De Graafschap

De Graafschap
Full name	Vereniging Betaald Voetbal; De Graafschap
Nickname(s)	Superboeren (Super Farmers)
Founded	1 February 1954; 69 years ago
Ground	De Vijverberg; Doetinchem
Capacity	12,600
Chairman	Martin Mos
Head coach	Adrie Poldervaart
League	Eerste Divisie
2021–22	Eerste Divisie, 9th of 20
Website	Club website
Home colours	Away colours

VBV De Graafschap (Dutch pronunciation: [də ˈɣraːfsxɑp]) is a professional football club from Doetinchem, Netherlands, playing in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football.

It was formed on 1 February 1954 and they play their home games at the De Vijverberg stadium. The stadium was opened on 12 August 2000 and stands on the site of the club's old pitch. The club name is Dutch for "The County". They are nicknamed Superboeren ("Super Farmers").

While not a large club by European club football standards, the club has remained a semi-permanent fixture in the Eredivisie (top league); although to date it has never won any silverware of importance. It also has a large stadium and a large fan base when compared to many other Dutch teams, particularly those in the Eerste Divisie. They had a fierce rivalry with Vitesse Arnhem, but during the years due several circumstances Go Ahead Eagles began to be a rival as well.

The club's colors are blue and white hooped shirts with white shorts and blue socks. The club's major sponsors are Pincvision and ATAG [nl].

De Graafschap's home base, De Vijverberg has been voted as the most atmospheric stadium in the Eredivisie for the 2018–19 campaign.

History

De Graafschap had their longest streak in the Dutch top tier from 1995 until 2003. In the 1995–96 season De Graafschap finished in 8th place, an all-time high. After this season results went down and in 2003 the club was relegated after finishing in last place (18th).

Since 2003, De Graafschap was relegated four times and gained promotion five times. They were crowned champions of the Eerste Divisie in 2007 and 2010, and won the promotion playoffs in 2004 and 2015.^[1] De Graafschap never finished last in the Eredivisie since 2003 but lost relegation playoffs after finishing in 17th place in 2005, 2009 and 2012.^[2] In the 2015-16 Eredivisie season De Graafschap were once again relegated through playoffs after finishing 17th but not before drawing 1–1 against AFC Ajax on the final day of the season, denying Ajax the championship. In 2018, the club gained promotion again by winning the promotion playoffs, beating Almere City FC in the playoffs finals.^[3] They were relegated in 2019, and the next season ended in further heartbreak on April 24, 2020 as they were denied a possible promotion back to the top flight due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the Eredivisie to declare their season void with no promotion or relegation.^[4]

Late in the 2020–21 season, De Graafschap were in control of their promotion hopes, only needing one win in their final two games to secure promotion. However, they were held to a 1-1 draw, followed by a goalless draw versus Helmond Sport, denying them an automatic promotion spot and forcing them to go through the promotion playoffs.^[5]^[6] De Graafschap crashed out of the playoffs in the first round after a 3-2 home loss to Roda JC, thus meaning that they would remain in the Eerste Divisie.^[7]

Honours

Eerste Divisie
- Winner: 1991, 2007, 2010
Tweede Divisie
- Winner: 1969
Promoted to Eredivisie
- Promotion: 1973, 1981, 1995, 2004, 2015, 2018
Promoted to Eerste Divisie
- Promotion: 1966

