RKC Waalwijk

Summary

RKC Waalwijk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɛrkaːˈseː ˈʋaːlʋɛik]) is a Dutch professional football club based in Waalwijk, that is currently competing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk' ('Roman Catholic Combination Waalwijk' in Dutch) and was established as a merger of HEC, WVB and Hercules.

RKC Waalwijk
Full nameRooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk
Short nameRKC
Founded26 August 1940; 83 years ago (1940-08-26)
GroundMandemakers Stadion
Capacity7,508
ChairmanPeter Konijnenburg
Head coachHenk Fraser
LeagueEredivisie
2022–23Eredivisie, 9th of 18
WebsiteClub website
Current season

History edit

The club was formed on 26 August 1940 and used to play its home games at Sportpark Olympia. Its new stadium, the 7,500 seater Mandemakers Stadion was opened in 1996 and featured the home match against Roda JC. RKC's clubname was also expanded with the name of the town before that 1996-97 season. While considered one of the Eredivisie's smaller clubs, it nevertheless maintained its top flight status for many years. Its home colors are yellow and blue.

At the end of the 2006–07 season, RKC Waalwijk were relegated from the Eredivisie after a defeat in play-offs against VVV-Venlo.

On 3 June 2009 they were promoted to the Eredivisie division after a win in the play-offs against De Graafschap. Though, their spell didn't last long ending in the last place with only 15 points. In the season followed they would finish first in the Eerste Divisie promoting back in the top flight of Dutch football.

After another relegation at the end of the 2013–14 season, RKC Waalwijk finished 20th (last) in the 2014–15 season of Eerste Divisie. However, they didn't relegate to Topklasse (amateurs) because both of the two Topklasse champions declined promotion into professionalism. In 2016–17, they made the Eerste Divisie playoffs, losing 5–2 on aggregate to FC Emmen.

In the 2017–18 season, RKC was placed 16th out of 20 teams in the Eerste Divisie. In 2019, Waalwijk promoted back to the Eredivisie after a five-year absence, after beating Go Ahead Eagles in the play-off finals. After a 0–0 draw in the first leg at home, RKC won the second leg 4–5 away.[1]

In the 2019–20 season, RKC finished in last place, but they survived relegation due to the season being declared void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In the subsequent 2020–21 season, the club managed to avoid relegation on their own by finishing in 15th place.[3]

Results edit

EredivisieEerste DivisieEredivisieEerste DivisieEredivisieEerste DivisieEredivisieEerste Divisie
 
Historical chart of league performance

Below is a table with RKC's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1984.

RKC in Europe edit

  • Group = group game
  • 1R = first round
  • 2R = second round
  • 3R = third round
  • 1/8 = 1/8 final
Season Competition Round Club Score Goalscorers RKC
1989 Intertoto Cup Group   1. FC Kaiserslautern 1–1, 2–2
  First Vienna FC 3–4, 2–4
  Carl Zeiss Jena 2–0, 1–0
1992 Intertoto Cup Group   Caen 1–0, 0–2
  Lyngby BK 1–1, 0–2
  FC Schalke 04 3–2, 4–2
2000 Intertoto Cup 3R   Bradford City 0–2, 0–1
2001 Intertoto Cup 3R   TSV 1860 München 1–2, 1–3

Current squad edit

As of 19 January 2024[4]

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 Etienne Vaessen
2 DF   NED Julian Lelieveld
3 DF   BEL Dario Van den Buijs
4 DF   BEL Shawn Adewoye
5 DF   BEL Thierry Lutonda
6 MF   MAR Yassin Oukili
7 FW   NED Denilho Cleonise
8 MF   NED Patrick Vroegh
9 FW   NED David Min
10 FW   SRB Filip Stevanović (on loan from Manchester City)
11 FW   BEL Zakaria Bakkali
13 GK   NED Mark Spenkelink
14 MF   BEL Chris Lokesa
15 MF   NED Nouri El Harmazi
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW   NED Richonell Margaret
20 FW   NED Mats Seuntjens
21 GK   NED Jeroen Houwen
22 FW   BEL Ilias Takidine
23 DF   CUW Juriën Gaari
24 MF   CUW Godfried Roemeratoe
25 DF   NED Jeffrey Bruma
27 FW   NED Reuven Niemeijer
28 DF   NED Aaron Meijers
29 FW   NED Michiel Kramer (captain)
30 MF   FRA Daouda Weidmann (on loan from Torino)
31 GK   NED Joey Kesting
35 MF   CUW Kevin Felida

Out on loan edit

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   NED Luuk Wouters (at FC Eindhoven until 30 June 2024)

Honours edit

Club officials edit

Position Staff
Manager   Joseph Oosting
Assistant Manager   Sander Duits
First-Team Coach   Peter Uneken
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach   Rein Baart
First-Team Assistant Goalkeeper Coach   Bart Tinus
Video Analyst   Nyo Sulsters
Sports Scientist / Data Analyst   Folkert Boer
Chief Scout   Lars Lambooij
Scout   Cees Schapendonk
Club doctor   Tim Baijens
Physiotherapist   Robert van Riel
  Rob Westerlaken
Sports Carer   Ramon van Haaren
Exercise Physiologist   Nick van Aken
Kit Manager   Djordy de Nijs
Team Manager   Sander van den Anker
Technical Director   Mohammed Allach

Former coaches edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "RKC keert na knotsgekke wedstrijd in Deventer terug in eredivisie". nos.nl. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Afwikkeling voetbalseizoen 2019/'20 een feit | Eredivisie". eredivisie.nl (in Dutch). 24 April 2020.
  3. ^ "ADO Den Haag en VVV Venlo degraderen na verlies". NRC (in Dutch). 13 May 2021.
  4. ^ "RKC Waalwijk". voetbal.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.

External links edit

  • Official website