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VVV
Full name	Venlose Voetbal Vereniging Venlo
Nickname(s)	The Good Old,; Venlose Trots,; Pride of the South,; Yellow Black Army
Short name	VVV
Founded	7 February 1903; 121 years ago
Ground	De Koel
Capacity	8,000
Chairman	Hai Berden
Head coach	John Lammers
League	Eerste Divisie
2023–24	Eerste Divisie, 12th of 20
Website	https://www.vvv-venlo.nl/
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

VVV-Venlo (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌveːveːˈveː ˈvɛnloː], VVV stands for Venlose Voetbal Vereniging [ˈvɛnloːzə ˈvudbɑl vəˈreːnəɣɪŋ] meaning "Venlo Football Club") is a Dutch football club from Venlo, a city on the border with Germany. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2020–21 season. The club plays its home games in the Covebo Stadion – De Koel stadium, which is named after one of the club's sponsors Covebo Uitzendgroep. VVV's home colours are yellow and black.

History

Foundation and first decades (1903–1952)

VVV originated from the association football club De Gouden Leeuw, which was founded by a group of friends in Venlo at the end of the nineteenth century. A few more name changes would occur, and the team was also known as Valuas for some time. Eventually, it was decided on 7 February 1903 to change the name to Venlose Voetbal Vereniging (VVV), the current name of the club. VVV wrote itself into the history books as one of the oldest clubs in Dutch professional football. In 1909, the clubs VITOS and THOR merged and became part of VVV. Quick followed in 1910.^[1]

During the first years of its existence, VVV could not enter the highest league of Dutch football. This was due to the fact that before the 1911–12 season, there was no first-tier Eerste Klasse in the southern Netherlands, but only Eastern and a Western Eerste Klasse. From the 1912–13 season, the South also competed in its own Eerste Klasse. VVV has been part of this since its introduction into Dutch football, with varying degrees of success. After the 1921–22 season, the club suffered relegation to the second-tier Tweede Klasse. Afterwards, the team played for some time in the Tweede Klasse, in which they won the championship during several seasons. They, however, failed to reach promotion to the Eerste Klasse again afterwards. After the end of World War II, the number of Eerste Klasse teams was expanded, which also included VVV. From 1948 to 1952, the club achieved fourth-place finishes in the Eerste Klasse.

Recent years (2006–present)

VVV returned to the Eredivisie, the highest league in the Netherlands, by defeating RKC Waalwijk (3–0) in the promotion/relegation play-offs in the 2006–07 season. After one season in the Eredivisie, VVV-Venlo were relegated back to the Eerste Divisie. After a single season, VVV-Venlo won the 2008–09 Eerste Divisie title and returned to the Eredivisie.

In the 2009–10 season, the team booked its best league result since 1988 after finishing 12th in the Eredivisie. Another remarkable event was the transfer of star player Keisuke Honda to CSKA Moscow. They also signed toddler Baerke van der Meij on a symbolic ten-year contract, after a video featuring him scoring a hat trick into a toy box became popular.^[2] Honda was replaced by Gonzalo and the club signed Japanese player Maya Yoshida. The departure of Honda turned out to be a key point in the club's season. In the second half of the season, the team was not able to win matches and barely escaped from relegation.

At the end of the season, key players Ruben Schaken and Adil Auassar both signed with Feyenoord on a free transfer. Gonzalo returned to his employer Groningen, while Sandro Calabro signed with Swiss side St. Gallen. The club contracted Ruud Boymans and the Nigerian Ahmed Musa to strengthen the squad for the 2010–11 season. They avoided relegation, but it was a harsh season in which Jan van Dijk was fired and former international Patrick Paauwe terminated his contract after losing the competition from his competitors.

Belgian manager Glen De Boeck was signed for the next season, but failed to improve the results. As a result of that, he resigned in December 2011. Ton Lokhoff was recruited as the new manager and succeeded in avoiding relegation by winning the post-season play-offs. However, in the 2012–13 season, the club was relegated after losing the promotion/relegation play-offs against Go Ahead Eagles. The club finished fifth in its first Eerste Divisie season since its promotion in 2009. But again, the club bounced back and returned to the Eredivisie in 2017, after clinching promotion by defeating RKC Waalwijk.^[3]

On 24 October 2020, VVV-Venlo suffered the biggest defeat in Eredivisie history^[4] by losing to Ajax at home 13–0.^[5]

Japanese players

Since Keisuke Honda transferred from Nagoya Grampus in 2008, a slew of Japanese players have played at VVV-Venlo, including Maya Yoshida, Robert Cullen and Yuki Otsu. Sef Vergoossen, a legendary manager of the club, and Japanese agent Tetsuro Kiyooka were a bridge between the Japanese players and the club.^[6]

Community support

The official club mascot since 1 July 2004 is a dog named "Koelie" (English: Coolie).

