Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna Sittard
Full name	Fortuna Sittard
Nickname(s)	Fortuna, Fortunezen
Founded	1 July 1968
Ground	Fortuna Sittard Stadion,; Sittard
Capacity	12,500
Chairman	Özgür Işıtan Gün
Manager	René Eijer
League	Eredivisie
2017–18	Eerste Divisie, 2nd (promoted)
Home colours	Away colours

Fortuna Sittard is a football club in Sittard, the Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Fortuna Sittard Stadion and features in the Dutch Eredivisie. The club was established through a merger of former clubs Fortuna 54 and Sittardia who merged as the Fortuna Sittardia Combinatie on 1 July 1968.

History

The club experienced mixed fortunes throughout its history although they were a regular fixture in the Eredivisie in the 1990s, with many talented players such as Kevin Hofland, Mark van Bommel and Fernando Ricksen emerging from its youth system. These players later joined PSV Eindhoven and Rangers thereafter featured for the Dutch team. The team's management also had an eye for talent, as they snapped up Wilfred Bouma and Patrick Paauwe from the youth setup of PSV. Both players developed well under manager Bert van Marwijk, before breaking into the Dutch national side and moving towards bigger clubs.

'Fortuna 54' was a relatively successful club which once won the KNVB Cup in the 1956/1957 season where they finished the Eredivisie season 2nd place behind champions Ajax whereas the 'Sittardia' battled against relegation for many seasons. Another KNVB Cup triumph was also celebrated by 'Fortuna 54' in 1964 before the merging of the two clubs in 1968 due to financial difficulties.

At the end of the 1999–2000 season, successful manager Bert van Marwijk left to join Feyenoord and the team seemed to collapse. Due to poor management, the team signed a number of over-paid and under-performing "stars". Fortuna relegated to the First Division in the 2001–2002 season, where things were getting from bad to worse very quickly.^[1] Financial irregularities had been discovered and the team has been facing bankruptcy for the past 4 seasons. A little highlight came in the winter of 2003, when two of the club's fans won the Dutch lottery and donated all of the prize money to the club.

Things started to look up for Fortuna, when they were able to clear most of their debts by selling of the new stadium, the Wagner & Partners stadium. Unfortunately, the team hasn't been performing on the pitch and finished dead-last in the Dutch First Division for three consecutive seasons.

On 19 May 2009 the KNVB announced it would withdraw the license to play of Fortuna Sittard for the 2010–2011 season. After going to civil court, this decision was revoked and the club did not lose its license.^[2] Even though financial troubles kept plaguing the club, recent years have seen a slow but steady return to financial health, with sportive successes following suit. In the 2011–2012 season they missed qualification for the playoffs for promotion to the Eredivisie by a hair's breadth, conceding an equalizer in the dying seconds of the season in the home match against the Go Ahead Eagles, seeing them take the final playoff spot instead. In 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 they were successful in qualifying, having a first chance at returning to the Eredivisie since their relegation in 2002, but they lost both first round matches against De Graafschap.

In 2018, after 16 years in the Eerste Divisie, Fortuna won promotion to the Eredivisie again after beating Jong PSV 1-0 to stay clear from NEC and finishing runner-up to champions Jong Ajax, who are not allowed to promote.^[3]

Honours

KNVB Cup
- Winner: 1957, 1964
- Runners-up: 1984, 1999
Eerste Divisie
- Winner: 1959, 1964, 1966, 1995
Promoted to Eredivisie
- Promotion: 1982, 2018

Results

Below is a table with Fortuna Sittard's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.

Domestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2016–17 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2016–17	first round
2015–16 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2015–16	second round
2014–15 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2014–15	third round
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	8th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2013–14	second round
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2012–13	second round
2011–12 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	2011–12	second round
2010–11 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2010–11	third round
2009–10 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2009–10	second round
2008–09 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2008–09	third round
2007–08 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	2007–08	third round
2006–07 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2006–07	second round
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	20th	–	2005–06	second round
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	2003–04	second round
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2002–03	group stage
2001–02 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2001–02	round of 16
2000–01 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving prom./releg. play-offs)	2000–01	round of 16
1999–2000 Eredivisie	12th	–	1999–2000	third round
1998–99 Eredivisie	10th	–	1998–99	final
1997–98 Eredivisie	7th	Intertoto Cup (R3)	1997–98	quarter-final
1996–97 Eredivisie	11th	–	1996–97	second round
1995–96 Eredivisie	13th	–	1995–96	round of 16
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1994–95	group stage
1993–94 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1993–94	third round
1992–93 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (losing prom./releg. play-off)	1992–93	round of 16
1991–92 Eredivisie	14th	–	1991–92	second round
1990–91 Eredivisie	12th	–	1990–91	second round
1989–90 Eredivisie	7th	–	1989–90	quarter-final
1988–89 Eredivisie	8th	–	1988–89	round of 16
1987–88 Eredivisie	8th	–	1987–88	round of 16
1986–87 Eredivisie	9th	–	1986–87	quarter-final
1985–86 Eredivisie	8th	–	1985–86	quarter-final
1984–85 Eredivisie	7th	–	1984–85	round of 16
1983–84 Eredivisie	12th	Cup Winners' Cup	1983–84	final
1982–83 Eredivisie	8th	–	1982–83	second round
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)	1981–82	first round
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1980–81	second round
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1979–80	second round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion competition: no promotion	1978–79	quarter-final
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	5th	–	1977–78	second round
1976–77 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1976–77	second round
1975–76 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion competition: no promotion	1975–76	first round
1974–75 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1974–75	second round
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion competition: no promotion	1973–74	second round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1972–73	first round
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	1971–72	quarter-final
1970–71 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1970–71	semi-final
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1969–70	first round
1968–69 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1968–69	first round
1967–68 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	17th 18th	Merger into Fortuna SC	1967–68	group stage round of 16
1966–67 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	14th 7th	–	1966–67	first round
1965–66 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1965–66 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	9th 1st	– Eredivisie (promotion)	1965–66	group stage
1964–65 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	6th 15th	– Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1964–65	first round round of 16
1963–64 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1963–64 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	7th 1st	Cup Winners' Cup Eredivisie (promotion)	1963–64	winner first round
1962–63 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1962–63 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	12th	–	1962–63	round of 16 third round
1961–62 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1961–62 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	12th 3rd	–	1961–62	?
1960–61 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1960–61 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	15th 5th (group B)	–	1960–61	?
1959–60 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54... ...and Sittardia)	14th 18th	– Eerste Divisie (relegation)	not held	not held
1958–59 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1958–59 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	3rd 1st (group B)	– Eredivisie (promotion)	1958–59	?
1957–58 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1957–58 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	4th 4th (group B)	–	1957–58	?
1956–57 Eredivisie (as Fortuna '54) 1956–57 Eerste Divisie (as Sittardia)	2nd 6th (group B)	–	1956–57	winner ?

Current squad

As of 31 August 2018

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

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Aykut Özer
2	DF	Clint Essers
3	DF	Wessel Dammers (Vice-captain)
4	DF	Kai Heerings
5	DF	Branislav Niňaj
6	MF	Jorrit Smeets
7	FW	André Vidigal
8	MF	Ahmed El Messaoudi (on loan from KV Mechelen)
9	FW	Andrija Novakovich (on loan from Reading)
10	MF	Mark Diemers (Captain)
11	FW	Djibril Dianessy
13	DF	Marco Ospitalieri
14	FW	Lisandro Semedo
16	MF	José Bandez

No.	Position	Player
17	DF	Alessandro Ciranni
19	FW	Finn Stokkers
20	MF	Amadou Ciss
21	FW	Áron Dobos
22	MF	Gavin Vlijter
23	DF	Mica
24	MF	Bo Breukers
25	MF	Lars Hutten
27	GK	Rowen Koot
30	DF	Rubén Ramírez
32	MF	George Mells
34	MF	José Rodríguez (on loan from Mainz)
77	GK	Alexei Koșelev
97	MF	Lazaros Lamprou (on loan from PAOK FC)

