Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna Sittard
Full name	Fortuna Sittard
Nickname(s)	Fortuna, Fortunezen
Founded	1 July 1968; 53 years ago
Ground	Fortuna Sittard Stadion
Capacity	12,500
Owner	Acun Ilıcalı
Chairman	Özgür Işıtan Gün
Manager	Sjors Ultee
League	Eredivisie
2020–21	Eredivisie, 11th
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

Fortuna Sittard is a football club in Sittard, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Fortuna Sittard Stadion and features in the Eredivisie. The club was established through a merger of former clubs Fortuna 54 and Sittardia, which merged as the Fortuna Sittardia Combinatie on 1 July 1968.

History[]

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

Fortuna 54 won the KNVB Cup in the 1956–57 season, and finished the Eredivisie season in second place behind champions Ajax. Sittardia were less successful and battled against relegation for many seasons. Fortuna 54 won the KNVB Cup again in 1964 before the merging of the two clubs in 1968 due to financial difficulties.

At the end of the 1999–2000 season, manager Bert van Marwijk left to join Feyenoord and the team was relegated to the First Division in the 2001–02 season.^[1] Financial irregularities were discovered and the team faced bankruptcy over several seasons. In the winter of 2003, two of the club's fans won the Dutch lottery and donated all of the prize money to the club.^{[citation needed]} The club cleared most of their debts by selling off their new stadium, the Wagner & Partners stadium.^{[citation needed]}

On 19 May 2009, the KNVB announced it would withdraw the club's license to play for the 2010–11 season. After going to civil court, this decision was revoked.^[2] Even though financial troubles kept plaguing the club, recent years have seen a slow but steady return to financial health, with sporting successes following suit. In the 2011–2012 season they missed qualification for the playoffs for promotion to the Eredivisie by a hair's breadth, conceding an equalizer in the dying seconds of the season in the home match against the Go Ahead Eagles, seeing them take the final playoff spot instead. In 2012–13 and 2013–14 they were successful in qualifying, having a first chance at returning to the Eredivisie since their relegation in 2002, but they lost both first round matches against De Graafschap.

In 2018, after 16 years in the Eerste Divisie, Fortuna won promotion to the Eredivisie again after beating Jong PSV 1–0 to stay clear from NEC and finishing runner-up to champions Jong Ajax, who are not allowed to promote.^[3]

The 2019–20 season ended with Fortuna in 16th place. But with the season being declared void, they will participate in Eredivisie in 2020–21.^[4]

Honours[]

KNVB Cup
- Winners: 1956–57, 1963–64
- Runners-up: 1983–84, 1998–99
Eerste Divisie
- Winners: 1958–59, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1994–95
- Promoted: 1981–82, 2017–18

Results[]

Below is a table with Fortuna Sittard's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.

showDomestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2019–20 Eredivisie	–	–	2019–20	–
2018–19 Eredivisie	15th	–	2018–19	quarter-final
2017–18 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)	2017–18	round of 16
2016–17 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2016–17	first round
2015–16 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2015–16	second round
2014–15 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2014–15	third round
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	8th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2013–14	second round
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2012–13	second round
2011–12 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	2011–12	second round
2010–11 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2010–11	third round
2009–10 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2009–10	second round
2008–09 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2008–09	third round
2007–08 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2007–08	third round
2006–07 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2006–07	second round
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	20th	–	2005–06	second round
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2003–04	second round
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2002–03	group stage
2001–02 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2001–02	round of 16
2000–01 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving prom./releg. play-offs)	2000–01	round of 16
1999–2000 Eredivisie	12th	–	1999–2000	third round
1998–99 Eredivisie	10th	–	1998–99	final
1997–98 Eredivisie	7th	Intertoto Cup (R3)	1997–98	quarter-final
1996–97 Eredivisie	11th	–	1996–97	second round
1995–96 Eredivisie	13th	–	1995–96	round of 16
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1994–95	group stage
1993–94 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1993–94	third round
1992–93 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (losing prom./releg. play-off)	1992–93	round of 16
1991–92 Eredivisie	14th	–	1991��92	second round
1990–91 Eredivisie	12th	–	1990–91	second round
1989–90 Eredivisie	7th	–	1989–90	quarter-final
1988–89 Eredivisie	8th	–	1988–89	round of 16
1987–88 Eredivisie	8th	–	1987–88	round of 16
1986–87 Eredivisie	9th	–	1986–87	quarter-final
1985–86 Eredivisie	8th	–	1985–86	quarter-final
1984–85 Eredivisie	7th	–	1984–85	round of 16
1983–84 Eredivisie	12th	Cup Winners' Cup	1983–84	final
1982–83 Eredivisie	8th	–	1982–83	second round
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)	1981–82	first round
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1980–81	second round
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1979–80	second round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion competition: no promotion	1978–79	quarter-final
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	5th	–	1977–78	second round
1976–77 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1976–77	second round
1975–76 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion competition: no promotion	1975–76	first round
1974–75 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1974–75	second round
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion competition: no promotion	1973–74	second round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1972–73	first round
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	1971–72	quarter-final
1970–71 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1970–71	semi-final
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1969–70	first round^{[citation needed]}
1968–69 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1968–69	first round^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	17th 18th	Merger into Fortuna SC	1967–68	group stage^{[citation needed]} round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	14th 7th	–	1966–67	first round^{[citation needed]}
1965–66 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1965–66 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	9th 1st	– Eredivisie (promotion)	1965–66	group stage^{[citation needed]}
1964–65 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	6th 15th	– Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1964–65	first round^{[citation needed]} round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1963–64 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	7th 1st	Cup Winners' Cup Eredivisie (promotion)	1963–64	winner first round^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1962–63 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	12th	–	1962–63	round of 16^{[citation needed]} third round^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1961–62 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	12th 3rd	–	1961–62	?^{[citation needed]}
1960–61 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1960–61 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	15th 5th (group B)	–	1960–61	?^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	14th 18th	– Eerste Divisie (relegation)	not held	not held
1958–59 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1958–59 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	3rd 1st (group B)	– Eredivisie (promotion)	1958–59	?^{[citation needed]}
1957–58 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1957–58 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	4th 4th (group B)	–	1957–58	?^{[citation needed]}
1956–57 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1956–57 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	2nd 6th (group B)	–	1956–57	winner ?^{[citation needed]}

Players[]

Current squad[]

As of 13 September 2021

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	NED	Yanick van Osch
2	DF	SUI	Martin Angha
4	DF	NED	Roel Janssen
6	MF	NED	Deroy Duarte
7	MF	CPV	Lisandro Semedo
8	FW	NED	Zian Flemming
10	MF	NED	Mats Seuntjens (vice-captain)
11	FW	SWE	Emil Hansson
12	DF	POR	Ivo Pinto (on loan from Dinamo Zagreb)
14	MF	SWE	Tesfaldet Tekie
18	DF	NED	Nigel Lonwijk (on loan from Wolverhampton)
19	MF	GER	Arianit Ferati
21	MF	TUR	Yiğit Emre Çeltik
22	MF	BEL	Adnan Ugur
23	MF	NED	Ben Rienstra (captain)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
24	FW	FRA	Samy Baghdadi
25	MF	BEL	Mickaël Tirpan
27	DF	NED	Ronan Pluijmen
28	MF	IRL	Ryan Johansson (on loan from Sevilla Atlético)
29	MF	NED	Richie Musaba
30	GK	NED	Ruben van Kouwen
32	GK	GER	Felix Dornebusch
35	DF	ENG	George Cox
39	FW	NED	Toshio Lake
45	FW	GER	Bassala Sambou
77	FW	NED	Tijjani Noslin
—	FW	ENG	Veron Parkes

Former players[]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Emil Miljković

England

Todd Cantwell

Moldova

Alexei Koselev
Vitalie Damașcan

Netherlands

Spain

José Rodríguez

Managers[]

