RKC Waalwijk

RKC Waalwijk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɛrkaːˈseː ˈʋaːlʋɛik]) is a Dutch professional football club based in Waalwijk, that is currently competing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk' ('Roman Catholic Combination Waalwijk' in Dutch) and was established as a merger of HEC, WVB and Hercules.

RKC Waalwijk
Full nameRooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk
Short nameRKC
Founded26 August 1940 (1940-08-26)
GroundMandemakers Stadion
Capacity7,508
ChairmanPeter Konijnenburg
Head coachHenk Fraser
LeagueEredivisie
2023–24Eredivisie, 15th of 18
WebsiteClub website

History

The club was formed on 26 August 1940 and used to play its home games at Sportpark Olympia. Its new stadium, the 7,500 seater Mandemakers Stadion was opened in 1996 and featured the home match against Roda JC. RKC's clubname was also expanded with the name of the town before that 1996–97 season. While considered one of the Eredivisie's smaller clubs, it nevertheless maintained its top flight status for many years. Its home colors are yellow and blue.

At the end of the 2006–07 season, RKC Waalwijk were relegated from the Eredivisie after a defeat in play-offs against VVV-Venlo.

On 3 June 2009 they were promoted to the Eredivisie division after a win in the play-offs against De Graafschap. Though, their spell didn't last long ending in the last place with only 15 points. In the season followed they would finish first in the Eerste Divisie promoting back in the top flight of Dutch football.

After another relegation at the end of the 2013–14 season, RKC Waalwijk finished 20th (last) in the 2014–15 season of Eerste Divisie. However, they didn't relegate to Topklasse (amateurs) because both of the two Topklasse champions declined promotion into professionalism. In 2016–17, they made the Eerste Divisie playoffs, losing 5–2 on aggregate to FC Emmen.

In the 2017–18 season, RKC was placed 16th out of 20 teams in the Eerste Divisie. In 2019, Waalwijk promoted back to the Eredivisie after a five-year absence, after beating Go Ahead Eagles in the play-off finals. After a 0–0 draw in the first leg at home, RKC won the second leg 4–5 away.[1]

In the 2019–20 season, RKC finished in last place, but they survived relegation due to the season being declared void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In the subsequent 2020–21 season, the club managed to avoid relegation on their own by finishing in 15th place.[3]

Results

Below is a table with RKC's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1984.

RKC in Europe

  • Group = group game
  • 1R = first round
  • 2R = second round
  • 3R = third round
  • 1/8 = 1/8 final
Season Competition Round Club Score Goalscorers RKC
1989 Intertoto Cup Group 1. FC Kaiserslautern 1–1, 2–2
First Vienna FC 3–4, 2–4
Carl Zeiss Jena 2–0, 1–0
1992 Intertoto Cup Group Caen 1–0, 0–2
Lyngby BK 1–1, 0–2
FC Schalke 04 3–2, 4–2
2000 Intertoto Cup 3R Bradford City 0–2, 0–1
2001 Intertoto Cup 3R TSV 1860 München 1–2, 1–3

Current squad

As of 19 January 2024[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SUR Etienne Vaessen
2 DF  NED Julian Lelieveld
3 DF  BEL Dario Van den Buijs
4 DF  BEL Shawn Adewoye
5 DF  BEL Thierry Lutonda
6 MF  MAR Yassin Oukili
7 FW  NED Denilho Cleonise
8 MF  NED Patrick Vroegh
9 FW  NED David Min
10 FW  SRB Filip Stevanović (on loan from Manchester City)
11 FW  BEL Zakaria Bakkali
13 GK  NED Mark Spenkelink
14 MF  BEL Chris Lokesa
15 MF  NED Nouri El Harmazi
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW  NED Richonell Margaret
20 FW  NED Mats Seuntjens
21 GK  NED Jeroen Houwen
22 FW  BEL Ilias Takidine
23 DF  CUW Juriën Gaari
24 MF  CUW Godfried Roemeratoe
25 DF  NED Jeffrey Bruma
27 FW  NED Reuven Niemeijer
28 DF  NED Aaron Meijers
29 FW  NED Michiel Kramer (captain)
30 MF  FRA Daouda Weidmann (on loan from Torino)
31 GK  NED Joey Kesting
35 MF  CUW Kevin Felida

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  NED Luuk Wouters (at FC Eindhoven until 30 June 2024)

Honours

Club officials

Position Staff
Manager Henk Fraser
Assistant Manager Sander Duits
First-Team Coach Peter Uneken
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach Rein Baart
First-Team Assistant Goalkeeper Coach Bart Tinus
Video Analyst Nyo Sulsters
Sports Scientist / Data Analyst Folkert Boer
Chief Scout Lars Lambooij
Scout Cees Schapendonk
Club doctor Tim Baijens
Physiotherapist Robert van Riel
Rob Westerlaken
Sports Carer Ramon van Haaren
Exercise Physiologist Nick van Aken
Kit Manager Djordy de Nijs
Team Manager Sander van den Anker
Technical Director Mohammed Allach

Former coaches

See also

References

  1. "RKC keert na knotsgekke wedstrijd in Deventer terug in eredivisie". nos.nl. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  2. "Afwikkeling voetbalseizoen 2019/'20 een feit | Eredivisie". eredivisie.nl (in Dutch). 24 April 2020.
  3. "ADO Den Haag en VVV Venlo degraderen na verlies". NRC (in Dutch). 13 May 2021.
  4. "RKC Waalwijk". voetbal.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
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