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FC Zwolle was formed on the 10th of June1910 as a result of the merger
of two other football clubs - Ende Desespereert Nimmer (END) founded in
Assendorp in 1904 and Prins Hendrik founded on April 1st in 1906. The new name
was PH - EDN Combinatie or P.E.C and the club played its matches on the Theetuin
Thijssen ground in West Zwolle. PEC reached the final of the KNVB trophy in 1928
where they lost 2 - 0 to RCH in Hilversum. Their accomplishment, and that
of Zwolle's other club ZAC who became East Holland Champions in the same season (with
the help of the legendary Bep Bakhuys), firmly put Zwolle on the footballing map
of Holland.
In the 1954/55 season PEC became Champions of the 2nd class and were able to
gain promotion to the new Dutch Professional League. In the season 1956/57 the
new league organised itself into a Division One (or Ere Divisie), two First Divisions and two
Second Divisions. PEC spent 15 seasons in the Second Division, often in close rivalry with their neighbours Zwolse Boys. In 1970/71
they returned to play at their old ground on the Ceintuurbaan, were promoted to
the Ere Divisie
and changed their name to PEC Zwolle. The 1970's were
fruitful years for the club,1977 and 1978 especially being the peak of their
success when they came in second behind Vitesse and also reached the final of
the KNVB Trophy for the second time in their history. They lost the final to FC
Twente but were rewarded with first place in the Eerste
Divisie in 1978. This
gained them a place in the Ere Divisie where they stayed for 10 years,
apart from one season in the Eerste Divisie in 1985/86.
The early Eighties were years of financial problems but the help of Marten
Eibrink (property developer) in 1981/2, who more or less 'bought' the club, saved them from
'extinction' and led to another name change - PEC Zwolle '82. Top trainer Cor Brom
was brought in alongside popular footballers such as Cees van Kooten, Piet
Schrijvers and Johnny Rep - for the first time since the 1930's Zwolle had
internationals in its ranks! Although the new era started well for the club a
succession of injury problems within the team led to a downward spiral and
relegation to the Ere Divisie in 1985/6 but the club bounced back the next year
and gained a reputation for its attractive, attacking football under Co
Adriaanse. This was not enough to prevent the club dropping back down
to the Eerste Divisie at the end of 1988/89.
Further financial problems and a series of disputes between Mr.Eibrink and
the City Council led to a parting of the ways in 1988. The club was forced to
regroup and reorganise, the old club going into liquidation to be replaced by a
new organisation with a new name, FC Zwolle, in July 1990. The new look brought
the club renewed successes with the help of a group of fresh, new players
in their squad who quickly caught the eyes of other managers leading to a string
of transfers. In 1997 the club reached the quarter-final of the Dutch FA Cup and
last season 2001/2002 gained promotion to the Ere Divisie after winning the
Eerste Divisie title.
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