As Fortuna '54

1956–57: Friedrich Donenfeld (vice champion, cup winner)
1957–58: Bram Appel
1958–59:
1959–61: Friedrich Donenfeld
1961–63:
1963–65: (cup winner 1964)
1965–66: Max Schirschin
1966–67: Karl-Heinz Marotzke
1967–68: Bram Appel

As Sittardia

Vladimir Beara (1966–1968)
(1968)

As Fortuna Sittard

(1968–69)
(1969–70)
(1970–72)
Cor Brom (1972–76)
Cor van der Hart (1976–77)
(1977–80)
Frans Körver (1980–84)
Bert Jacobs (1984–87)
(1987–89)
Han Berger (1989–91)
Georg Keßler (1991–92)
Chris Dekker (1992–94)
Pim Verbeek (1994–97)
Bert van Marwijk (1997-00)
Henk Duut (2000–01)

Frans Thijssen (2000–01)
Hans Verèl (2001)
Hans de Koning (2001–04)
Chris Dekker (2004–06)
Frans Körver (2006–07)
Henk Wisman (2007)
Roger Reijners (2007–10)
(2010–11)
Tini Ruys (2011–12)
Willy Boessen (2012–14)
Peter van Vossen (2014–15)
Ben van Dael (2015–16)
Sunday Oliseh (2017–18)
Claudio Braga (a.i.) (2018)
(2018–19)
Sjors Ultee (2019–20)
Kevin Hofland (2020)
Sjors Ultee (2020–Present)

References[]

^ Fortuna Sittard: geen toekomst, maar een fraaie historie - Voetbal International (in Dutch)
^ (in Dutch)KNVB gaat licentie Fortuna Sittard intrekken, Voetbal International (19 May 2009)
^ Fortuna Sittard na zestien jaar terug in de eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)
^ https://eredivisie.nl/nl-nl/uitgelicht/afwikkeling-voetbalseizoen-201920-een-feit

External links[]

Official website (in Dutch)
Fansite Fortuna Supporters Collectief

[1] Fortuna Sittard: geen toekomst, maar een fraaie historie - Voetbal International (in Dutch)

[2] (in Dutch)KNVB gaat licentie Fortuna Sittard intrekken, Voetbal International (19 May 2009)

[3] Fortuna Sittard na zestien jaar terug in de eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)

[4] ttps://eredivisie.nl/nl-nl/uitgelicht/afwikkeling-voetbalseizoen-201920-een-feit

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

show v t Eredivisie
2021–22 clubs	Ajax AZ Cambuur Feyenoord Fortuna Sittard Go Ahead Eagles Groningen Heerenveen Heracles N.E.C. PEC Zwolle PSV Twente RKC Sparta Utrecht Vitesse Willem II
Stadiums	Abe Lenstra Stadion De Adelaarshorst AFAS Stadion Cambuur Stadion Erve Asito Euroborg Fortuna Sittard Stadion Galgenwaard GelreDome De Goffert De Grolsch Veste IJsseldeltastadion Johan Cruyff Arena Het Kasteel Koning Willem II Stadion De Kuip Mandemakers Stadion Philips Stadion
Former clubs	ADO Den Haag Alkmaar '54 FC Amsterdam Blauw-Wit Amsterdam Den Bosch Dordrecht DOS DS '79 DWS FC Eindhoven Elinkwijk Emmen SC Enschede Fortuna '54 Haarlem Helmond Maastricht NAC Breda NOAD Roosendaal Roda SVV Telstar Veendam Volendam De Volewijckers VVV-Venlo Wageningen XerxesDZB
Competition	Champions Players (foreign) Managers Hat-tricks Derbies Eredivisie Live
Awards	Footballer of the Year Rinus Michels Award
Associated competitions	League system Eerste Divisie Tweede Divisie Derde Divisie Hoofdklasse KNVB Cup Johan Cruyff Shield Eredivisie for women UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League
Netherlands Football League seasons	1888–89 1889–90 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56
Eredivisie seasons	1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22
Eredivisie Eerste Divisie Tweede Divisie Derde Divisie Hoofdklasse Eerste Klasse Tweede Klasse Derde Klasse Vierde Klasse Vijfde Klasse