Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from
RotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, the others being
ExcelsiorSBV Excelsior is a professional football club from the Kralingen-Crooswijk district of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was founded on July 23, 1902 and was formerly known as 'Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior'...
(est. 1902) and Feyenoord (est. 1908), the latter playing in the Eredivisie.
History
Sparta was first founded in 1887. This club was disbanded shortly afterwards. On April 1, 1888, several ex-members of the old Sparta founded a
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club called 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 April 23, 1893. In 1897, Sparta withdrew from the competition after continuous dubious arbitration of Sparta matches. However, the club continued to exist, and in 1899, the board of Sparta visited a match of
Sunderland A.F.C.Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
Impressed with the red-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
Dutch national teamThe Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, 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.
The first match at Sparta's new stadium,
Het KasteelSparta-Stadion Het Kasteel is a football stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It is the home ground of Sparta Rotterdam. It has a capacity of 11,026.-History and layout:...
(The Castle), in the
SpangenSpangen is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands.It is in the west of the city with about 9500 inhabitants. From the entrance of Spangen to the center is formed by the Mathenesserbrug across the Delfshavense Schie....
area of west
RotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, was played on October 14, 1916. The stadium was renovated in 1999 and is still Sparta's stadium.
Until the 2002/2003 season Sparta Rotterdam had always played at the highest level, but they were relegated from the top-level
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
in 2002. Sparta returned to the Eredivisie for the 2005–06 season. They were relegated again in 2010. On 20 August 2010 they equalled
AjaxAmsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
's and
Heracles AlmeloHeracles Almelo is a football club from Almelo, Netherlands.Heracles Almelo were founded on May 3, 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. They changed their name on July 1, 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998. The club has won the Dutch national title...
's Dutch league record win when they defeated Almere City FC 12-1,
Johan VoskampJohan Voskamp is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Śląsk Wrocław in the Ekstraklasa.-Club career:Voskamp has previously played for Helmond Sport, Excelsior Rotterdam and RKC Waalwijk...
scoring an
Eerste DivisieThe Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
record 8 goals on his debut.
Sparta has won six national titles (1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915 and 1959) and three
national cupsThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
(1958, 1962 and 1966).
Honours
- Dutch national title
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 6
-
- 1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1959
- KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 3
- 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66
Domestic Results
Below is a table with Sparta Rotterdam's domestic results since the introduction of the
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
in 1956.
| Domestic Results since 1956 |
| Domestic league |
League result |
Qualification to |
KNVB Cup The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
season |
Cup result |
| 2010–11 Eerste Divisie -League table:-Results:...
|
9th |
- |
2010-11 |
third round |
| 2009–10 Eredivisie -Personnel and sponsoring:-Managerial changes:-League table:-Results:...
|
16th |
Eerste Divisie The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
(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 ICThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
-play-offs) |
2006-07 |
round of 16 |
| 2005–06 Eredivisie |
14th |
- |
2005-06 |
second round |
| 2004–05 Eerste Divisie |
2nd |
EredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
(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 The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
(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 The UEFA Cup 1985-86 was won by Real Madrid on aggregate over 1. FC Köln. English clubs were banned from European football competitions for five years, with Liverpool, who had already won the UEFA Cup twice, banned for six years...
|
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 The season 1971-72 of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Rangers in a final victory against FC Dynamo Moscow.- Preliminary game :-First round:-First leg:-Second leg:Torino won 5–0 on aggregate....
|
1970-71 |
final |
| 1969–70 Eredivisie |
5th |
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup |
1969-70 |
second round |
| 1968–69 Eredivisie |
8th |
- |
1968-69 |
semi-final |
| 1967–68 Eredivisie |
5th |
- |
1967-68 |
quarter final |
| 1966–67 Eredivisie |
3rd |
- |
1966-67 |
round of 16 |
| 1965–66 Eredivisie |
7th |
Cup Winners' Cup The season 1966-67 of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Bayern Munich in an extra time final victory against Rangers F.C....
