In 1978 PSV beat Bastia in the final by 0-0 in France and 3-0 at home. Defender Huub Stevens, later to win the 1997 UEFA Cup with Schalke 04 as a coach, takes up the story of the season. “Our international striker Ralf Edström had returned to Sweden that summer and I remember our coach Kees...

In June Israel will be the venue for the 2013 Euro U-21 tournament. The Dutch team are back for the first since their double triumph in 2006 and 2007. In between they missed the finals twice.  National coach Louis van Gaal has insisted that all available youngsters should be called up, never...

It is the end of November 1980 and Ajax have just escaped from defeat at MVV in Maastricht thanks to an Bert van Marwijk-own goal to make it 1-1. The former European Cup winners had an inconsistant start of the season after the departure of Ruud Krol and Simon Tahamata in the summer. The...

With Ajax’s victory at PSV last week, the title race seemed over as the visitors jumped to a five point lead. They could have widened the gap at the start of the weekend but gave away a 1-0 lead against Marco van Basten’s Heerenveen, even escaping with the draw after a fine save by...

It is September 1975. Both teams had dropped one point after four games, chasing Feyenoord with the full score. I was 12 and had the incredible luck that the neighbours had an extra ticket for the boys enclosure which made this my first live Eredivisie game. This terrace was limited to under...

Having lost the last three games, Sparta Rotterdam’s quest for promotion has derailed this Spring and it cost coach Michel Vonk, the former Man City defender, his job. In its festive 125th year, the club is hellbent on leaving the First Division or Jupiler League via the majestical route...

After a long struggle against bankrupcy, the court yesterday had no other choice than end all hopes for SC Veendam, the quintessential underdogs of Dutch  football. Since the start of the professional era in 1954, Veendam has been the ‘Carlisle’ of  Holland as it was the longest...

Louis van Gaal has picked his  squad ahead of the WC-qualifier against Romania (March 26). Goal: Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Kenneth Vermeer (Ajax), Michel Vorm (Swansea City). Defence: Daley Blind (Ajax), Mike van der Hoorn (FC Utrecht), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Joris Mathijsen...