Excelsior Rotterdam Explained

Clubname:Excelsior
Upright:0.75
Fullname:Excelsior Rotterdam
Nickname:The Kralingers
Roodzwarten (red-blacks)
The Wonder
Oud papier-club (Paper recycling club)
Ground:Van Donge & De Roo Stadion
Capacity:4,500[1]
Chairman:Bob de Lange
Manager:Ruben den Uil
Current:2023–24 Excelsior Rotterdam season
Pattern B1:_excelsior2324h
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Body1:000000
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Shorts1:FF0000
Socks1:FF0000
Pattern B2:_excelsior2324a
Leftarm2:A31124
Body2:A31124
Rightarm2:A31124
Shorts2:F8F1BD
Socks2:F8F1BD
Website:https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl

Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football from the 2022–23 season following promotion. The club was founded on 23 July 1902 and was formerly known as "Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior" (Rotterdam Football and Athletics Club Excelsior). Excelsior's home stadium is the Stadion Woudestein – for sponsorship reasons known as the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion – which has a capacity of about 4,500, one of the smallest stadiums hosting professional football in the Netherlands.

History

Early history

Excelsior were officially formed on 23 July 1902 as Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior (English: Rotterdam Football and Athletics Club Excelsior). However, the initial founders of the club, a group of close friends located in the Kralingen district of Rotterdam, were already playing their football matches together on the fields of the eighteenth century buitenplaats Woudesteyn. After the actual establishment of the club, the municipality officially gave permission to use the land.[2] As football was still an elite sport at the beginning of the 20th century, Excelsior became one of the first working class clubs in the Netherlands.[3]

First successes

In the season 1945–46, Excelsior gained their first success by promoting to the Eerste Klasse, the highest tier of Dutch football before professional football was introduced in 1954. The deciding match against VUC was played in De Kuip and attracted 52.000 spectators. Excelsior relegated in the next season, but managed to promote for the second time in the season 1951–52. After the introduction of professional football, Excelsior won the Eerste Divisie championship three times (1974, 1979 and 2006) and promoted to the Eredivisie various times, usually to relegate not long afterwards.

Excelsior once reached the KNVB Cup final in the season 1929–30, but lost the match to fellow Rotterdam club Feyenoord (0–1). Excelsior's biggest pre-war achievement was the win of the Zilveren Bal trophy. Excelsior beat Feyenoord (5–0) in the finals of the highly rated pre-season tournament.[3]

Founding father of Dutch professional football

In the mid-fifties, Excelsior were the leading club behind the introduction of professional football in the Netherlands. When the KNVB continued to refuse payments in football, Excelsior chairman Henk Zon and board member Aad Libregts managed to persuade association president Hans Hopster, in cooperation with the directors of Feyenoord, Sparta and ADO Den Haag. In August 1954 the KNVB accepted the proposal and professional football was introduced in the Netherlands.

Pioneers

Being the smallest professional club in Rotterdam, Excelsior always had to be creative to survive. This creativity made Excelsior play a pioneering role within Dutch football. In 1958 Excelsior became the first Dutch club with covered stands. Later, in 1974, Excelsior also were the first Dutch club with shirt advertising. Against the then existing rules, the club put an 'A' on the shirt. The character was supposed to stand for 'Team A', but in reality it stood for Akai, the company of main investor Rob Albers. The KNVB decided to ban the 'A' from the shirt and it would take until 1982 for shirt advertising to be introduced. Akai would adorn the shirts of Excelsior until the season 1999–00.[3]

Millennium

In 2002, the year in which the club was officially 100 years old, Excelsior returned to the Eredivisie. They did this after spending more than 20 years in the second tier of Dutch football. They were relegated after one season. In the 2005/2006 season Excelsior became champions of the Eerste Divisie and were promoted back to the Eredivisie once again.

Between 1997 and 2005 Excelsior had a partnership with Rotterdam rivals Feyenoord. Excelsior became Feyenoord's satellite club. As such, Feyenoord gave Excelsior money and players (either on loan or free transfer).

A majority of the Excelsior fans have always been against a partnership with Feyenoord. Michel van der Neut, chairman of Excelsior's supporters club, claimed: "Excelsior sold her soul with the extended partnership. Excelsior simply stops existing this way."[4]

Recent history

In 2010 Excelsior returned to the highest tier of Dutch football, after defeating crosstown rival Sparta Rotterdam in the final of the Eredivisie promotion/relegation play-offs. The team was mostly composed by Feyenoord loanees and was coached by former Feyenoord youth coach Alex Pastoor. In the 2010–11 season Excelsior made a flying start in the Eredivisie, gaining ten points in its first five matches, including a home victory in the Rotterdam derby against Feyenoord (3–2). In the remainder of the season, Excelsior upset some of the larger league teams at home, winning against AZ and getting draws against Groningen and eventual league champions Ajax. In the final match of the regular season, Excelsior got a 4–1 win away at Vitesse Arnhem, a result that left them one goal short of staying up. Finishing 16th, Excelsior had to face FC Den Bosch and Helmond Sport in the relegation / promotion play-offs. A 4–2 home win against Helmond sport ensured another season of Eredivisie football for Excelsior.

