ASWH

The club was founded on August 1, 1929, as ASW, by five youths from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht: Bas van Wingerden (born 1915), Johannes van Wingerden (born 1917), Jan van Nieuwenhuyzen (born 1917), Siem van der Wulp (born 1919) and Harmen Haksteeg (born 1920). The oldest of the five, 14-year-old Bas van Wingerden, became the club's first chairman. He was succeeded by then 16-year-old Harmen Haksteeg in 1936. Haksteeg would remain chairman of the club until 1971.

The origin of the club name is not clear. Some claim it stood for Altijd Sporten Wij (We Always Play Sports), others claim it meant Altijd Sterker Worden (Always Grow Stronger). Clueless which of the two is historically correct, club members eventually settled on "Altijd Sterker Worden" because of a general preference for this phrase as is.

The club initially only played friendly away-matches, for lack of an own ground, and could not join a competition. This changed when farmer Nugteren gave the club a pasture in 1936, coincidentally (as the club kept moving around) opposite the location of its current field. The first home match was played on May 25, 1936, against ULO Groenendijk. The club joined the Rotterdam district of the Christian Dutch Football Association, as a new club in its third and lowest class.[4] On 2 November 1936 ASW lost in Rijsoord 3–1 against Rijsoord, the leaders of the competition[4] and initially a stronger rival of ASW. With ASW central forward Pons missing, Van der Wulp scored the equalizer for H.I. Ambacht, yet the team and its keeper were no match for Rijsoord.[4]

Starting in the 1937–38 season, the classes of the struggling CNVB were reorganized into regional sections. Henceforth ASW played in section C in the equivalent of a regional class 1, so it went supposedly up two tiers, while there was a stronger quality variance. In its first for loss for this season, ASWH was beaten 7–4 by VVE Nieuw Lekkerland, in what the Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde [sic] praised as "a match in which often good soccer could be enjoyed."[5] On Monday, 6 June 1938 ASWH drew 1–1 against ONA Gouda and 0–0 against ZCFC Zaandam – the eventual winners of the 1B division cup – in the Western Tourneer of the Christian Dutch Football Association.[6]

In the emergency competition of 1940, ASWH drew against Oranje Wit Dordrecht, 0–0.[7] In November 1941, ASW led the regional Division B competition unbeaten, beating among others Dordrecht 3–1.[8] The season did not end in a championship. In 1942 the Nazis confiscated the field of ASW after which it played on Ido's Football Club grounds.[9][10]

The last game during World War II was a 1–5 loss against Kinderdijk-side VV De Zwerver in February 1944. The first game after the war was a 3–0 loss against H.I.-Ambacht partner and rival IFC.[9] In 1947 or in January 1948 at the latest, an H for Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht was added to the club name, to avoid confusion with ASW from Dordrecht (this club merged into SC Reeland in 1997).

The first section title for ASWH 1, in the highest division of the Dordrecht district of the Royal Dutch Football Association, was won in 1949, after winning all matches. The right for promotion posed a problem: the pitch didn't meet the criteria for admission to the main league system of the KNVB. A new ground on the Pruimendijk in Oostendam was offered by farmer Plaisier,[9] and the club was promoted.

During almost the entire 1950s ASWH played in the Vierde Klasse 4C and 4D. It ended 9th in 1954, 8th in 1955 and '56, 7th in 1950, 4th in 1953 and '58, 3rd in 1951 and '57, and runner-up in 1952. In 1959 it won the 4D section championship and promoted to the Derde Klasse.

The first gig in the Derde Klasse B lasted only one year and in Summer 1960 ASWH went back to the Vierde Klasse from position 9. For an equally short period as in 1961 ASWH secured its second Vierde Klasse section championship.[11] In the decisive game, on Saturday 18 March 1961, it had beaten SV Bolnes 2–0 in Ambacht.[11] ASWH thus promoted a second time to the Derde Klasse, this time staying for 2 seasons. In 1963 ASWH returned to the Vierde Klasse for two seasons.

In 1965 it promoted from a second position Vierde Klasse, never to go to the Vierde again. Now a stable Derde Klasse team, it ended 8th in 1966, runner-up in 1967, 5th in 1968, and 6th in 1969.

Slowly but steadily, ASWH rose through the ranks. In 1970 the Ambacht-side won its only Derde Klasse championship, after it beat RC Leiderdorp 2–0 at home.[12][13] It promoted to the Tweede Klasse where it would play for the remainder of the 1970s and beyond.

In 1983, ASWH won its first and only Tweede Klasse championship. During the remainder of the 1980s ASWH played in the Eerste Klasse.

Marten de Roon played late 1990s and early 2000s in ASWH youth teams. Presently he plays on the Dutch national team.

During the years 1992–1995 ASWH played back in the Tweede Klasse. In 1995 it was back in the Eerste Klasse.

