Founded: 20 July, 1920 as VV Heerenveen. Name changed into SC Heerenveen on 1 June, 1977. City: Heerenveen Stadium: Abe Lenstra Stadium Capacity: 14,300 Official website: www.sc-heerenveen.nl History The history of Heerenveen goes back to 1902. In 1920 the name of the football-club Heerenveen was turned into v.v. Heerenveen. In the season 1990/1991 sc Heerenveen played in the Eredivisie for the first time. Since 1993 the club has turned out to be a real cupfighter. In 1993 Heerenveen reaches the Cup Final versus Ajax and in 1995 the semi-final versus Feyenoord (0- 1), in 1997 the final versus Roda JC (2-4) and in 1998 the semi-final versus Ajax. At the end of this football season sc Heerenveen have qualified for European Cup-11 football through a splendid victory over FC Twente with 3- 1. Also in the Eredivisie the Frisian football-club achieves good results. From a 13th position in 1993/1994 to a 7th position in 1996/1997. In 1997/1998 the club had gained a 6th position. The European Cup adventure however, does not turn out to be the biggest success. In the early second round sc Heerenveen got eliminated by Varteks Varazdin. In 1999 sc Heerenveen, with a tied 5th position, did not “gain” any price, but in 2000 it’s “bull’s eye”: a very strong season ends with a second place after the champion PSV, which means the biggest success ever in the history of the club. In the first round of the Champions League sc Heerenveen was grouped together with Valencia, Olympique Lyon and Olympiakos. sc Heerenveen won the home match with 1-0 from Olympiakos and played the away match against Valencia with a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately after the first round the unique European adventure for sc Heerenveen was over. In the national league the success was not so great either. The season 2001-2002 was successful for sc Heerenveen. For a while they were on track to achieve a Champions League position but in the end they ended 4th which entitled sc Heerenveen to play the UEFA cup tournament. The season 2002-2003 did not start very well for sc Heerenveen. As a result of changes and injuries within the team the results were at first not good. In the second part of the competition sc Heerenveen improved and had a higher position on the ranking. At one part there was even the possibility to finish at a position which meant participation in the UEFA Cup competition, unfortunately this aim was not achieved as sc Heerenveen finished in the seventh place on the ranking. Achievements: 1990/1991 - I st year Eredivisie 1991/1992 - I st division 1991/1992 - Club of the year 1992/1993 - Cup Final versus Ajax in Rotterdam: 23,000 supporters are travelling to 1992/1993 - Rotterdam with Heerenveen 1992/1993 - Promotion to Eredivisie 1993/1994 - 13th position Eredivisie 1993/1994 - Amstel Cup 1994/1995 - 9th position in Eredivisie 1994/1995 - Amstel Cup semi-final versus Feyenoord 1994/1995 - Intertoto League quarter final versus Bordeaux 1995/1996 - 7th position in Eredivisie 1995/1996 - Amstel Cup semi-final versus Feyenoord 1995/1996 - Intertoto league 1995/1996 - Fair Play Award 1996/1997 - 7th position in Eredivsie 1996/1997 - Amstel Cup Final versus Roda JC, 25,000 supporters are travelling to 1996/1997 - the match to join their team 1996/1997 - Intertoto league 1997/1998 - 6th position Eredivisie 1997/1998 - sc Heerenveen qualify for European Cup 1997/1998 - Club of the Year 1997/1998 - Foppe de Haan, Coach of the Year 1998/1999 - 5th position Eredivisie (tied) 1998/1999 - Intertoto League 1999/2000 - 2nd position Eredivisie 1999/2000 - Champions League qualification 2000/2001 - 10th position Eredivisie 2000/2001 - Intertoto league / Club of the year / Foppy de Haan, Coach of the year 2001/2002 - 4th position Eredivisie 2001/2002 - UEFA-cup 2002/2003 - 7th position Eredivisie Fan base: The club plays in the town with the same name, which only has about 28.000 inhabitants. In a few years time when the modern stadium will have doubled its capacity to 28.000.sc Heerenveen will surely be one of the very few football clubs in the world with a stadium that could host the total population of the place it is based in. Heerenveen hails from Fryslan, a rural province with 650.000 inhabitants and with a strong sense of history and tradition. Fryslan has its