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Info
Groningen
Groningen FC was born on June
16th 1971 out of the Groningen Football and Athletic Association. It began
its life in the Premier Division but three years later found itself
relegated to the Second (Toto) Division. After almost regaining promotion
the following season the board of directors decided that, due to limited
finances, they would invest in a young team. This didn't pay off in the
short term but from 1977, under Theo Verlangen, the team got better and
better until they were top of the First Division in 1980. 10,000 fans
helped them to celebrate that day and the club's return to the Premier
Division - this was the period when the famous Koeman Brothers, Ronald and
Erwin, made their debut for the club. They formed a formidable trio in
midfield with Theo Kuikens, the "KKK Trio", and alongside
forward Jan van Dijk and the defending duo Waalderbos and Hiddink they
helped the club to that fantastic closing match of the 1982/3 season when
FC Twente met their end 6 - 1 in the Oosterpark Stadium in Groningen. They
were in European football for the first time!
In the following years Groningen
played 24 matches in the various European Trophy competitions and
reached the 3rd round in 1988/9 getting knocked out by Jurgen
Klinsmann and VFB Stuttgart. In the same season they reached the final of
the Dutch FA Cup (Amstel Cup) after beating Ajax 3 - 0 in the semi-final
but PSV proved to be too strong on the day in Feyenoord's The Kuip
Stadium, they lost 4 - 1.The next season was the club's most successful
yet - unbeaten at home, almost unbeatable away with the Macedonian
Magician Milto Djurovski on their side, the club fought its heart out
until the end of the season when injury and red cards saw the cup go to
PSV - but they had earned themselves a more than respectable third place.
After enjoying years of success a
downward spiral began, several attempts to rescue the club ended with a
tax scandal where the club's finances came under intense scrutiny.
Trainers were sacked, officials left, money problems and a team with too
many old players led to relegation in 1988/9. Fortunately for the club
their fans didn't desert them and thousands supported them through the bad
times. In their first season under new trainer Jan van Dijk in the Second
(Toto) Division they reached second place and narrowly missed out on
gaining promotion in the playoff when they lost to a lucky Sparta in the
Oosterpark Stadium. Despite the dissappointment their fans gave them a
huge ovation, expressing their great appreciation and undying loyalty to
the club.
Last season 1999/2000 Groningen
ended up in third place behind champions NAC and FC Zwolle. In a thrilling
last away match of the playoffs against Emmen a goal from Magnus Johansson
brought the thousands who'd travelled to support their team to their feet
and the final whistle was the sign for the party to begin! FC
Groningen are back in the Premier Division!
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