In 1996 ASWH promoted from the Eerste Klasse to the Hoofdklasse, at that time the highest tier of amateur football in the Netherlands. The club was relegated two years later, followed by the title in the Eerste Klasse and automatic promotion back to the Hoofdklasse.

The club was placed in the Saturday Hoofdklasse B, where it finished in third place. The next season brought the first Hoofdklasse title in the club's existence. In 2002 ASWH again won the title, this time in the Saturday Hoofdklasse A.

A third Hoofdklasse championship was earned in 2004–05, this time followed by the national title for Saturday amateurs, defeating IJsselmeervogels and Excelsior '31, and the national amateur title, defeating Mijdrecht-side SV Argon.

From Fall 2010 through Spring 2016 ASWH played continuously in Hoofdklasse B. In the 2015–2016 season ASWH finished third in the Hoofdklasse. Through playoffs, it promoted for the first time beyond the Hoofdklasse, to the newly coined Derde Divisie. In the 2016–17 KNVB Cup ASWH beat De Treffers 0–3 in Groesbeek in the first round. In the second round, it won 2–3 over SV Spakenburg in Spakenburg. In the third round it lost 2–0 against AZ Alkmaar in Alkmaar.[3] While ASWH suffered a moderate loss and returned to Ambacht with dignified results against a leading professional team, AZ did not utilize several of its prime players.[3] AZ eventually were runners-up in the national cup.

ASWH started its first Derde Divisie season with a series of victories, eventually stopped at a 1–3 defeat against Heemskerk-side ODIN '59 on 25 September 2016.[14] It was a sour loss as ASWH had not been beaten at Sportpark Schildman since November 2015 and controlled the ball 70% of the game.[14] Regrouping soon enough, ASWH completed its first Derde Divisie season in 4th position.

In the 2017–18 KNVB Cup ASWH was out in its first game and second qualification round against Hoofdklasse-team HSV Hoek, when the Zeelanders beat ASWH 1–3 in Sportpark Schildman.[15] ASWH 2 followed suit; it did not pass the classifying stage of the District Cup after it lost 3–1 against VV De Zwerver.[16]

The second Derde Divisie season of ASWH started rather weak with defeats against FC Groningen (0–1), Quick Boys (0–1), and FC Volendam (0–5),[17] draws against SV Spakenburg (2–2),[18] DSV Ermelo (0–0), Jong Twente (2–2),[19] VVOG Harderwijk (1–1), and VV Spijkenisse (0–0),[20] and victories against Magreb Utrecht (2–5)[21] and in a regional derby against VV Capelle (0–1).[22] It finished the season in a disappointing 11th position, yet played good enough to remain in the Derde Divisie.

Kenny Anderson joined the squad in 2019.

Since 2019 the youth department has been KNVB certified as a regional football academy.[23][24]

ASWH strengthened throughout its third Derde Divisie season and on 25 May 2019 it secured the championship of the third period (season trimester), placing the club in the promotion playoff.[25] After a 2-1 victory at Sportpark Schildman and 2-2 in Oostzaan, ASWH qualified for a playoff final against FC Lienden.[26][27][28][29] In the finals, it lost the first game at Sportpark Schildman 0–1,[30][31][32][33] then won 2–0 in Lienden, securing the promotion to the Tweede Divisie.[34][35][36][37]

In its first game in the Tweede Divisie, ASWH drew against title candidate SV Spakenburg, 1–1. Sam van de Kreeke, who defeated FC Lienden with a second and last goal in the promotion finals, also scored the first goal in ASWH's new league.[38] Next Saturday, ASWH was beaten 0–3 by VV Katwijk, another contender for the Tweede Divisie championship,[39] and dropped from a shared 7th place to 15th position. In the third week, ASWH won its first Tweede Divisie game, 2–0 against SVV Scheveningen through goals by Abderrahim Loukili and Clarence Bijl, rising to 11th position.[40][41] In week 5, ASWH was badly beaten by VV Noordwijk, 5–1.[42] Noordwijk promoted alongside ASWH to the Tweede Divisie.[43][44] ASWH dropped to 14th position. A series of mostly defeats followed, bringing ASWH to the last spot on December 7, after losing 0–4 against HHC Hardenberg.[45] After two draws against other bottom contenders, with a defeat in between, ASWH rose to the 17th spot on January 25.[46] After an expected defeat on February 2 against IJsselmeervogels, 4–1, ASWH became dead last again.[47] A home victory of ASWH on 8 February over GVVV brought the club to 17th position and reduced the distance with the competition.[48][49] On 29 February, after losing to Excelsior Maassluis, ASWH made it again to the 18th last spot.[50][51]

As of 11 March 2020

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 Stefan Kok (year 2) 2 DF Menno Vooges (year 2) 3 FW Jordie van der Laan (year 1, on loan)[52][46] 4 MF Mels van Driel (year 9)[53] 5 DF Gilmaro van de Werp (year 7)[54] 6 MF Jesper van den Bosch (year 7, captain)[55][56] 7 FW Sam van de Kreeke (year 2) 8 MF Lars Bosscha (year 5)[54] 9 FW Lester Pires (year 2) 10 MF Nick Slotboom (year 6) 11 FW Ismail Yildirim (year 3) 12 GK Bryan Janssen (year 1)

