Sparta Rotterdam

Sparta Rotterdam
Full name	Sparta Rotterdam
Nickname(s)	De Kasteelheren ; (The Castle Lords) ; De Rood-Witte Gladiatoren (The Red-White Gladiators)
Founded	1 April 1888; 133 years ago
Ground	Het Kasteel (The Castle); Rotterdam
Capacity	11,926
Chairman	Leo Ruijs
Head coach	Henk Fraser
League	Eredivisie
2020–21	Eredivisie, 8th
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

Sparta Rotterdam (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈspɑrtaː ˌrɔtərˈdɑm]) is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. Established on 1 April 1888, Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands.

Sparta currently compete in the Eredivisie, the top flight of Dutch professional football, which they have won 6 times, having earned promotion from the Eerste Divisie in 2018–19. The club is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior (est. 1902) and Feyenoord (est. 1908).

History[]

Sparta Rotterdam vs Blackpool F.C., Aug. 1957

On 1 April 1888, several students from Rotterdam founded a cricket club called Rotterdamsche Cricket & Football Club Sparta. In July 1888, a football branch of the club was established. In 1890, Sparta played its first real football match, and in 1892 Sparta disbanded the cricket branch. Sparta was promoted to the highest league of Dutch football on 23 April 1893. In 1897, Sparta withdrew from the competition after continuous dubious arbitration of Sparta matches. The club continued to exist, however, and in 1899 the board of Sparta visited a match of Sunderland. Impressed with the red-and-white jersey of the English club, the board decided that Sunderland's colours (red-white striped jersey, black shorts) would henceforth be the colours of Sparta.

In 1905, Sparta initiated and organised the first home match of the Netherlands national team, against Belgium. The match, won 4–0 by the Netherlands, was a rematch of a game two weeks prior, when the Netherlands beat Belgium 4–1 in Antwerp, Belgium.

The first match at Sparta's new stadium, Het Kasteel (The Castle), in the Spangen area of west Rotterdam, was played on 14 October 1916. The stadium was renovated in 1999 and is still Sparta's stadium.

Until the 2002–03 season, Sparta had always played at the highest level, but after they appointed the former international player Frank Rijkaard as a manager they were relegated from the top-level Eredivisie in 2002. That made Rijkaard resign from his position.^[1] Sparta returned to the Eredivisie for the 2005–06 season. They were relegated again in 2010. On 20 August 2010, they equalled Ajax's and Heracles Almelo's Dutch league record win when they defeated Almere City 12–1^[2] with Johan Voskamp scoring an Eerste Divisie record 8 goals on his debut.^[3]

After six years in the Eerste Divisie, Sparta again won promotion to the Eredivisie in April 2016 after a 3–1 win over Jong Ajax won them an unassailable lead over second placed VVV-Venlo.^[4] However, they were relegated for the third time in their history in May 2018 after they were beaten 1–3 on aggregate by FC Emmen in the promotion/relegation play-offs. The result proved to be a historical one since Emmen won their first ever promotion to the Eredivisie.^[5]

Sparta has won six national titles (1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915 and 1959) and three national cups (1958, 1962 and 1966).

Meuse/Scheldt Cup[]

The best footballers of Rotterdam and Antwerp contested a yearly match between 1909 and 1959 for the Meuse- and Scheldt Cup (Maas- en Schelde Beker). It was agreed to play the game at stadium Het Kasteel in Rotterdam and at the Bosuilstadion in Antwerp. The cup was provided in 1909 by Kees van Hasselt from Rotterdam and P. Havenith from Antwerp.

Youth program[]

The Sparta Jeugdopleiding (English: Sparta Youth Academy) is a four-star certified youth academy and amongst the strongest in the nation, having won the national academy of the year award on several occasions.^[6] Several International footballers have progressed through the ranks of the academy, including Danny Blind, Danny Koevermans, David Mendes da Silva, Ed de Goey, Winston Bogarde, Memphis Depay, Henk Fräser, Jan van Beveren, Georginio Wijnaldum, Anwar El Ghazi, Jetro Willems, John de Wolf, Kevin Strootman, Rick van Drongelen and Nick Viergever, Marten de Roon amongst others.^[7]