Out on loan

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

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Luc Tinnemans (at RKVV EVV until 30 June 2019)
		MF	Lazar Kojić (at OFK Bačka until 30 June 2019)
		MF	Mickaël Malsa (at Albacete until 30 June 2019)

Managers

As Fortuna '54

1956–57: Friedrich Donenfeld (vice champion, cup winner)
1957–58: Bram Appel
1958–59: Harry Verhardt
1959–61: Friedrich Donenfeld
1961–63: Jung Schlangen
1963–65: Wim Latten (cup winner 1964)
1965–66: Max Schirschin
1966–67: Karl-Heinz Marotzke
1967–68: Bram Appel

As Sittardia

Frans Debruyn
Vladimir Beara (1966–1968)
Frans Debruyn (1968)

As Fortuna Sittard

Frans Debruyn (1968–69)
Henk Reuvers (1969–70)
Evert Teunissen (1970–72)
Cor Brom (1972–76)
Cor van der Hart (1976–77)
Joop Castenmiller (1977–80)
Frans Körver (1980–84)
Bert Jacobs (1984–87)
Hans van Doorneveld (1987–89)
Han Berger (1989–91)
Georg Keßler (1991–92)
Chris Dekker (1992–94)
Pim Verbeek (1994–97)
Bert van Marwijk (1997-00)
Henk Duut (2000–01)

Frans Thijssen (2000–01)
Hans Verèl (2001)
Hans de Koning (2001–04)
Chris Dekker (2004–06)
Frans Körver (2006–07)
Henk Wisman (2007)
Roger Reijners (2007–10)
Wim Dusseldorp (2010–11)
Tini Ruys (2011–12)
Willy Boessen (2012–14)
Peter van Vossen (2014–15)
Ben van Dael (2015–16)
Sunday Oliseh (2017–18)
Claudio Braga (a.i.) (2018)
René Eijer (2018–present)

References

↑ Fortuna Sittard: geen toekomst, maar een fraaie historie - Voetbal International (in Dutch)
↑ (in Dutch)KNVB gaat licentie Fortuna Sittard intrekken, Voetbal International (19 May 2009)
↑ Fortuna Sittard na zestien jaar terug in de eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)

External links

Official website (in Dutch)
Fansite Fortuna Supporters Collectief

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[1] Fortuna Sittard: geen toekomst, maar een fraaie historie - Voetbal International (in Dutch)

[2] (in Dutch)KNVB gaat licentie Fortuna Sittard intrekken, Voetbal International (19 May 2009)

[3] Fortuna Sittard na zestien jaar terug in de eredivisie - AD (in Dutch)

Eredivisie
2018–19 clubs	ADO Den Haag Ajax AZ Emmen Excelsior Feyenoord Fortuna Sittard De Graafschap Groningen Heerenveen Heracles NAC PEC Zwolle PSV Utrecht Vitesse VVV Willem II
Stadiums	Abe Lenstra Stadion AFAS Stadion Euroborg Fortuna Sittard Stadion Galgenwaard GelreDome IJsseldeltastadion JenS Vesting Johan Cruyff Arena De Koel Koning Willem II Stadion De Kuip Kyocera Stadion Philips Stadion Polman Stadion Rat Verlegh Stadion De Vijverberg Woudestein
Former clubs	Alkmaar '54 FC Amsterdam Blauw-Wit Amsterdam Cambuur FC Den Bosch FC Dordrecht DOS DS '79 DWS FC Eindhoven Elinkwijk SC Enschede Fortuna '54 Fortuna Sittard Go Ahead Eagles GVAV Haarlem Helmond Sport MVV N.E.C. NOAD RBC RKC Roda JC SHS Sittardia Sparta SVV Telstar FC Twente SC Veendam FC Volendam De Volewijckers FC Wageningen XerxesDZB
Competition	Champions Players (foreign) Managers Derbies Eredivisie Live
Awards	Footballer of the Year Rinus Michels Award
Associated competitions	League system Eerste Divisie Tweede Divisie Derde Divisie Hoofdklasse KNVB Cup Johan Cruijff 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 1899–00 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 1999–00 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