Wiki: Fortuna Sittard - upcScavenger

Fortuna Sittard (; ) is a professional football club from the municipality of Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands. The club currently plays its football in the 12,500 capacity Fortuna Sittard Stadion and features in the Eredivisie. The club was established through a merger of former clubs Fortuna 54 and Sittardia, which merged as the Fortuna Sittardia Combinatie on 1 July 1968.

History

The club experienced mixed fortunes throughout its history, although it was a regular fixture in the Eredivisie in the 1990s, with players such as Kevin Hofland, Mark van Bommel and Fernando Ricksen emerging from its youth system. These players later joined PSV Eindhoven and Rangers and played for the Netherlands national team. The team also signed Wilfred Bouma and Patrick Paauwe from the youth setup of PSV. Both players developed under manager Bert van Marwijk before joining the Dutch national side and moving to bigger clubs.

Fortuna 54 won the KNVB Cup in the 1956–57 season and finished the Eredivisie season in second place behind champions Ajax Amsterdam. Sittardia were less successful and battled against relegation for many seasons. Fortuna 54 won the KNVB Cup again in 1964 before the merging of the two clubs in 1968, due to financial difficulties.

At the end of the 1999–2000 season, manager Bert van Marwijk left to join Feyenoord, and the team was relegated to the Eerste Divisie in the 2001–02 season. Fortuna Sittard: geen toekomst, maar een fraaie historie - Voetbal International

Financial difficulties (2002–2016)

Financial irregularities were discovered, and the team faced bankruptcy over several seasons. In the winter of 2003, two of the club's fans won the Dutch lottery and donated all of the prize money to the club. The club cleared most of its debts by selling off its new stadium, the Wagner & Partners stadium.

On 19 May 2009, the KNVB announced it would withdraw the club's license to play for the 2010–11 season. After going to civil court, this decision was revoked. Despite ongoing financial difficulties, the club gradually began to recover financially in the following years, leading to improved results. In the 2011–12 season, Fortuna Sittard narrowly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs for promotion to Eredivisie, conceding an equaliser in the final seconds of the season in a home match against the Go Ahead Eagles, resulting in the Eagles taking the final playoff spot instead. Although the club qualified for the playoffs in the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons, offering them a chance to return to Eredivisie since relegation in 2002, Fortuna was unsuccessful in both first-round matches against De Graafschap.

Takeover and Eredivisie (2016–present)

The club again faced financial troubles in 2016, leading to its takeover by Turkish investor Işıtan Gün, who previously served as the chief operating officer of Galatasaray. The 2016–17 season was a tough start for the club, but it managed to avoid relegation after changing coaches and recruiting new players, including some from Galatasaray.

In December 2016, Sunday Oliseh was appointed as the new coach of Fortuna Sittard. During his time as coach, he set two new records for the club, with eight consecutive home victories and the biggest away victory in the club's history, against SC Telstar by a score of 6–0. In January 2018, the team won a periodetitel after a 2–1 victory over Jong Ajax. However, on 14 February 2018, Oliseh was suspended due to "repeated and culpable actions towards multiple individuals within the organisation over an extended period," according to a statement on the club's website announcing his release. Oliseh posted online that he was suspended due to his "refusal to participate in Illegal activities."

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 Nijmegen and finishing runner-up to champions Jong Ajax, which cannot be promoted.

Fortuna Sittard finished in 16th place during the 2019–20 season. However, because the season was suspended and declared void due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club remained in the Eredivisie for the 2020–21 season. After that reprieve, the club finished in 11th place that season. The following year, Fortuna Sittard finished 15th, just one point clear of the relegation playoff. Since then, the club's results have placed it more comfortably in the mid-table. Fortuna Sittard finished in 13th place in the 2022–23 season and 10th place in the 2023–24 season.

Honours

KNVB Cup

Winners: 1956–57, 1963–64
Runners-up: 1983–84, 1998–99

Eerste Divisie

Winners: 1958–59, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1994–95
Promoted: 1981–82, 2017–18

International

Totals

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	1	6	2	1	3	6	7
UEFA Intertoto Cup	1	4	2	1	1	8	6

Results

ImageSize = width:800 height:60 PlotArea = left:10 right:10 bottom:30 top:10 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/2024 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:1990 Colors =

 id:bl1  value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.3)
 id:bl2  value:rgb(0.5,0.8,0.5)
 id:rs  value:rgb(0.8,0.6,0.6)
 id:rn  value:rgb(0.9,0.1,0.1)

PlotData=

 bar:Position width:15 color:white align:center

 from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1991  shift:(0,-4) text:12
 from:01/01/1991 till:01/01/1992  shift:(0,-4) text:14
 from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1993  shift:(0,-4) text:16
 from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1994  shift:(0,-4) text:10
 from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1995  shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/1996  shift:(0,-4) text:13
 from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1997  shift:(0,-4) text:11
 from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/1998  shift:(0,-4) text:7
 from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/1999  shift:(0,-4) text:10
 from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2000  shift:(0,-4) text:12
 from:01/01/2000 till:01/01/2001  shift:(0,-4) text:16
 from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2002  shift:(0,-4) text:18
 from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2003  shift:(0,-4) text:15
 from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2004  shift:(0,-4) text:19
 from:01/01/2004 till:01/01/2005  shift:(0,-4) text:19
 from:01/01/2005 till:01/01/2006  shift:(0,-4) text:20
 from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2007  shift:(0,-4) text:15
 from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2008  shift:(0,-4) text:16
 from:01/01/2008 till:01/01/2009  shift:(0,-4) text:15
 from:01/01/2009 till:01/01/2010  shift:(0,-4) text:17
 from:01/01/2010 till:01/01/2011  shift:(0,-4) text:16
 from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2012  shift:(0,-4) text:11
 from:01/01/2012 till:01/01/2013  shift:(0,-4) text:7
 from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2014  shift:(0,-4) text:8
 from:01/01/2014 till:01/01/2015  shift:(0,-4) text:19
 from:01/01/2015 till:01/01/2016  shift:(0,-4) text:16
 from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2017  shift:(0,-4) text:17
 from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2018  shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/01/2018 till:01/01/2019  shift:(0,-4) text:15
 from:01/01/2019 till:01/01/2020  shift:(0,-4) text:-
 from:01/01/2020 till:01/01/2021  shift:(0,-4) text:11
 from:01/01/2021 till:01/01/2022  shift:(0,-4) text:15
 from:01/01/2022 till:01/01/2023  shift:(0,-4) text:13
 from:01/01/2023 till:01/01/2024  shift:(0,-4) text:10