Honours[]

National[]

Netherlands Football League Championship / Eredivisie: 6

1908–09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1958–59

Eerste Divisie: 1

2015–16

KNVB Cup: 3

1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66

Eerste Klasse (Tier 6): 10

1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1925, 1929, 1953, 1956

Others[]

Rotterdam Easter Tournament

Runners-up (2): 1934, 1948^[8]

Domestic results[]

Below is a table with Sparta Rotterdam's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

showDomestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2020–21 Eredivisie	8th	European competition play-offs: no European competition	2020–21	first round
2019–20 Eredivisie	11th		2019–20	second round
2018–19 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2018–19	first round
2018–19 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2017–18	first round
2016–17 Eredivisie	15th		2016–17	quarter-final
2015–16 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie	2015–16	third round
2014–15 Eerste Divisie	8th	-	2014–15	third round
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	16th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2013–14	second round
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2012–13	third round
2011–12 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2011–12	round of 16
2010–11 Eerste Divisie	9th	-	2010–11	third round
2009–10 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2009–10	quarter-final
2008–09 Eredivisie	13th	-	2008–09	round of 16
2007–08 Eredivisie	13th	-	2007–08	third round
2006–07 Eredivisie	13th	- (after losing IC-play-offs)	2006–07	round of 16
2005–06 Eredivisie	14th	-	2005–06	second round
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2003–04	semi-final
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	8th	-	2002–03	third round
2001–02 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2001–02	second round
2000–01 Eredivisie	17th	- (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)	2000–01	third round
1999–2000 Eredivisie	13th	-	1999-2000	second round
1998–99 Eredivisie	17th	- (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)	1998-99	second round
1997–98 Eredivisie	13th	-	1997-98	second round
1996–97 Eredivisie	13th	-	1996-97	second round
1995–96 Eredivisie	6th	-	1995-96	final
1994–95 Eredivisie	14th	-	1994-95	round of 16
1993–94 Eredivisie	9th	-	1993-94	third round
1992–93 Eredivisie	13th	-	1992-93	round of 16
1991–92 Eredivisie	8th	-	1991-92	semi-final
1990–91 Eredivisie	13th	-	1990-91	round of 16
1989–90 Eredivisie	12th	-	1989-90	first round
1988–89 Eredivisie	12th	-	1988-89	round of 16
1987–88 Eredivisie	12th	-	1987-88	first round
1986–87 Eredivisie	8th	-	1986-87	round of 16
1985–86 Eredivisie	7th	-	1985-86	first round
1984–85 Eredivisie	4th	UEFA Cup	1984-85	quarter-final
1983–84 Eredivisie	5th	-	1983-84	round of 16
1982–83 Eredivisie	4th	UEFA Cup	1982-83	second round
1981–82 Eredivisie	8th	-	1981-82	semi-final
1980–81 Eredivisie	7th	-	1980-81	second round
1979–80 Eredivisie	13th	-	1979-80	semi-final
1978–79 Eredivisie	6th	-	1978-79	quarter-final
1977–78 Eredivisie	5th	-	1977-78	semi-final
1976–77 Eredivisie	7th	-	1976-77	second round
1975–76 Eredivisie	10th	-	1975-76	second round
1974–75 Eredivisie	6th	-	1974-75	quarter-final
1973–74 Eredivisie	8th	-	1973-74	round of 16
1972–73 Eredivisie	4th	-	1972-73	semi-final
1971–72 Eredivisie	4th	-	1971-72	quarter-final
1970–71 Eredivisie	6th	Cup Winners' Cup	1970-71	final
1969–70 Eredivisie	5th	Inter-Cities Fairs Cup	1969-70	second round
1968–69 Eredivisie	8th	-	1968-69	semi-final^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Eredivisie	5th	-	1967-68	quarter-final^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Eredivisie	3rd	-	1966-67	round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1965–66 Eredivisie	7th	Cup Winners' Cup	1965-66	winners
1964–65 Eredivisie	5th	-	1964-65	first round^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Eredivisie	14th	-	1963-64	round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Eredivisie	3rd	-	1962-63	third round^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Eredivisie	9th	Cup Winners' Cup	1961-62	winners
1960–61 Eredivisie	4th	-	1960-61	?^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eredivisie	7th	-	not held	not held
1958–59 Eredivisie	1st	European Cup	1958-59	?^{[citation needed]}
1957–58 Eredivisie	9th	-	1957-58	winners
1956–57 Eredivisie	8th	-	1956-57	?^{[citation needed]}

