VVV-Venlo

 ( Football Clubs In The Netherlands ) 

Venlose Voetbal Vereniging (), commonly known as VVV-Venlo () or simply as VVV, is a Dutch professional football club based in Venlo, Limburg. Founded in 1903, the club competes in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football league system. VVV-Venlo have played multiple seasons in the top-flight Eredivisie, most recently between 2017 and 2021, and are among the oldest active football clubs in the Netherlands.

The club is based in the southeastern city of Venlo, near the German border, and hosts home matches at the 8,000-capacity De Koel, a stadium known for its unique sunken design and steep stands. The team traditionally plays in yellow shirts and black shorts and is nicknamed "The Good Old". Organised as a member-based association, the club maintains a strong regional identity and is active in community outreach, including the presentation of the and the hosting of the annual .

Historically, VVV-Venlo enjoyed periods of success in the 1950s and 1960s, winning the KNVB Cup in 1959 and reaching the final again in 1962. The club has spent over twenty seasons in the Eredivisie and has become known for developing talent and regularly returning to the top flight through promotion. Notable players to have worn the VVV shirt include Keisuke Honda, Bryan Linssen, and Ahmed Musa. While the club has not competed in European competitions, it maintains a reputation as a competitive and resilient side in Dutch football's upper tiers.

VVV-Venlo's fanbase draws from across North Limburg and the lower Meuse Valley, with strong local support rooted in regional pride. The club shares a local rivalry with MVV Maastricht, known as the Limburgse Derby, and has historically had competitive encounters with Roda JC and Fortuna Sittard.

During the first years of its existence, VVV could not enter the highest league of Dutch football. This was due to the fact that before the 1911–12 season, there was no first-tier Eerste Klasse in the southern Netherlands, but only Eastern and a Western Eerste Klasse. From the 1912–13 season, the South also competed in its own Eerste Klasse. VVV has been part of this since its introduction into Dutch football, with varying degrees of success. After the 1921–22 season, the club suffered relegation to the second-tier Tweede Klasse. Afterwards, the team played for some time in the Tweede Klasse, in which they won the championship during several seasons. They, however, failed to reach promotion to the Eerste Klasse again afterwards. After the end of World War II, the number of Eerste Klasse teams was expanded, which also included VVV. From 1948 to 1952, the club achieved fourth-place finishes in the Eerste Klasse.

In the 2009–10 season, the team booked its best league result since 1988 after finishing 12th in the Eredivisie. Another remarkable event was the transfer of star player Keisuke Honda to CSKA Moscow. They also signed toddler Baerke van der Meij on a symbolic ten-year contract, after a video featuring him scoring a hat trick into a toy box became popular. Honda was replaced by Gonzalo and the club signed Japanese player Maya Yoshida. The departure of Honda turned out to be a key point in the club's season. In the second half of the season, the team was not able to win matches and barely escaped from relegation.

At the end of the season, key players Ruben Schaken and Adil Auassar both signed with Feyenoord on a free transfer. Gonzalo returned to his employer FC Groningen, while Sandro Calabro signed with Swiss side St. Gallen. The club contracted Ruud Boymans and the Nigerian Ahmed Musa to strengthen the squad for the 2010–11 season. They avoided relegation, but it was a harsh season in which Jan van Dijk was fired and former international Patrick Paauwe terminated his contract after losing the competition from his competitors.

Belgian manager Glen De Boeck was signed for the next season, but failed to improve the results. As a result of that, he resigned in December 2011. Ton Lokhoff was recruited as the new manager and succeeded in avoiding relegation by winning the post-season play-offs. However, in the 2012–13 season, the club was relegated after losing the promotion/relegation play-offs against Go Ahead Eagles. The club finished fifth in its first Eerste Divisie season since its promotion in 2009. But again, the club bounced back and returned to the Eredivisie in 2017, after clinching promotion by defeating RKC Waalwijk. VVV-Venlo na vier jaar terug in de eredivisie – NOS The club finished 15th and secured survival without the need for play-offs. In the following 2018–19 season, VVV improved its league position, finishing 12th.

During De Koning's tenure, VVV suffered a record-breaking 13–0 away defeat to AFC Ajax on matchday six of the 2020–21 season, the heaviest loss in Eredivisie history. Following a run of seven consecutive defeats, De Koning was dismissed and replaced by Jos Luhukay on 17 March 2021. Luhukay was unable to prevent relegation, which was confirmed after a 3–1 away loss to Ajax on 13 May 2021. Despite relegation, the season included several notable achievements. Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis scored 26 league goals, becoming the first player in the club's history to finish as Eredivisie top goalscorer. VVV also reached the semi-finals of the 2020–21 KNVB Cup, their best cup performance since 1988.

Following relegation, VVV struggled to re-establish themselves in the Eerste Divisie. Although the club qualified for the promotion play-offs in 2023, they were eliminated in the semi-finals after a penalty shoot-out defeat to eventual promotees Almere City. Shortly thereafter, it emerged that the club was facing significant financial difficulties, leading to a scaling back of sporting ambitions and delaying plans for a swift return to the top flight. In August 2023, VVV initiated a WHOA (Dutch Act on Court Confirmation of Extrajudicial Restructuring Plans) procedure in an effort to restructure its debts and ensure financial continuity. On 1 February 2024, the District Court of Limburg approved the restructuring plan and the associated creditor agreement. The ruling relieved the club of a substantial portion of its outstanding debt, safeguarding its future.

The Jan Klaassens Museum, set up in 2003 is located in the city center of Venlo and is operated by the Limburgs Museum. Since 2005, VVV has annually presented the Jan Klaassens Award to the greatest talent from its own youth academy. Simon Janssen wint Jan Klaassens Award Officiële website VVV-Venlo, 30 July 2019

The Herman Teeuwen Memorial, named after the club icon who died suddenly in 2003, since 2004 has been organised by the club, usually with well-known foreign clubs participating on an invitational basis.

VVV announced in July 2015 that they would be retiring the number 28 shirt in memory of youth player Beau Vilters, who had previously worn that number but was killed in a traffic accident on 14 June 2015, at the age of 18. Nummer 28... – VVV-Venlo, 10 July 2015

In April 2011, after a viral video of a local toddler, Baerke van der Meij, grandson of VVV player Jan van der Meij, showing him scoring a hat trick into his toy box, the club gave the 18-month-old an honorary contract.

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