The Jan Klaassens Museum, set up in 2003 is located in the city center of Venlo and is operated by the Limburgs Museum. Since 2005, VVV has annually presented the Jan Klaassens Award to the greatest talent from its own youth academy.^[7]

The Herman Teeuwen Memorial, named after the club icon who died suddenly in 2003, since 2004 has been organised by the club, usually with well-known foreign clubs participating on an invitational basis.

VVV announced in July 2015 that they would be retiring the number 28 shirt in memory of youth player Beau Vilters, who had previously worn that number but was killed in a traffic accident on 14 June 2015, at the age of 18.^[8]

In April 2011, after a viral video of a local toddler, Baerke van der Meij, grandson of VVV player Jan van der Meij, showing him scoring a hat trick into his toy box, the club gave the 18-month-old an honorary contract.^[9]

Stadium

VVV-Venlo currently play at De Koel in Venlo. The stadium holds 8,000 people and was built in 1972. It is named after its main sponsor, hence its current name, Covebo Stadion De Koel.

Results

Players

Current squad

As of 7 November 2024^[10]

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	NED	Jan de Boer
2	DF	NED	Robin Lathouwers
3	DF	NED	Roel Janssen
4	DF	NED	Rick Ketting
5	DF	NED	Simon Janssen
6	MF	NED	Joep Kluskens
7	FW	GER	Lasse Wehmeyer
8	MF	BEL	Elias Sierra
9	FW	GRE	Konstantinos Doumtsios
10	FW	GER	Paul Pöpperl (on loan from Schalke 04)
11	MF	NED	Thijme Verheijen
12	DF	NED	Sylian Mokono
14	FW	SUR	Yahcuroo Roemer


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
17	FW	NED	Martijn Berden
18	FW	NED	Pepijn Doesburg
19	FW	GER	Emmanuel Gyamfi (on loan from Schalke 04)
20	DF	CUW	Dylan Timber
21	MF	NED	Max de Waal (on loan from Willem II Tilburg)
22	GK	GER	Tim Schrick
23	GK	NED	Delano van Crooij
24	MF	NED	Mohammed Odriss
26	MF	NED	Naïm Matoug
29	MF	NED	Tim Braem
33	DF	FRA	Gabin Blancquart
34	FW	IRN	Arwin Javad
37	DF	NED	Diego van Zutphen

Retired numbers

28 — Beau Vilters, defender (2014–15) — posthumous honour

Former 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 VVV-Venlo:

Aruba
- Joshua John (2020–2021)
Finland
- Niki Mäenpää (2012–2015)
Greece
- Giorgos Giakoumakis (2020–2021)
Japan
- Keisuke Honda (2008–2009)
- Yūki Ōtsu (2012–2015)
- Maya Yoshida (2010–2012)

Latvia
- Vitālijs Maksimenko (2014–2015)
Netherlands
- Jan Klaassens (1948–1959; 1964–1967)
- Coy Koopal (1954–1956)
- Faas Wilkes (1956–1958)
Nigeria
- Ahmed Musa (2010–2012)
- Uche Nwofor (2011–2014)

Slovenia
- Aleksandar Radosavljević (2012–2013)
Togo
- Peniel Mlapa (2018–2019)

Players in bold actively play for VVV-Venlo and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with VVV-Venlo.

National team players by Confederation

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

Total national team players by confederation
Confederation	Total	(Nation) Association
AFC	3	Japan (3)
CAF	3	Nigeria (2), Togo (1)
CONCACAF	1	Aruba (1)
CONMEBOL	0
OFC	0
UEFA	7	Netherlands (3), Finland (1), Greece (1), Latvia (1), Slovenia (1)