No. Position Player 15 DF Clarence Bijl (year 2) 16 GK Tijs te Duits (year 1) 17 MF Lucas van Oeveren (year 1) 18 FW Mitchel Louwerens (year 1) 19 MF Fabian Korporaal (year 2) 20 FW Abderrahim Loukili (year 1) 21 MF Kenny Anderson (year 1) 22 DF Victor Stenzler (year 1) 23 DF Vince van Dongen (year 2) 24 MF Koen Wesdorp (year 1) 27 DF David Almeida (year 5)[57][58][59] 30 DF Josimar Lima (year 1) 34 DF Aytaç Asim Metin (year 1)

• Nikki de Roest – after Heerjansdam and ASWH boys teams, played for RVVH and PSV/FC Eindhoven. Played on Netherlands U16 and U17. Now plays futsal.

• Eric Abdul – played for DHC Delft, ASWH 1, SV Estrella, SV Dakota and the Aruba national football team
• Jeffrey Altheer – played shortly in ASWH 1 after Feyenoord (bench only), Excelsior, Helmond, VVV, and Dutch national youth selections[60]
• Stefan van Dam – played in ASWH 1 and the national amateur section after Willem II and TOP Oss.
• Nixon Dias – played in Sparta Rotterdam, ADO Den Haag and Netherlands U-19, ASWH 1 and Dayton Dutch Lions FC
• Stef Doedee – played in Feyenoord, RKC Waalwijk, FC Dordrecht and FC Inter Turku before ASWH
• Arjan Human – played in ASWH 1 after RKC Waalwijk, ADO Den Haag, and Cercle Brugge[61]
• Shabir Isoufi – played for Feyenoord, Excelsior, FC Dordrecht, Telstar, and Barendrecht, then in ASWH 1 and the national team of Afghanistan
• Quentin Jakoba – joined ASWH 1 after FC Eindhoven and Kozakken Boys. Later in Curacao national football team
• Yuri Petrov – before ASWH 1 played for Spartak Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, Waalwijk, Twente, Den Haag, Metalist Kharkiv, and Volendam
• Marten de Roon – after playing in ASWH youth teams, played for Feyenoord, Sparta Rotterdam, SC Heerenveen, Atalanta B.C., and Middlesbrough F.C.[62]
• Robin Schmidt – after playing in ASWH youth teams, played for Sparta Rotterdam, FC Twente, FC Dordrecht, and SuS Stadtlohn
• Silvino Soares – played for ASWH 1 after FC Zwolle, KV Red Star Waasland and the Cape Verde national football team
• Raymond de Waard – before ASWH 1 played for Excelsior Rotterdam, Norwich City, AZ Alkmaar, and RBC Roosendaal

• Joshua Brard – after playing in ASWH youth teams, played for Sparta Rotterdam (bench only), FC Oss and LRC Leerdam, before playing in ASWH 1
• Jacob van den Belt – played in ASWH 1 after RBC Roosendaal, VVV-Venlo, and DOTO
• Brian Berends – played in ASWH before and after RBC Roosendaal[63]
• Mark Bevaart – played in ASWH 1 after FC Dordrecht, FC Emmen and Almere City FC
• Leon van Dalen – played in ASWH 1 after FC Dordrecht (1988–2003) and TOP Oss (2003–2008)
• Mels van Driel – played in ASWH 1 after Excelsior, Fortuna Sittard and RBC Roosendaal
• Gert van Hanegem – after playing in ASWH youth teams, played for USV Elinkwijk and FC Utrecht
• Dolf Kerklaan – former goalkeeper for ASWH 1 after Sparta Rotterdam and FC Zwolle
• Milco Pieren – played in ASWH 1 after Sparta Rotterdam, SC Cambuur, VVV-Venlo, and FC Zwolle
• Carlos Ramos – played in ASWH 1 after RBC Roosendaal, SC Feyenoord, and Kozakken Boys
• Jesse Schotman – played in ASWH 1 after Go Ahead Eagles, FC Emmen and Haaglandia
• Xander van der Veeke – played in ASWH 1 after PEC Zwolle and now defunct Zwart Wit '28[64]

• Jordi Boogers and Ferry van Lare arrived from FC Dordrecht
• Michel Devilee – played 2 seasons for Excelsior Rotterdam, between his years at ASWH 1
• Michael van Dommelen – joined ASWH 1 after FC Dordrecht and BVV Barendrecht
• Boudy Hoogendoorn and Richard Lodder – joined ASWH 1 from ADO Den Haag
• Raymon Kuipers – was a keeper for FC Dordrecht, mostly on their bench, before playing for ASWH 1
• Jan Scheurwater – after ASWH 1 played for FC Dordrecht, then returned to ASWH 2