FC Eindhoven (Netherlands)

FC Eindhoven is a professional club from the city of the same name, in the east of the Netherlands. The club was formed on the 16th November 1909, as EVV, or Eindhovense Voetbal Vereniging, five years before neighbours PSV, starting out playing in the regional Brabantse Voetbalbond.

By 1912-13, EVV had joined the NVB national competition as a team in the Derde, third klasse. Promotion was won in their second season, where a couple of runners-up spots came in 2E Klasse B before they lifted the league title in 1921-22.

This came after the club merged with local side Gestel at the start of the season to become EVV Eindhoven. The promotion placed the club in Eerste Klasse Zuid, one of five regional divisions, from which each winner played in a group to decide the Dutch champions.

The team finished as Zuid runners-up in 1931-32, before moving to their home ground at Aalsterweg in 1934. 1936-37 saw the first honour arrive at the club as they lifted the KNVB Cup by defeating De Spartaan 1-0.

In 1938-39, Eindhoven finished fourth in the championship play-off after winning the Zuid title before finishing regional runners-up the following season. The 1941-42 campaign saw another Zuid championship before finishing as Dutch runners-up.

The championship was extended post-war to include six regional sections with EVV finishing Eerste Klasse Zuid I runners-up in 1947-48, followed by another second place in the streamlined competition in Eerste Klasse E.

The competition was cut to four sections in 1951-52, with EVV coming second in Eerste Klasse C before winning the Klasse D title in 1952-5,3 before ending as national runners-up. Eindhoven retained their Klasse D top spot before being crowned as national champions in 1953-54 under coach Wim Groenendijk.

Throughout this period, EVV were the biggest club in the city as they competed in the Lichtstad, or City of Light Derby. The club provided Dutch internationals Noud van Melis, Frans Tebak, and Dick Snoek as professional football was introduced in the Netherlands.

The goals of Jan Louwers helped Eindhoven to the Eerste klasse D in 1954-55 before the competition was cut to two Hoofdklasses the following season, so to get to one national Eredivisie for 1956-57, Eindhoven finished bottom and were relegated to the Eerste Divisie.

A sixth place in 1961-62 in section A under trainer Jan Bijl was timed well to allow Eindhoven to maintain their status as the division was cut to one section for the following season. The team comfortably held their own for many seasons before being relegated in 1968-69.

English trainer Lesley Talbot was appointed to try and restore Eindhoven’s status, with his side finishing third in 1970-71, which was enough to restore Eerste Divisie football. Hans Alleman took over as trainer for a season before being replaced by Rinus Gosens.

The goals of Anton Jacobs helped the side to promotion to the Eredivisie via the play-offs in 1974-75. Their spell lasted two seasons before being relegated in 1976-77, where future international Cees Schapendonk scored the goals upon their Eerste Divisie return.

The team drifted along in mid-table before finishing bottom of the table in 1984-85, at which point EVV took the decision to become an amateur club, but a new professional club, SBV Eindhoven; Stichting Betaald Voetbal Eindhoven was formed to replace them while retaining the old club's league position.

League placings improved year on year, with trainer Jacques de Wit in his third spell at the club, taking his side to fifth place in 1989-90 before Mario Verlijsdonk’s side missed out on promotion via the play-offs twelve months later.

It was the same result in 1991-92 with Chris Dekker in charge of the team, with the next unsuccessful play-off campaign for promotion coming under the tutelage of Willem Leushuis in 1997-98, before the club changed its name to FC Eindhoven in 2002. In 2004, the club set up a deal with PSV to allow the swapping of youth players between the clubs.

2009-10 saw FC Eindhoven under trainer, former Dutch international Jan Poortvliet, reach the end-of-season play-offs, but they were defeated 3-2 on aggregate by Willem II. In 2011-12, they narrowly missed out on promotion as they ended in third place with Ernest Faber at the helm.

Jean-Paul de Jong arrived at the Jan Louwers Stadion in the summer of 2013 after a poor previous campaign saw the team finish third from bottom of the table. His side reached the play-offs in 2013-14, where they were defeated by Sparta Rotterdam.