Sparta in Europe[]

Q = Qualifying Round
1R = First round
2R = Second round
3R = Third round
1/4 = Quarter-final

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Score
1959–60	European Cup	1R	IFK Göteborg	3–1, 1–3, 3–1
1959–60	European Cup	1/4	Rangers	2–3, 1–0, 2–3
1962–63	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Q	Lausanne-Sport	0–3, 4–2
1966–67	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R	Floriana	1–1, 6–0
1966–67	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	2R	Servette	0–2, 1–0
1970–71	Inter-Cities Fairs Cup	1R	ÍA Akranes	6–0, 9–0
		2R	Coleraine	2–0, 2–1
		3R	Bayern Munich	1–2, 1–3
1971–72	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1R	Levski-Spartak	1–1, 2–0
1971–72	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	2R	Red Star Belgrade	1–1, 1–2
1983–84	UEFA Cup	1R	Coleraine	4–0, 1–1
		2R	Carl Zeiss Jena	3–2, 1–1
		3R	Spartak Moscow	1–1, 0–2
1985–86	UEFA Cup	1R	Hamburger SV	2–0, 0–2 (4–3 n.p.)
1985–86	UEFA Cup	2R	Borussia Mönchengladbach	1–1, 1–5

Current squad[]

As of 10 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
—	GK	NGA	Maduka Okoye
—	GK	NED	Benjamin van Leer
—	GK	NED	Tim Coremans
—	DF	BEL	Michaël Heylen
—	DF	NED	Bart Vriends
—	DF	NED	Tom Beugelsdijk
—	DF	NED	Augustin Drakpe
—	DF	GRE	Giannis Masouras (on loan from Olympiacos)
—	DF	LUX	Mica Pinto
—	DF	LUX	Laurent Jans
—	DF	NED	Dirk Abels
—	MF	NED	Adil Auassar (captain)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	NED	Kenzo Goudmijn (on loan from AZ)
—	MF	NED	Sven Mijnans
—	MF	NED	Bryan Smeets
—	MF	SYR	Mohammed Osman
—	FW	GER	Mario Engels
—	FW	NED	Vito van Crooij
—	FW	GER	Lennart Thy
—	FW	NED	Emanuel Emegha
—	FW	NED	Reda Kharchouch

Reserve squad[]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	NED
—	GK	NED
—	DF	NED
—	DF	NED
—	DF	NED
—	DF	NED	Gaultiér Overman
—	DF	NED
—	DF	NED


No.	Pos.	Nation
—	MF	NED
—	MF	NED
—	MF	NED
—	MF	NED
—	FW	NED
—	FW	NED
—	FW	MAR

Players out on loan[]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	NED	Abdou Harroui (at Sassuolo until 30 June 2022)

Former players[]

Former coaches[]

Edgar Chadwick (1915)
Peter Donaghy (1929–30)
Doug Livingstone (1949)
Walter Crook (1950)
Denis Neville (1955–63)
Bill Thompson (1963–66)
Wiel Coerver (1966–69)
Georg Keßler (1970–71)
Elek Schwartz (1971–72)
Jimmy Adamson (1976)
Cor Brom (1976–78)

Mircea Petescu (1978–80)
Joop Brand (1980)
Barry Hughes (1980–83)
Bert Jacobs (1983–84)
Theo Vonk (1984–86)
Barry Hughes (1986–88)
Rob Baan (1988–90)
Rob Jacobs (1991–93)
Han Berger (1993–95)
Henk van Stee (1995)
Henk ten Cate (1995–97)

Hans van der Zee (1997–98)
Jan Everse (1998–99)
Dolf Roks (1999–01)
Willem van Hanegem (2001)
Frank Rijkaard (2001–02)
Fritz Korbach (2003)
Chris Dekker (2003)
Mike Snoei (2003–05)
Adri van Tiggelen (interim) (2005)
Wiljan Vloet (2005–07)
Gert Aandewiel (2007)

