VOSTA (Netherlands)

VOSTA, Vooruit Omhoog Sportief Trots Alles, is an amateur football club based in north Enschede in the north east of the Netherlands. The club was formed on 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 A, 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 A in 1953-54, 1956-57, and again in 1959-6,0, which was rewarded with promotion. VOSTA’s momentum continued with a third place in Tweede Klasse B 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 D. 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 A before taking the title in 1973-74. Two further second places ensued back in Tweede Klasse B before the side was relegated in 1976-77.

The Derde Klasse A 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 A, 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 were 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 third place would be as good as it got for the following decade before the team was relegated to Vijfde Klasse B.

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

Back in the tenth-tier Vijfde Klasse A, the lowest level of KNVB football, VOSTA finished bottom in 2016-17 before recovering to fourth place, before a couple of low-placed finishes under trainer Gerard Timmers, who would later be replaced by Marijn Winkelhuis. 

In the four seasons following the worldwide pandemic, VOSTA didn't finish outside the bottom three places in the table. Trainers Jeroen Heubach and Mario van Beek left abruptly in March 2025, with the club not fielding a team for the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Saturday 18th January 2014

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of VOSTA until I came across their neat venue when visiting CVV Sparta Enschede, which 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.