|
1965-66 |
winners |
| 1964–65 Eredivisie |
5th |
- |
1964-65 |
first round |
| 1963–64 Eredivisie |
14th |
- |
1963-64 |
round of 16 |
| 1962–63 Eredivisie |
3rd |
- |
1962-63 |
third round |
| 1961–62 Eredivisie |
9th |
Cup Winners' Cup The 1962–63 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Tottenham Hotspur in a crushing final victory over holders Atlético Madrid. It was the first time a European cup went to an English club...
|
1961-62 |
winners |
| 1960–61 Eredivisie |
4th |
- |
1960-61 |
? |
| 1959–60 Eredivisie |
7th |
- |
not held |
not held |
| 1958–59 Eredivisie |
1st |
European Cup The 1959–60 European Cup was the fifth season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Real Madrid, who beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7–3 in the final, a record score for the European Cup final...
|
1958-59 |
? |
| 1957–58 Eredivisie |
9th |
- |
1957-58 |
winners |
| 1956–57 Eredivisie |
8th |
- |
1956-57 |
? |
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 CupThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
|
1R |
 Sweden IFK GöteborgIFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
|
3–1, 1–3, 3–1 |
|
|
1/4 |
 Scotland Rangers FC |
2–3, 1–0, 2–3 |
| 1962–63 |
UEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
|
Q |
 Switzerland Lausanne SportsLausanne-Sports is a Swiss sports club based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is most famous for its football department , but the club also had athletics, sport rowing, and rink hockey departments until they split in 2009 over a row about the construction of a new stadium that will be built by...
|
0–3, 4–2 |
| 1966–67 |
UEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
|
1R |
 Malta Floriana |
1–1, 6–0 |
|
|
2R |
Switzerland Servette Genève |
0–2, 1–0 |
| 1970–71 |
Inter-Cities Fairs CupThe Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
|
1R |
 Iceland ÍA Akranes |
6–0, 9–0 |
|
|
2R |
 Northern Ireland Coleraine FC |
2–0, 2–1 |
|
|
3R |
 Germany Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
|
1–2, 1–3 |
| 1971–72 |
UEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
|
1R |
 Kingdom of Bulgaria Levski-Spartak"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
|
1–1, 2–0 |
|
|
2R |
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia Red Star BelgradeRed Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
|
1–1, 1–2 |
| 1983–84 |
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
|
1R |
Northern Ireland Coleraine FC |
4–0, 1–1 |
|
|
2R |
 German Democratic Republic FC Carl Zeiss JenaFC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
|
3–2, 1–1 |
|
|
3R |
 Soviet Union Spartak MoskvaFC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
|
1–1, 0–2 |
| 1985–86 |
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
|
1R |
Germany Hamburger SVHamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
|
2–0, 0–2 (4–3 n.p.) |
|
|
2R |
Germany Borussia MönchengladbachBorussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
|
1–1, 1–5 |
Current squad
As of 1 August 2011
For recent transfers, see List of Dutch football transfers summer 2011
(on loan from Cercle Brugge)
(on loan from SV Zulte Waregem)
Former managers
- Frans Adelaar
- Gert Aandewiel
Gert Aandewiel is a former football player from the Netherlands, who was sacked by Sparta Rotterdam on 11 November 2007. He played professional football for FC Volendam , Sparta Rotterdam and FC Dordrecht...
- Jimmy Adamson
James "Jimmy" Adamson was an English professional footballer and football manager. He was born in Ashington, Northumberland...
- Rob Baan
Robert Baan is a Dutch football coach, appointed to the role of Technical Director for the Indian national team by the AIFF. He is currently appointed as the Technical Director of All India Football Federation...
- Foeke Booy
Foeke Booy is a Dutch former football player and current football manager, who was born in the Frisian town of Leeuwarden. On Tuesday 18 December 2007 Booy was named as the Sparta Rotterdam coach after having guided Al Nasr in Saudi Arabia for only eight league matches during the summer of 2007...
- Cor Brom
Cor Brom was a Dutch football player and manager. Brom died in Amsterdam on 29 October 2008, of Parkinson's disease.-Playing career:During his playing career, Brom played with Telstar.-Coaching career:...
- Henk ten Cate
Henk ten Cate is a Dutch football manager and a former professional player.In the 2005–06 season, he was the assistant of Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona that guided the team to a Champions League Trophy and La Liga title...
