VV Rigtersbleek (Netherlands)

Voetbal Vereniging Rigtersbleek is an amateur football club based close to the centre of Enschede in the north east of the Netherlands. The club was formed on the 10th August 1910 by workers of the Rigtersbleek textile factory and owned by the Van Heck family.

The club progressed to join KNVB football in 1917-18, winning the Derede Klasse 3A title at the first attempt. Their spell at the higher level lasted just twelve months before returning to 3A, which was won for a second time in 1920-21.

Rigtersbleek quickly adjusted upon their reintroduction to Tweede Klasse A as they would be crowned champions on numerous occasions. The run started with consecutive top spots in 1922-23 and 1923-24 before a third championship in 1926-27, a year after ending as runners-up.

Three more second places ensued as the club captured 2A titles in between in 1930-31, followed by a fifth success arriving in 1937-38. Rigtersbleek went on to win the Noodwedstrijd emergency War competition in 1939-40.

Another four Tweede Klasse 2A titles were collected in 1940-41, 1945-46, 1946-47, and then in 1952-53, which saw the club rise to Eerste Klasse just before the advent of the professional era, all under the watch of trainer Bertus Hintzbergen.

Rigtersbleek became members of Eerste klasse B in 1954-55, one of several top-tier national divisions of the day. Wim Bleijenberg capped three times for Holland while with the club, and Gerrit Comforter scored the goals for the team led by English trainer Ernie Robinson.

Ninth place retained their top-flight status, which was titled as Hoofdklasse in 1955-56, where they were placed in the A section. A low finish after Bleijenberg was sold to Ajax sent the club to the second tier for the following season.

Other star players of the day included Piet van Ek, Frans Olde Riekerink, Gerrit Trooster, Paul Roessink, and Mannie van Tellingen as the team settled into Eerste Divisie B, albeit in lowly positions, with Ab Schepers taking over as trainer in 1958.

The team continued to struggle before finishing bottom of Eerste Divisie A in 1959-60 to be relegated to Tweede Divisie. Frans Olde Riekerink top-scored in 1960-61 under coach G Huberts, with Rigtersbleek finishing fifteenth.

Due to a lack of financial resources, the club decided to return to Sunday amateur status, initially in Eerste Klasse D, where league positions gradually faltered over their four-season stay, culminating in relegation in 1964-65.

The slide continued with Rigtersbleek lasting just one season in Tweede klasse. However, the team stabilised in Derde Klasse 3A with a couple of runners-up finishes before winning the title in 1971-72 to return to Tweede Klasse B.

The momentum at the club continued, leading to another title win and promotion in 1974-75 to return to the top level of Dutch amateur football before dropping back down in 1977-78. The teams Tweede klasse spell lasted until the conclusion of the 1980-81 campaign before a further drop occurred.

Rigtersbleek’s time in Derde Klasse A would last longer on this occasion. A second place came in 1987-88 before the championship was won in 1990-91. Tweede klasse proved too tough, with the team returning to their former level just twelve months later. A gradual recovery took place at Heekstraat. 

Another 3A title arrived in 1995-95, but once again it led to a solitary season of Tweede Klasse football. Following a runner-up place, the team was crowned Derde Klasse A champions in 2002-03. After a series of mid-table finishes, Rigtersbleek won the Tweede Klasse J title in 2007-08 before becoming champions of Eerste Klasse E in 2009-10

This saw the side playing in the Hoofdklasse, the top level of the time. The team struggled at their highest level for many years, dropping back down in 2012-13. After regrouping, promotion was won through the play-offs in 2014-15 to return to Hoofdklasse under trainer John Gielink. 

However, Rigtersbleek dropped back down to the sixth tier twelve months later, with a new stand being built at the ground soon after. Back in Eerste Klasse E, the team finished halfway up the table for three seasons, led by trainer Otto Krabbe until he was succeeded by Mete Soygül in the summer of 2019.

The club made a momentous decision to change to a Saturday club in 2020, dropping down to Vierde Klasse F in the process. 2021-22 saw the title being won, as the side went up to Derde Klasse D under the leadership of trainer Janwillem van Holland. That title was lifted twelve months later, taking Rigtersbleek up to Tweede Klasse I.

The side was moved to the H section for the 2024-25 campaign, where the team finished in sixth place.

VV Rigtersbleek will play in Zaterdag Tweede Klasse H in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Saturday 18th January 2014

I was in the Netherlands to enjoy my long weekend off work and to educate myself by watching matches and visiting clubs had never previously heard of. It would keep me fit and appreciate the fabric of the game in a country I’ve always marked down as being very progressive.

As ever, I planned to fit in as much as I could, so I was out of bed in Hengelo bright and early. Apart from it wasn’t too bright. The time difference meant that 8.30 am in Holland was the same as 7.30 in the UK and the same murky light.

The bus from Hengelo station ran on time, and the display told me when I was getting close to the club. The no.9 went down Hengelostraat before dropping me at the Alleeweg stop. The ground was a hundred yards down Gookatenweg, before I turned right into GJ van Heekstraat and soon came across the entrance.

There were a couple of folks around the clubhouse. The venue had two artificial surfaces. I walked down to the main pitch, which had a decent-sized seated stand on the far side and hard standing all the way around the railed pitch. A fine collection of raised advertising boards gave the ground an enclosed feel.

Having completed my task, I headed to the Toekonstraat bus stop, where within a few minutes the no.1 had arrived and was taking me down to Enschede station.