Excelsior finished bottom of the table in the Eredivisie at the end of the 2011–12 season, managing only four wins in 34 matches. The club was again relegated to the Eerste Divisie and has had ups and downs since. In the 2022–23 season Excelsior will be playing in the Eredivisie after being relegated in 2019.

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Stadium

Excelsior's home venue is Stadion Woudestein, which has a capacity of 4,500 seats, one of the smallest stadiums hosting professional football in the Netherlands.

The club had two short spells at different locations. For the season 1907–1908 Excelsior played on the Afrikaanderplein. After returning to Woudestein, Excelsior moved to the Toepad terrain for seasons 1922–1939. When the Dutch government decided to build marine barracks on the Toepad area right before the start of the Second World War, Excelsior moved back to the familiar Woudestein.[3]

In the early nineties Excelsior went through a difficult period. The club barely survived a financial crisis, but a newly appointed board under the chairmanship of Martin de Jager had one important goal; a new Excelsior stadium. Various plans were made, one of them being a joint stadium for Excelsior and Sparta, but eventually none of the plans were implemented. Due to financial pressure, Excelsior decided to take the plunge and started renovating Woudestein themselves. The club built two new stands themselves and with the help of the municipality the main stand got renovated as well, including business seats and office space. On 31 July 2000, the new stadium was opened with a friendly match against Feyenoord.[5]

When Excelsior promoted to the Eredivisie after the season 2009–10, the club decided to replace the grass surface with artificial turf. Main reason for the change was the lack of financial resources to install under-soil heating, which is mandatory for clubs participating on the highest level of Dutch football.[6]

Supporters and rivalries

Paper recycling club

Excelsior is known as the Oud papier-club (paper recycling club), because former chairman Henk Zon often used to collect old paper in order to secure the financial position of the club.

Mascot

Since 2008 'Woutje Stein' is the official Excelsior mascot. He is named after the Woudestein-stadium.

Rivalries

Rotterdam is the city with the most professional teams in the Netherlands. Besides Excelsior there are Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam.

Rivalry against Sparta

Excelsior is from the Kralingen-neighbourhood and Sparta Rotterdam is from the Spangen-neighbourhood. Both clubs are not always playing in the Eredivisie, hence they play matches against each other in both the Eredivisie and the Eerste Divisie. The Feyenoord partnership Excelsior had in the past has resulted in more hatred from Sparta Rotterdam supporters.

One of the more spectacular matches between Excelsior and Sparta was the 2010 derby. Excelsior managed to gain promotion to the Eredivisie by winning against Sparta in the 94th minute of the match.[7]

Rivalry against Feyenoord

Ever since the clubs used to work together Excelsior players and supporters have grown a more serious rivalry against Feyenoord. The majority of Excelsior supporters never wanted a cooperation with Feyenoord in the first place. On 22 May 2009, Excelsior supporters hosted a funeral as they felt like their club's identity had died due to the partnership with Feyenoord.[8]

In 2017 Excelsior won against Feyenoord (3–0), resulting in the latter not winning the Eredivisie title on that day. This resulted in riots.[9]

Honours

League

Domestic results

Below is a table with Excelsior's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

Current squad

Player of the year

The Excelsior 'Player of the Year' award is voted for by the club's supporters, in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. The annual election is organized by the supporters club Pro Excelsior since 1996.[10] [11]

SeasonWinner
1995–96 Marinus Dijkhuizen
1996–97 John Schuurhuizen
1997–98 Ferry de Haan
1998–99 Michael van der Kruis
1999–00 David Connolly
2000–01 Jarda Simr
2001–02 Michel Breuer
2002–03 Steve Olfers
2003–04 Danny Buijs
2004–05 Brett Holman
2005–06 Luigi Bruins
2006–07 René van Dieren
SeasonWinner
2007–08 Kees Luijckx
2008–09 Jeffrey Altheer
2009–10 Ryan Koolwijk
2010–11 Daan Bovenberg
2011–12 Roland Alberg
2012–13 Jordy Deckers
2013–14 Lars Veldwijk
2014–15 Sander Fischer
2015–16 Rick Kruys
2016–17 Nigel Hasselbaink
2017–18 Hicham Faik
2018–19 Jerdy Schouten

Managers

Current staff

Position Name
Manager Marinus Dijkhuizen
Assistant manager André Hoekstra
Assistant manager / technology strategist Takahisa Shiraishi
Team manager Dennis van der Neut
Goalkeeping coach Ronald Graafland
Fitness coach Mario Meijer
Physio Maurice de Groot
Physio Rinus Kerskes
Club doctor Robert Jan de Vos
Kit manager Rien van Wijk
Kit manager John van Tilburg
Chief scout Dave Coelers
Scout Bert Ebbens