- Wiel Coerver
Wiel Coerver was a football manager from the Netherlands and the developer of the Coerver Method, a soccer coaching technique. He won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the 1973-1974 season....
- Chris Dekker
Chris Dekker is a former football defender and midfielder from the Netherlands, who played for AZ Alkmaar, NEC Nijmegen, DWS and FC Amsterdam, before moving to Belgium to play for R. Charleroi S.C....
- Jos van Eck
Jos van Eck is a former Dutch footballer. He previously played for De Graafschap, FC Zwolle, FC Den Bosch, Sparta Rotterdam, KFC Tielen and FC Dordrecht. After retirement, he worked as an assistant coach, then manager at FC Dordrecht before Robert Verbeek took over in January 2004...
- Jan Everse
Jan Everse is a retired Dutch footballer, who currently coaches the Dutch amateur team WHC.-Career:He played for Feyenoord Rotterdam and Ajax Amsterdam in the 1970s...
- Willem van Hanegem
Willem "Wim" van Hanegem is a Dutch football player and coach born in Breskens, Zeeland. In a playing career spanning over 20 years he won several domestic honours in the Netherlands, as well as two UEFA trophies, all with Feyenoord. He was also a finalist in the FIFA World Cup 1974...
- Bert Jacobs
Bert Jacobs was a football manager from the Netherlands, who played for HFC Haarlem. Born in Zandvoort, he started a career as a football coach as a 27-year old when he became the head coach of Velox from Utrecht...
- George Kessler
- Fritz Korbach
Fritz Korbach was a German professional football player and manager, active primarily in the Netherlands, where he died in 2011....
- Aad de Mos
- Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
- Dolf Roks
Dolf Roks is a former amateur football player from The Netherlands. As a football coach he had a long time spell with Sparta Rotterdam, before being fired on 22 January 2003.-References:*...
- Elek Schwartz
Alexandru "Elek" Schwartz was a Jewish-Romanian footballer and coach of the Dutch national football team. With SL Benfica he won the national Championship and Cup trophies of 1965 and led the club into the final of the European Cup of Champions.-Player in Romania and France:Elek Schwartz initially...
- Henk van Stee
Henk van Stee is a former football midfielder from the Netherlands, who played for Sparta Rotterdam and De Graafschap. He retired in 1990, and became a football manager, who worked for Sparta Rotterdam, VVV-Venlo, Feyenoord Rotterdam, AZ Alkmaar and Excelsior Rotterdam.-References:...
- Mike Snoei
Mike Snoei is a former football defender, who played for all of the three professional clubs in his home town: Feyenoord Rotterdam, Sparta Rotterdam and Excelsior Rotterdam. After his active career he became a football coach, who worked for Sparta, Vitesse Arnhem, Sparta and Go Ahead Eagles...
- Adri van Tiggelen
Adrianus A. "Adri" van Tiggelen is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a left defender.His career in football was intimately connected to Sparta Rotterdam, in which he began as a professional footballer, going on to manage the side in several categories and capacities, but he also played with...
- Mircea Petescu
Mircea Petescu is a former Romanian football player and coach.Under his leadership, UTA Arad eliminated the defending European Cup champions Feyenoord in the 1970–71 season. Being also known for promoting youngsters in the teams he coached...
- Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe. He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C...
- Theo Vonk
- Lewis Wilkie
See also
- Sparta Rotterdam season 2001–02
The 2001–2002 Sparta Rotterdam season was the football year in The Netherlands in which the club from Rotterdam relegated for the first time in history to the Dutch Second League...
- Sparta Rotterdam season 2002–03
The 2002–2003 Sparta Rotterdam season was the first football) year in which the in 1888 formed club from Rotterdam had to play in the Dutch Second League...
- Sparta Rotterdam season 2003–04
The 2003–2004 Sparta Rotterdam season was the second football) year in which the in 1888 formed club from Rotterdam had to play in the Dutch Second League. In the 2001–2002 season the team relegated for the first time in history by ending up in 17th place in the Eredivisie, and fourth in the...
External links