A league runners-up spot followed in 2014-15, but FC Volendam came out on top in the play-offs. Mitchell van der Gaag took over as trainer in the summer of 2015 as the goals of Jinty Caenepeel took Eindhoven back to the play-offs, which ended in defeat to NAC Breda.

Mart Lieder finished as the league top scorer in 2017-18 under coach Wilfred van Leeuwen, who was then replaced by David Nascimento. Eindhoven, trained by former international Ernie Brandts, were in thirteenth place when the COVID-19 pandemic abandoned the 2019-20 season.

Rob Penders arrived as trainer in June 2021, taking the side to the play-offs, where ADO Den Haag ended hopes of promotion in the semi-finals. Almere City won their earlier round play-off game in 2022-23, with Willem Weijs given the team boss job shortly after. Maurice Verberne was appointed for the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

FC Eindhoven will play in the Eerste Divisie in the 2020-21 season.

My visit

Jong PSV 0 De Graafschap 2 (Monday 20th January 2014) Eerste Divisie (att: 250)

I was on the fourth day of a most enjoyable journey around the Netherlands, visiting clubs and watching games. I’d already been to visit grounds in Groesbeek, Nijmegen, Uden, and Veghel. Fortunately, buses were on my side and I arrived in Eindhoven earlier than scheduled, so although the light was closing in, I decided to head down to FC Eindhoven.

A kind lady invited me in to take photos and commented that she'd maybe see me later for the match. It turned out that it had been moved from Philips Stadion, which was a shock and a disappointment, as I had it down as one of the highlights of my visit. 

However, these things come to test us, so I headed to Philips Stadion to collect my ticket and book into my digs for a much-needed siesta.

After a bite to eat, it was time to catch the bus back to the south of the city. After a mix-up up I found the right stop, with the no.171 dropping me at the Theo Koomenlaan stop, just a short walk away. I was slightly perturbed to see only a couple of others getting off and then see an empty stadium under the lights through a gap in the corner.

I entered the ground by the corner of the Main Stands with my €10 ticket. It was the only side apparently open. A kind steward by the players' tunnel went to get me a free team sheet, as no programmes had been printed. I climbed up the steps at the front to survey the scene.

The Jan Louwers Stadion, named after a former player and businessman, was a perfect size for a club of FC Eindhoven’s status. The original Main Stand was a raised seating deck, with two newer additions on either side filling the whole of one side. 

Similar newer stands were behind the south goal, half of which was segregated by a basic electronic scoreboard for away fans, and along the far touchline. The north end had no spectator facilities, but the large sports centre had windows facing the pitch.

It’s fair to say that there wasn’t much of an atmosphere inside the sparsely populated stadium. The away section had just seven De Graafschap fans in it, with four stewards looking after them!

The first half was really poor, and it was cold. De Graafschap were coached by ex-Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood, while Bolo Zenden was Jong PSV's second in command. The head coach was Darije Kaleziæ, who had a disastrous two-month spell in charge at Stockport County a year or two previously.

I managed to talk my way into the immaculate club bar at the top of the stand for the second half. It was like the members’ area of a cricket ground with free nuts on the bar and an area to watch the game through the glass. I did my bit for league sponsors Jupiler over the following hour or so. 

Indeed, I did my best to remain a fine diplomat. There were no cash transactions, so I had to purchase tokens, or munts as they’re called. I miscalculated how many I needed, but managed to return some of them. The beer was excellent.

After the break, the poor affair came to life when PSV were awarded a penalty, but Alex Schalk's effort just about reached the keeper. The game looked certain to be a draw before defender Vlatko Lazik broke a challenge near the halfway line and went on a run before slotting the ball through Benjamin van Leer's legs into the net with five minutes to go. 

A few cheers went up in the bar from those visiting from Doetinchem who'd used common sense and avoided the cold. Nathan Kabasele made it 2-0 with a minute to go.

I headed back and retired to the highly recommended De Gaper pub, which had eight beers on draught and 185 whiskies. The fifteen-year-old Bowmore malt ended the day well. It was over the road from my budget hotel near the Philips Stadion. 

Local fans seemed amazed at my adventures. I lasted until closing time as my new pals insisted I hang around while we picked each other's brains, talking about the beautiful game.

To read about Jong PSV’s senior team, click here.