 from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1993 color:bl2  shift:(0,13)  text: "[[Eredivisie]]"
 from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:bl1  shift:(0,13)  text: "[[Eerste Divisie]]"
 from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2002 color:bl2  shift:(0,13)  text: "[[Eredivisie]]"
 from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2018 color:bl1  shift:(0,13)  text: "[[Eerste Divisie]]"
 from:01/01/2018 till:01/01/2024 color:bl2  shift:(0,13)  text: "[[Eredivisie]]"

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

2023–24 Eredivisie	10th	–	2023–24	quarter-final
2022–23 Eredivisie	13th	–	2022–23	first round
2021–22 Eredivisie	15th	–	2021–22	second round
2020–21 Eredivisie	11th	–	2020–21	round of 16
2019–20 Eredivisie	16th	No relegation due to COVID-19	2019–20	round of 16
2018–19 Eredivisie	15th	–	2018–19	quarter-final
2017–18 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)	2017–18	round of 16
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 ?

National team players

The following players were called up to represent their national teams in FIFA and received caps during their tenure with Fortuna Sittard:The following is a consolidated list of clubs' RKSV Sittardia , Fortuna '54 and Fortuna Sittard'', as a result of the merger of the two prior aforementioned clubs in 1968.

;Cape Verde

Deroy Duarte (2021–2024)
Lisandro Semedo (2017–2022)

;DR Congo

Samuel Moutoussamy (2020–2021)

;Finland

Rasmus Karjalainen (2019–2021)

;Greece

Lazaros Rota (2020–2021)

;Indonesia

Nol van der Vin (1954–1955)
Ragnar Oratmangoen (2023–2024)
Justin Hubner (2025–Present)

;Kosovo

Arianit Ferati (2021–2024)

;Luxembourg

Antoine Kohn (1959–1963; 1964–1965)

;Moldova

Vitalie Damașcan (2019–2020)
Alexei Koșelev (2018–2021)

;Netherlands

Henk Angenent (1954–1962)
Bram Appel (1948–1949; 1955–1960)
Bart Carlier (1955–1958; 1964–1965)
Willy Dullens (1963–1969)
Gerard Gruisen (1951–1969)
Cor van der Hart (1954–1966)
Wim Koevermans (1980–1988)
Frans de Munck (1954–1957)
Jan Notermans (1955–1965)
Willy Quaedackers (1961–1966)
Wilbert Suvrijn (1981–1986)
Faas Wilkes (1959–1962)

;New Zealand

Fred de Jong (1990–1993)

;North Macedonia

Stefan Ashkovski (2016–2018)

;Northern Ireland

Phil Gray (1996–1997)

;Slovakia

Branislav Niňaj (2018–2021)

;Suriname

Justin Lonwijk (2024)
Gavin Vlijter (2015–2019)

;Sweden

Tesfaldet Tekie (2019–2022)

;Togo

Sadik Fofana (2023–2024)

;Turkey

Burak Yılmaz (2022–2023)

Players in bold actively play for Fortuna Sittard and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Fortuna Sittard.

National team players by Confederation

Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Fortuna Sittard players represented Internationally

+ Total national team players by confederation
AFC	3	Indonesia (3)
CAF	4	Cape Verde (2), DR Congo (1), Togo (1)
CONCACAF	2	Suriname (2)
CONMEBOL	0
OFC	1	New Zealand (1)
UEFA	22	Netherlands (12), Moldova (2), Finland (1), Greece (1), Luxembourg (1), North Macedonia (1), Northern Ireland (1), Slovakia (1), Sweden (1), Turkey (1)

Players in international tournaments

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

Adrie Poldervaart
Wil Boessen
Patrick Creemers

Toon Oijstra

Jeroen Dieteren
Martijn Smeets

Danny van der Weerden

Robert van Gool

Ronald Ronken

Tjerk van Eggelen

Coaches

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

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 (2018–19)
Sjors Ultee (2019–20)
Kevin Hofland (2020)
Sjors Ultee (2020–2022)
Julio Velazquez (2022–2023)
Danny Buijs (2023–present)

Women's football

In January 2022, Fortuna announced it was beginning a women's football department. The club started playing in the women's Eredivisie in the 2022–23 season. In its first season, the club finished third out of 11 teams. In the 2023–24 season, Fortuna finished in fourth place out of 12 teams, and forward Tessa Wullaert was the top goal scorer and Player of the Year. However, prior to the 2024–25 season, the club announced it had not generated sufficient revenue from the women's team and cut its player spending, with Wullaert, Alieke Tuin, and other players departing for new clubs.

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