VOSTA (Holland)

VOSTA, Vooruit Omhoog Sportief Trots Alles, is an amateur football club based in north Enschede in the north east of The Netherlands. The club were formed on the 15th September 1926 by Mr A Moss at cafe Oostburg.

In 1931 VOSTA began playing at a ground on Steenweg, before moving to Sportpark Schreurserve at Minkmaatstraat four years later. The first playing record of the club points to them being members of Zondag, Sunday Tweede Klasse 2A in which a third place in 1943-44 was their best performance.

The team was relegated in 1950-51 before the team won Derde Klasse 3A in 1953-54, 1956-57 and again in 1959-60 which was rewarded with promotion. VOSTA’s momentum continued with a third place in 2B before securing the championship in 1961-62.

The first clubhouse was opened as the club reached Eerste klasse football, the highest amateur level of the day, playing in division 1D. Their highest finish came in 1966-67 when the team ended in sixth, before being relegated in 1968-69.

The decline continued with a further demotion in 1970-71 where VOSTA recovered with a couple of runners-up finishes in Derde Klasse 3A before taking the title in 1973-74. Two further second places ensued back in 2B before the side was relegated in 1976-77.

The 3A title was clinched again the following season, with their Tweede klasse spell lasting just two years before dropping back down again a few weeks after VOSTA opened a new clubhouse on March 15th 1980.

A trio of third places ensued before the team was relegated once again down to Vierde Klasse 4A which title was won at the first time of asking in 1988-89. Consecutive Derde klasse runners-up places in 1990-91 and 1991-92 was backed up with the title in 1993-94.

Tweede klasse competition lasted two seasons before VOSTA dropped back down in 1995-96 and again twelve months later to return to Vierde Klasse 4A. Another three third places would be as good as it got for the following decade before the team was relegated to Vijfde Klasse 5B.

Promotion through the play-offs was achieved in 2008-09 with VOSTA remaining in Vierde Klasse 4A until they went back down in 2011-12. Twelve months later the club regained their status, again through the play-offs, but were relegated again in 2014-15.

Back in the tenth tier Vijfde Klasse 5A, the lowest level of KNVB football, VOSTA finished bottom in 2016-17 before recovering to fourth place before a couple of low placed finishes including in the aborted 2019-20 campaign.

VOSTA will play in the Zondag Vijfde Klasse 5E Oost in the 2020-21 season.

My visit

Saturday 18^th January 2014

To be perfectly honest I had never heard of VOSTA until I came across their neat venue when visiting cvv Sparta Enschede who occupied the rest of Sportpark Schreurserve. When taking photos of their venue I saw another ground with separate facilities, so naturally I went to take a look.

VOSTA’s headquarters were suited to a higher grade of football. A decent seated stand was on the same side as the clubhouse and changing rooms. The grass pitch had a rail and hard standing all the way around it as well as turf beyond. 

At the Minkmaatstraat end a sand volleyball court was set out. In front of the clubhouse was a concourse with chairs and tables with a fenced playground in front. The football enthusiast certainly had the best of both worlds with two impressive football clubs, playing on different days of the weekend to hold their attention.

My luck was definitely in. I had previously considered a bus ride up to Oldenzaal to visit Be Quick, but time was extremely tight. I stumbled across the Hyacintstraat bus stop virtually outside the ground and within minutes the no.6 was taking me back to Enschede station in time to catch a waiting train back to Hengelo.