Results

Below is a table with De Graafschap'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
2020–21 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2020–21	second round
2019–20 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic	2019–20	first round
2018–19 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2018–19	second round
2017–18 Eerste Divisie	4th	Eredivisie (winning promo./releg. play-offs)	2017–18	first round
2016–17 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	2016–17	first round
2015–16 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2015–16	second round
2014–15 Eerste Divisie	6th	Eredivisie (winning promo./releg. play-offs)	2014–15	second round
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2013–14	round of 16
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	8th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2012–13	third round
2011–12 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2011–12	quarter final
2010–11 Eredivisie	14th	–	2010–11	third round
2009–10 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2009–10	second round
2008–09 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2008–09	quarter final
2007–08 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)	2007–08	third round
2006–07 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2006–07	round of 16
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2005–06	DSQ
2004–05 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	6th	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2003–04	second round
2002–03 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2002–03	round of 16
2001–02 Eredivisie	14th	–	2001–02	third round
2000–01 Eredivisie	15th	–	2000–01	second round
1999–2000 Eredivisie	14th	–	1999–2000	second round
1998–99 Eredivisie	13th	–	1998–99	second round
1997–98 Eredivisie	11th	–	1997–98	second round
1996–97 Eredivisie	8th	–	1996–97	round of 16
1995–96 Eredivisie	14th	–	1995–96	round of 16
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	1994–95	second round
1993–94 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1993–94	round of 16
1992–93 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1992–93	third round
1991–92 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1991–92	second round
1990–91 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1990–91	round of 16
1989–90 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1989–90	first round
1988–89 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1988–89	first round
1987–88 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1987–88	second round
1986–87 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1986–87	round of 16
1985–86 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1985–86	first round
1984–85 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1984–85	second round
1983–84 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1983–84	round of 16
1982–83 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1982–83	round of 16
1981–82 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1981–82	second round
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	7th	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	1980–81	first round
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1979–80	second round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	1978–79	round of 16
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1977–78	first round
1976–77 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1976–77	round of 16
1975–76 Eredivisie	12th	–	1975–76	quarter final
1974–75 Eredivisie	13th	–	1974–75	second round
1973–74 Eredivisie	14th	–	1973–74	second round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	4th	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	1972–73	first round
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1971–72	DNC
1970–71 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	1970–71	first round
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1969–70	round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1968–69 Tweede Divisie	1st	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1968–69	first round^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Tweede Divisie	6th	–	1967–68	group stage^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Eerste Divisie	18th	Tweede Divisie (relegation)	1966–67	DNC^{[citation needed]}
1965–66 Tweede Divisie	2nd (group A)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1965–66	round of 16^{[citation needed]}
1964–65 Tweede Divisie	11th (group A)	–	1964–65	first round^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Tweede Divisie	5th (group B)	–	1963–64	first round^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Tweede Divisie	15th (group A)	–	1962–63	third round^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Tweede Divisie	10th	–	1961–62	?^{[citation needed]}
1960–61 Tweede Divisie	11th	–	1960–61	?^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eerste Divisie	17th (group B)	Tweede Divisie (relegation)	not held	not held
1958–59 Eerste Divisie	14th (group A)	–	1958–59	?^{[citation needed]}
1957–58 Eerste Divisie	4th (group A)	–	1957–58	?^{[citation needed]}
1956–57 Eerste Divisie	10th (group A)	–	1956–57	?^{[citation needed]}

Players

Current squad

As of 31 August 2022^[8]

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	NED	Hidde Jurjus
3	DF	NED	Jan Lammers
4	DF	NED	Xandro Schenk
5	DF	NED	Roland Baas
6	MF	NED	Lion Kaak
7	FW	NED	Hicham Acheffay
8	MF	NED	Jesse Schuurman
9	FW	NED	Danzell Gravenberch
10	MF	NED	Siem de Jong
11	FW	NED	Giovanni Korte
12	DF	NED	Jim van der Logt
14	MF	ALG	Camiel Neghli
16	GK	NED	Ties Wieggers
20	DF	NED	Rio Hillen
21	DF	CPV	Jeffry Fortes
22	MF	NED	Devin Haen


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
23	MF	NED	Philip Brittijn
24	FW	NED	Mees Kaandorp
25	FW	NED	Levi Schoppema
26	MF	NED	Sisqo Lever
27	DF	NED	Robin Schouten (on loan from SønderjyskE)
28	DF	NED	Alexander Büttner
29	DF	NED	Joran Hardeman
30	FW	NED	Pim Lukassen
33	FW	TUR	Basar Önal
34	MF	NED	Anis Yadir
44	MF	NED	Maas Willemsen
45	MF	NED	Ezra van der Heiden
—	GK	NED	Mees Bakker (on loan from AZ)
—	FW	CUW	Charlison Benschop
—	FW	ECU	Joel Valencia (on loan from Brentford)

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	Milan Hilderink (at TOP Oss until 30 June 2023)

Notable former players

The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed represented their countries while playing for De Graafschap.

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Mike Snoei
Assistant coaches	Richard Roelofsen
	Jan Oosterhuis
	Dennis te Braak
Goalkeeping coach	Edwin Susebeek