own language (more Anglo-Saxon than the Germanic Dutch) and culture and is often regarded as a rather proud 'nation within a nation'. Kit: Heerenveen plays in an outfit that resembles the Frisian flag: blue and white vertical stripes with diagonal red 'hearts' that are called 'pompeblêden' in the indigenous language, the name for a certain type of water lily (Nympaea alba). At the start of every home game in the Dutch league the Frisian anthem is played, sounding almost as impressive as a sold-out Cardiff Arms Park before a Welsh national rugby game. Frisian Anthem Frysk bloed tsjoch op! Wol no ris brûze en siede, en bûnzje troch ús ieren om. Flean op, wy sjonge it bêste lân fan d'ierde, it Fryske lân fol eare en rom. Klink dan en daverje fier yn it rûn. Dyn âlde eare, o Fryske grûn, klink dan en daverje fier yn it rûn, Dyn âlde eare, o Fryske grûn. Trochloftig folk fan dizze alde namme, wez jimmer op dy alders great; bliuw ivich fan dy grize hege stamme in grien, in kreftich bloeijend leat, klink dan en daverje fier yn it roun, dyn alde eare, o Fryske groun! The Stadium The being builed doubled stadium with a partical second ring: http://sc.heerenveen.org/img/stadion/alynia/plattegrond.428.jpg Stadium attendance: 2002/2003 - 14,188 2001/2002 - 13,813 2000/2001 - 13,768 1999/2000 - 13,608 1998/1999 - 13,279 1997/1998 - 13,274 1996/1997 - 12,724 1995/1996 - 12,682 1994/1995 - 8,482 1993/1994 - 8,174 1992/1993 - 8,888 1991/1992 - 3,761 1990/1991 - 4,605 1989/1990 - 3,278 Famous ex players whom still are playing: Players of international repute why played for Heerenveen are ]on Dahl Tomasson (ex Newcastle United and Feyenoord, now with AC Milan), Igor Korneev (ex-Barcelona and Feijenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooij (Manchester United), and the Swedish international Marcus Allbäck, who is now playing for Aston Villa. Fixtures August 17 - FC Volendam - sc Heerenveen August 23 - sc Heerenveen - Feyenoord August 29 - Willem II - sc Heerenveen September 13 - sc Heerenveen - FC Groningen September 20 - AZ - sc Heerenveen September 27 - sc Heerenveen - FC Twente October 4 - sc Heerenveen - RKC Waalwijk October 18 - PSV - sc Heerenveen October 18 - sc Heerenveen - NEC November 2 - FC Utrecht - sc Heerenveen November 8 - sc Heerenveen - FC Zwolle November 23 - Ajax - sc Heerenveen December 3 - sc Heerenveen - ADO Den Haag December 7 - NAC Breda - sc Heerenveen December 13 - RBC Roosendaal - sc Heerenveen December 19 - sc Heerenveen - Roda JC January 24 - Vitesse - sc Heerenveen January 28 - sc Heerenveen - Ajax February 7 - sc Heerenveen - NAC Breda February 11 - RKC Waalwijk - sc Heerenveen February 14 - sc Heerenveen - Willem II February 21 - sc Heerenveen - PSV February 28 - NEC - sc Heerenveen March 7 - Feyenoord - sc Heerenveen March 13 - sc Heerenveen - Volendam March 19 - Fc Groningen - sc Heerenveen March 27 - sc Heerenveen - RBC Roosendaal April 3 - Roda JC - sc Heerenveen April 10 - sc Heerenveen - FC Utrecht April 17 - FC Zwolle - sc Heerenveen April 24 - sc Heerenveen - Vitesse May 1 - ADO Den Haag - sc Heerenveen May 9 - sc Heerenveen - AZ May 16 - FC Twente - sc Heerenveen
Volendam - Heerenveen 0-1 Newly promoted outfit Volendam return to the Eredivisie with a 0-1 home defeat at the hands of Heerenveen after Swedish striker Stefan Selakovic netted from the penaly spot. Volendam began well when Lindsay Wilson hit the post in the 15th minute. However, five minutes later former Ajax midfielder Richard Knopper nearly opened the score for Heerenveen but his shot was well saved by Robert van Westerop. On the half hour mark Volendam defender Brian Tevreden pulled down Antonio Correia in the penalty area. and referee Dick van Egmond awarded the visitors penalty. Selakovic had no trouble in converting the spot-shot. The second half was less entertaining with Heerenveen dominating but unable to create chances in front of goal. FootballNL.com
Heerenveen - Feyenoord 1-0 Foppe de Haan's flying Frisians won their second game of the new season, this time beating Rotterdam giants Feyenoord 1-0 after former Ajax striker Gerald Sibon scored the only goal of the game midway through the first act. Sibon, who joined Heerenveen this summer from English club Sheffield Wednesday, scored with the first shot of the game after Feyenoord keeper Edwin Zoetebier misjudged Erik Edman's free-kick allowing the ball to land by Sibon who lobbed the ball into an empty net from sixteen meters. After the break Feyeenord upped the tempo but their forwards were unable to penetrate Heerenveen's defence. FootballNL.com