Adri van Tiggelen (interim) (2007)
Foeke Booy (2007–09)
Frans Adelaar (2009–10)
Aad de Mos (2010)
Jan Everse (2010–11)
Jos van Eck (2011)
Michel Vonk (2011–13)
Henk ten Cate (interim) (2013)
Gert Kruys (2014)
Alex Pastoor (2015–2017)
Dolf Roks (interim) (2017)
Dick Advocaat (2018)
Henk Fraser (2018–)

References[]

^ "Rijkaard quits at Sparta". Uefa.com. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ Sparta evenaart record Ajax en Heracles - De Telegraaf (in Dutch)
^ Acht treffers bij debuut - De Telegraaf (in Dutch)
^ Sparta Rotterdam terug in de eredivisie - NOS (in Dutch)
^ Emmen schrijft geschiedenis met promotie, Sparta degradeert uit eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)
^ "Jeugdopleiding Sparta beoordeeld met 4 sterren". Rijnmond TV. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
^ Hamilton, Chloe (22 October 1995). "Exponenten uit de jeugdopleiding van Sparta Rotterdam". Sparta Jeugdopleiding. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
^ "Easter Tournaments Sparta (Rotterdam) 1934 and 1948".

External links[]

Official website (in Dutch)
Sparta Rotterdam at Football-lineups.com
Statistics
itwm
despartasupporter
Unofficial website in English

[1] "Rijkaard quits at Sparta". Uefa.com. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

[2] Sparta evenaart record Ajax en Heracles - De Telegraaf (in Dutch)

[3] Acht treffers bij debuut - De Telegraaf (in Dutch)

[4] Sparta Rotterdam terug in de eredivisie - NOS (in Dutch)

[5] Emmen schrijft geschiedenis met promotie, Sparta degradeert uit eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)

[6] "Jeugdopleiding Sparta beoordeeld met 4 sterren". Rijnmond TV. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2015.

[7] Hamilton, Chloe (22 October 1995). "Exponenten uit de jeugdopleiding van Sparta Rotterdam". Sparta Jeugdopleiding. Retrieved 3 August 2012.

[8] "Easter Tournaments Sparta (Rotterdam) 1934 and 1948".

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show v t Sparta Rotterdam
Managers Europe Current season
History	History of Sparta Rotterdam Honours
Home stadium	Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
Academy	Sparta Youth Academy Sparta Rotterdam (Mutual) FC
Related articles	Rotterdam derby

show v t Eerste Divisie · 2021–22
Clubs	ADO Den Haag Jong Ajax Almere City FC Jong AZ FC Den Bosch FC Dordrecht FC Eindhoven Emmen Excelsior De Graafschap Helmond Sport MVV NAC Jong PSV Roda JC Telstar TOP Oss Jong FC Utrecht FC Volendam VVV-Venlo
Eredivisie · Eerste Divisie · Tweede Divisie · Derde Divisie · Hoofdklasse · Eerste Klasse · Tweede Klasse · Derde Klasse · Vierde Klasse · Vijfde Klasse

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

show v t Sport in Rotterdam
Football teams	Feyenoord SBV Excelsior SBV Excelsior (women) SC Feyenoord VV Pernis Sparta Rotterdam TOGR Volharding Olympia Combinatie
Other sports teams	010 Trojans (American football) Feyenoord Basketball Hockey Club Neptunus (baseball) Panda's (ice hockey) Pitbulls (rugby league) RZ (basketball) Skadi Rowing Club
Events	Derby Half Marathon Rotterdam International Open Marathon Monaco aan de Maas Rotterdam Open Rotterdam Tour Six Days of Rotterdam
Venues	Ahoy De Kuip Energiehal (closed) Hazelaarweg Stadion Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel Sportcomplex Varkenoord Sportpark Laag Zestienhoven Van Donge & De Roo Stadion
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Sparta Rotterdam

Contents

History[]

Meuse/Scheldt Cup[]

Youth program[]

Honours[]

National[]

Others[]

Domestic results[]

Sparta in Europe[]

Current squad[]

Reserve squad[]

Players out on loan[]

Former players[]

Former coaches[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]