Former coaches

Leendert IJssennagger (1954–55)
Heinz Huber (1955)
Jan Poulus (1955–59)
Wim Engel (1959)
Eric Jones (1960–62)
Evert Teunissen (1962–67)
Ad Zonderland (1967–71)
Bert van Lingen (1971)
Piet de Visser (1971–74)
Evert Teunissen (1974–76)
Ben Polak (interim) (1976)
Hans Dorjee (1976–77)
Henk Ellens (1977–78)
Pim van de Meent (1978–80)
Huib Ruijgrok (1980–83)
Sandor Popovics (1983–85)
Henk van Brussel (1985–87)
Pim Verbeek (1987–89)
Ben Zweers (1989)
Simon Kistemaker (1989–93)
Jan Versleijen (1993–94)
Frans Körver (1994–95)
Hans van Doorneveld (1995)
Fritz Korbach (1995–98)
Frans Thijssen (1999)
Rob McDonald (1999–00)
Jurrie Koolhof (interim) (2000)
Gerard Marsman (2000–01)
Jurrie Koolhof (2001–02)
Peter Bosz (2002–03)
Frans Adelaar (2003–04)
Gert Kruys (2004–05)
Andries Ulderink (interim) (2005)
Jan de Jonge (2005–08)
Henk van Stee (2008–09)
Darije Kalezić (2009–11)
Andries Ulderink (2011–12)
Richard Roelofsen (interim) (2012)
Pieter Huistra (2012–13)
Jan Vreman (interim) (2013–14)
Jimmy Calderwood (2014)
Jan Vreman (2014–16)
Henk de Jong (2017–2019)
Mike Snoei (2019–now)

References

^ De Graafschap terug in eredivisie – Telegraaf (in Dutch)
^ De Graafschap gedegradeerd – NOS (in Dutch)
^ De Graafschap knokt zich voorbij Almere City en keert terug in Eredivisie – Voetbalprimeur (in Dutch)
^ "Afwikkeling voetbalseizoen 2019/'20 een feit | Eredivisie". Archived from the original on 24 April 2020.
^ "De Graafschap grijpt naast directe promotie door gelijkspel tegen Helmond Sport". De Graafschap (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Anti-climax voor De Graafschap na bizar slotstuk tegen Helmond Sport: Superboeren grijpen naast directe promotie in waterballet, Roda JC eerste tegenstander in play-offs". de Gelderlander (in Dutch). 12 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
^ "De Graafschap vs Roda JC Kerkrade - Eredivisie Qualification - Quarter-Final stats, H2H, lineups". FotMob. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
^ "Eerste Elftal - De Graafschap".

External links

Official website (in Dutch)
Fansite Superboeren (in Dutch)

[1] De Graafschap terug in eredivisie – Telegraaf (in Dutch)

[2] De Graafschap gedegradeerd – NOS (in Dutch)

[3] De Graafschap knokt zich voorbij Almere City en keert terug in Eredivisie – Voetbalprimeur (in Dutch)

[4] "Afwikkeling voetbalseizoen 2019/'20 een feit | Eredivisie". Archived from the original on 24 April 2020.

[5] "De Graafschap grijpt naast directe promotie door gelijkspel tegen Helmond Sport". De Graafschap (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2021.

[6] "Anti-climax voor De Graafschap na bizar slotstuk tegen Helmond Sport: Superboeren grijpen naast directe promotie in waterballet, Roda JC eerste tegenstander in play-offs". de Gelderlander (in Dutch). 12 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.

[7] "De Graafschap vs Roda JC Kerkrade - Eredivisie Qualification - Quarter-Final stats, H2H, lineups". FotMob. Retrieved 15 May 2021.

[8] "Eerste Elftal - De Graafschap".

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v t e Eredivisie
2022–23 clubs	Ajax AZ Cambuur Emmen Excelsior Feyenoord Fortuna Sittard Go Ahead Eagles Groningen Heerenveen NEC PSV Twente RKC Waalwijk Sparta Rotterdam Utrecht Vitesse Volendam
Stadiums	Abe Lenstra Stadion De Adelaarshorst AFAS Stadion Cambuur Stadion Euroborg Fortuna Sittard Stadion Galgenwaard GelreDome De Goffert De Grolsch Veste Johan Cruyff Arena Het Kasteel Kras Stadion De Kuip Mandemakers Stadion De Oude Meerdijk Philips Stadion Woudestein
Former clubs	ADO Den Haag Alkmaar '54 FC Amsterdam Blauw-Wit Den Bosch Dordrecht DOS DS '79 DWS FC Eindhoven Elinkwijk SC Enschede Fortuna '54 Haarlem Helmond Sport Heracles Almelo MVV NAC Breda NOAD PEC Zwolle RBC Roda JC SVV Telstar Veendam De Volewijckers VVV-Venlo Wageningen Willem II XerxesDZB
Competition	Champions Players (foreign) Managers Top scorers Hat-tricks Derbies Eredivisie Live
Awards	Footballer of the Year Rinus Michels Award
Associated competitions	League system Eerste Divisie Tweede Divisie Derde Divisie Vierde Divisie KNVB Cup Johan Cruyff Shield Eredivisie for women UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League
Netherlands Football League seasons	1888–89 1889–90 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56
Eredivisie seasons	1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
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