Willem II - Heerenveen 2-0 Willem II, who were shell shocked after being whipped 6-1 by PSV last week, regained themselves last night with a 2-0 victory over high-flying Heerenveen. Fopper de Haan's Heerenveen, who won their two previous Eredivisie matches of the season and who hadn't conceded a goal before tonight's game, found themselves trailing in the second minute as Anour Hadouir put the home side ahead. In the 31st minute of the game Dmitri Shoukov completed the scoring to give Willem their second win of the season. FootballNL.com
Heerenveen - Groningen 1-0 Heerenveen were lucky to book a 1-0 home win this evening after being completely outclassed by Groningen for the majority of the game but were denied by an inform South African international goalie Hans Vonk. In the 38th minute of the game Petter Hansson scored the one and opnly goal of the game after nodding in a Said Bakkati free-kick. In the second act Groningen pressed forward and were able to produce a number of good chances in front of goal. However all their efforts were in vain with the impressive Vonk defending Heerenveen's goal. FootballNL.com
AZ - Heerenveen 3-1 AZ continue to progress under coach Co Adriaanse and have now climbed into 3rd place after beating Heerenveen for the first time ever. AZ took a deserved lead in the 12th minute through Ali Elkhattabi who colly lobbed over Heerenveen goalie Hans Vonk. Although former Sheffield Wednesday striker Gerald Sibon came close to scoring a couple of minutes later, it wasn't until two minutes before half-time before the visitors were able to make a serious attempt at goal when Mika Vayrynen shot rebounded off the post to Richard Knopper who had no trouble in tapping-in from close range for the 1-1. However, on the stroke half-time Barry van Galen netted a spot-shot for the home-side after Said Bakkatti had fouled Kenneth Perez. In the second act After the break AZ increased the gap to two goals when Perez nodded in a Michael Buskermolen cross. FootballNL.com
Heerenveen - Twente 3-0 Former Ajax forwards Gerald Sibon (2x) and Richard Knopper (1x) scored goals this evening to help retain Heerenveen's 100% home record after beating Twente 3-0. Richard Knopper opened the score for the Home-side ain the ninth-minute after rounding off a one-two with defender said Bakkati, with a hard shot in to the back of the net. Six minutes later Heerenveen skipper Sibon doubled the lead after Twente goalie ten Rouwelaar fumbled an Erik Edman cross leaving Sibon to tap-in from close range. In the 60th minute Sibon completed his brace and the final scoreline when back-latching on to a Georgios Samaras shot. FootballNL Heerenveen - RKC 1-0 Out of favour Ajax striker Richard Knopper, who is on loan to Heerenveen, helped maintain the Frisians 100% home record after scoring the one and only goal of their match against Martin Jol's RKC in first-half injury time. FootballNL
Rutger, This is impressive stuff. I noticed the recent years' attendance at the Abe Lenstra Stadion is impressive considering the total population of the town. One of these days I plan to make it there; perhaps even for a derby against Groningen. Are you one of the average 14000 who make it to the stadium?
Rutger And good young Dutch players at Heerenveen (either 1st team, reserves or youth) that we should be on the lookout for?
Hey, Thanks for the offer. Currently there is talk about travelling to NL but this is planned to take place during the first week of February. I'm don't know yet if I can make it due to work.
As if we here in America haven't had enough of P$V on our local satellite/cable channel, the trip coincides with the Ajax match against.....PSV. And Ajax haven't exactly had a good home record againt the 'bulbs in recent years. But jokes aside, it doesn't matter who the opponent is, as long as it's live action, it's all good. (Damn that bluedaddy guy....)
Richard Knopper is having a great season for the guys with the Hearts on their shirts I know they aren't supposed to be hearts, but they look like them.