent of the plans; chief Arian van de Vuurst has stated that "professional football does not fit in with our culture."^[2] Because of these objections, promotion to the Eerste Divisie is not mandatory for the champion of the Topklasse.

Current teams (2014–15)

Saturday League

Club	City	Province	Stadium	Capacity	Manager	2013/14
Ajax (amateurs)	Amsterdam	North Holland	Sportpark De Toekomst	2.020	Bart Logchies	Play-offs winners
BVV Barendrecht	Barendrecht	South Holland	Sportpark de Bongerd	3.000	Jack van den Berg	11th
VV Capelle	Capelle aan den IJssel	South Holland	Sportpark 't Slot	4.000	Ton van Bremen	12th
Excelsior Maassluis	Maassluis	South Holland	Sportpark Lavendelstraat	5.000	Cesco Achterberg	6th
SC Genemuiden	Genemuiden	Overijssel	Sportpark de Wetering	5.900	Hans van Dijkhuizen	1st Hoofdklasse C
GVVV	Veenendaal	Utrecht	Sportpark Panhuis	4.000	Erik Assink	2nd
HHC Hardenberg	Hardenberg	Overijssel	Sportpark De Boshoek	4.500	Marcel Groninger	3rd
HSV Hoek	Hoek	Zeeland	Sportpark Denoek	2.500	Kenny Verhoene	1st Hoofdklasse B
IJsselmeervogels	Spakenburg	Utrecht	Sportpark De Westmaat	8.000	Frans Adelaar	4th
Kozakken Boys	Werkendam	North Brabant	Sportpark De Zwaaier	2.500	Ton Cornelissen / Danny Buijs	7th
FC Lisse	Lisse	South Holland	Sportpark Ter Specke	5.000	Misha Salden	8th
ONS Boso Sneek	Sneek	Friesland	Sportpark Zuidersportpark	950	Bert Hollander	10th
Rijnsburgse Boys	Rijnsburg	South Holland	Sportpark Middelmors	6.100	Niek Oosterlee	5th
SVV Scheveningen	Scheveningen	South Holland	Sportpark Houtrust	3.500	John Blok	9th
SV Spakenburg	Spakenburg	Utrecht	Sportpark De Westmaat	8.000	Jochem Twisker	Champions Saturday Topklasse
Sparta Nijkerk	Nijkerk	Gelderland	De Ebbenhorst	5.350	Simon Ouaali	1st Hoofdklasse A

Sunday League

Club	City	Province	Stadium	Capacity	Manager	2013/14
ADO '20	Heemskerk	North Holland	Sportpark De Vlotter	3.000	Martin de Groot	8th
AFC	Amsterdam	North Holland	Sportpark Goed Genoeg	2.000	Maarten Stekelenburg	Champions Sunday Topklasse
JVC Cuijk	Cuijk	North Brabant	Sportpark De Groenendijkse	3.000	Hans Kraay jr.	4th
HFC EDO	Haarlem	North Holland	Noordersportpark			Play-offs winners
EVV	Echt	Limburg	Sportpark In de Bandert	2.000	Leo Beckers	5th
HBS-Craeyenhout	Den Haag	South Holland	Sportpark Daal en Bergselaan	1.000	André Wetzel	6th
Hercules	Utrecht	Utrecht	Sportpark Voordorp			1st Hoofdklasse C
HSC '21	Haaksbergen	Overijssel	Sportpark Groot Scholtenhagen	4.500	Wilco Klop	9th
Koninklijke HFC	Haarlem	North Holland				1st Hoofdklasse A
RKSV Leonidas	Rotterdam	South Holland	Sportpark Erasmuspad	3.000	Koos Waslander	7th
FC Lienden	Lienden	Gelderland	Sportpark De Abdijhof	2.400	Hans van de Haar	10th
OJC Rosmalen	Rosmalen	North Brabant	Sportpark De Groote Wielen		Dennis Dekkers	1st Hoofdklasse B
De Treffers	Groesbeek	Gelderland	Sportpark Zuid	4.000	John Neijenhuis Camiel Jager	11th
VV UNA	Veldhoven	North Brabant	Sportpark Zeelst	3.000	Mark Schenning	2nd
VVSB	Noordwijkerhout	South Holland	Sportpark de Boekhorst	2.500	Wilfred van Leeuwen	3rd
WKE	Emmen	Drenthe	Sportpark Grote Geert	4.000	Hendrik Oosting	12th

Champions

References

External links

• Topklasse.com - Latest news from and about the Topklasse. (Dutch)
• League321.com - Dutch football league tables, records & statistics database. (English)