Former managers

Season(s)Manager
1954–56 Rinus Smits
1956–62 Bob Janse
1962–68 Rinus Smits
1968–70 Bob Janse
1970 Jaap Kouters
1970–71 Bob Janse
1971–73 Joop Castenmiller
1973–75 Ben Peeters
1975–76 Thijs Libregts
Bob Janse
1976–80 Thijs Libregts
1980–82 Hans Dorjee
1982–86 Rob Jacobs
1986–88 Henk Wullems
1988–90 Joop van Daele
1990 Martin van der Kooy
1990–92 Sándor Popovics
1992–94 Cor Pot
1994–95 Rob Baan
Season(s)Manager
1995–96 Hans van der Pluijm
1996-03 Adrie Koster
2003–04 Henk van Stee
2004–05 John Metgod
2005–06 Mario Been
2006–09 Ton Lokhoff
2009–11 Alex Pastoor
2011–12 John Lammers
2012–13 Leon Vlemmings
2013–14 Jon Dahl Tomasson
2014–15 Marinus Dijkhuizen
2015–16 Alfons Groenendijk
2016–18 Mitchell van der Gaag
2018–19 Adrie Poldervaart
2019–20 Ricardo Moniz
2020– Marinus Dijkhuizen

Players

National team players

The following players were called up to represent their national teams in international football and received caps during their tenure with Excelsior Rotterdam:

Aruba
Cape Verde
Curaçao
DR Congo
Ghana
Guinea
Iceland
Japan
Netherlands
Republic of Ireland
Sint Maarten
Trinidad & Tobago

National team players by Confederation

Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Excelsior players represented Internationally

Total national team players by confederation
ConfederationTotal(Nation) Association
AFC1 Japan (1)
CAF5 Cape Verde (2), DR Congo (1), Ghana (1), Guinea (1)
CONCACAF6 Aruba (2), Sint Maarten (2), Curaçao (1), Trinidad & Tobago (1)
CONMEBOL0 
OFC0 
UEFA9 Netherlands (4), Iceland (3), Ireland (2)

Players in international tournaments

The following is a list of Excelsior Rotterdam players who have competed in international tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations. To this date no Excelsior players have participated in the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, CONCACAF Gold Cup, AFC Asian Cup, Copa América or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Excelsior Rotterdam.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cookies op AD.nl – AD.nl. www.ad.nl. 23 January 2019. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312021901/http://www.ad.nl/eredivisie/stadion-woudestein-krijgt-een-nieuw-gezicht~a1b73c4f. live.
  2. News: De geschiedenis van Stadion Woudestein . Supportersclub Pro Excelsior . nl . The history of Stadion Woudestein . 5 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100526075038/http://www.excelsioronline.nl/stadion.htm . 26 May 2010.
  3. Web site: Excelsior Historie . Excelsior Rotterdam. nl . Excelsior History . 30 June 2010 . 26 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120226085616/http://www.sbvexcelsior.nl/index.php?objectID=53 . live .
  4. News: Supportersvereniging roept op tot actie . ERFC.nl . nl . Supportersclub calls for action . 21 May 2009 . 2 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090525093821/http://www.erfc.nl/nieuws2241/supportersvereniging_roept_op_tot_actie.html . 25 May 2009 .
  5. Web site: Excelsior Stadion . Excelsior Rotterdam . nl . Excelsior Stadium . 21 August 2010 . 16 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130916200848/http://www.sbvexcelsior.nl/index.php?objectID=66 . live .
  6. Web site: Excelsior op kunstgras in eredivisie . Excelsior Rotterdam. nl . Excelsior on artificial turf in Eredivisie . 4 June 2010 . 21 August 2010 . 28 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170728194923/http://www.nu.nl/sport/2262767/excelsior-kunstgras-in-eredivisie.html . live .
  7. Web site: Wedstrijdverslag op ELF Voetbal . 7 June 2022 . 8 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230608173541/https://www.elfvoetbal.nl/Binnenland/1774/sparta---excelsior-bizar-slot-zorgde-voor-slapeloze-nachten . live .
  8. Web site: Supportersvereniging roept op tot actie - Excelsior Rotterdam FC . www.erfc.nl . 30 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090525093821/http://www.erfc.nl/nieuws2241/supportersvereniging_roept_op_tot_actie.html . 25 May 2009 . dead.
  9. Web site: Rellen in Rotterdam na nederlaag Feyenoord bij Excelsior . 7 May 2017 . 7 June 2022 . 5 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405071530/https://nos.nl/video/2171935-rellen-in-rotterdam-na-nederlaag-feyenoord-bij-excelsior . live .
  10. News: Jeffrey Altheer beste speler 2008/2009 . ERFC.nl . nl . Jeffrey Altheer best player 2008/2009 . 8 September 2009 . 5 July 2010.
  11. News: Supportersclub . Pro Excelsior . nl . 5 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100926003140/http://excelsioronline.nl/supportersclub.htm . 26 September 2010 .