Players in international tournaments

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

Cup	Players
2011 AFC Asian Cup	Maya Yoshida

Domestic results

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

Domestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to		KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2022–23 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2022–23	second round
2021–22 Eerste Divisie	10th	–		2021–22	first round
2020–21 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		2020–21	semi-final
2019–20 Eredivisie	13th	–		2019–20	first round
2018–19 Eredivisie	12th	–		2018–19	second round
2017–18 Eredivisie	15th	–		2017–18	round of 16
2016–17 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)		2016–17	second round
2015–16 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2015–16	second round
2014–15 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2014–15	round of 16
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2013–14	third round
2012–13 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)		2012–13	second round
2011–12 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)		2011–12	second round
2010–11 Eredivisie	17th	– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)		2010–11	third round
2009–10 Eredivisie	12th	–		2009–10	third round
2008–09 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)		2008–09	second round
2007–08 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)		2007–08	second round
2006–07 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)		2006–07	second round
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2005–06	round of 16
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		2003–04	second round
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	13th	–		2002–03	third round
2001–02 Eerste Divisie	13th	–		2001–02	third round
2000–01 Eerste Divisie	18th	–		2000–01	round of 16
1999–2000 Eerste Divisie	15th	–		1999–2000	group stage
1998–99 Eerste Divisie	11th	–		1998–99	second round
1997–98 Eerste Divisie	11th	–		1997–98	group stage
1996–97 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1996–97	second round
1995–96 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1995–96	quarter final
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	12th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1994–95	second round
1993–94 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		1993–94	third round
1992–93 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)		1992–93	third round
1991–92 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		1991–92	quarter final
1990–91 Eerste Divisie	3rd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)		1990–91	second round
1989–90 Eerste Divisie	4th	–		1989–90	second round
1988–89 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		1988–89	second round
1987–88 Eredivisie	5th	– (losing UC play-offs)		1987–88	semi-final
1986–87 Eredivisie	5th	– (losing UC play-offs)		1986–87	round of 16
1985–86 Eredivisie	13th	–		1985–86	first round
1984–85 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)		1984–85	second round
1983–84 Eerste Divisie	10th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1983–84	second round
1982–83 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1982–83	round of 16
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion		1981–82	second round
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	13th	–		1980–81	round of 16
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	12th	–		1979–80	first round
1978–79 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		1978–79	second round
1977–78 Eredivisie	14th	–		1977–78	second round
1976–77 Eredivisie	13th	–		1976–77	second round
1975–76 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)		1975–76	second round
1974–75 Eerste Divisie	5th	–		1974–75	second round
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	16th	–		1973–74	second round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	18th	–		1972–73	second round
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	16th	–		1971–72	first round
1970–71 Tweede Divisie	11th	Eerste Divisie (promotion)		1970–71	first round
1969–70 Tweede Divisie	16th	–		1969–70	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1968–69 Tweede Divisie	15th	–		1968–69	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Eerste Divisie	18th	Tweede Divisie (relegation)		1967–68	group stage ^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Tweede Divisie	2nd	Eerste Divisie (promotion)		1966–67	DNC
1965–66 Eerste Divisie	15th	Tweede Divisie (relegation)		1965–66	group stage ^{[citation needed]}
1964–65 Eerste Divisie	8th	–		1964–65	second round ^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Eerste Divisie	14th	–		1963–64	second round ^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Eerste Divisie	14th	–		1962–63	round of 16 ^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)		1961–62	? ^{[citation needed]}
1960–61 Eredivisie	3rd	–		1960–61	? ^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eredivisie	6th	–	not held	not held
1958–59 Eredivisie	10th	–	1958–59	winners
1957–58 Eredivisie	7th	–	1957–58	? ^{[citation needed]}
1956–57 Eredivisie	7th	–	1956–57	? ^{[citation needed]}

Club staff

Position	Staff
Head Coach	Rick Kruys
Assistant Head Coach	Jay Driessen
First-Team Coach	Frank van Kempen
Goalkeeper Coach	John Roox
Chief Scout	Jan Verbong
Scout	Marc van Hintum
Team Doctor	Rolf Timmermans
Physiotherapist	Rinus Louwers Hans Kuijpers Falk Louwers
Team Official	Harrold Kerren
Advisor	Hai Berden
Director of Football	Stan Valckx
Sports coordinator	Albert van der Weide
Manager	Niels Mulders
Technical Director	Willem Janssen

Coaching history

Years	Name	Nat.
1954–56	Ferdi Silz
1956–60	Wilhelm Kment
1961–63	Ferdi Silz
1964–65	Josef Gesell
1968–69	Bas Paauwe
1970–72	Josef Gesell
1972–78	Rob Baan
1978–79	Hans Croon
1979	Sef Vergoossen (a.i.)
1979–81	Jan Morsing
1981–86	Sef Vergoossen
1986–88	Jan Reker

Years	Name	Nat.
1989	Sef Vergoossen (a.i.)
1992–94	Frans Körver
1995–96	Jan Versleijen
1996	Joop Brand (a.i.)
1996–98	Henk van Stee
1998–2000	Hennie Spijkerman
2000–01	Jan Versleijen
2001–04	Wim Dusseldorp
2004–05	Adrie Koster
2005–06	Herbert Neumann
2006–08	André Wetzel
2008–10	Jan van Dijk

Years	Name	Nat.
2010–11	Willy Boessen (a.i.)
2011	Glen De Boeck
2011	Willy Boessen (a.i.)
2012–13	Ton Lokhoff
2013–14	René Trost
2014–19	Maurice Steijn
2019	Robert Maaskant
2019	Jay Driessen (a.i.)
2019–2021	Hans de Koning
2021–2022	Jos Luhukay
2022–2024	Rick Kruys
2024–	John Lammers