Eerste Divisie
The
Eerste Divisie (
English:
First Division) is the second-highest
division of
football in the
Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level
Eredivisie via a
promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the
Juplier League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in
Belgium. It was most recently known as the
Gouden Gids Divisie after a five-year sponsorship deal with the Dutch
Yellow Pages.
The Eerste Divisie consists of 20 clubs, who play each other in a double round-robin league, with each club playing the other club home and away. Each club plays each other club once in the first half of the season before the league takes a winter break around the
Christmas and
New Year's holiday season. The second half of the season sees the same fixtures as the first half, with the stadiums changed, although the two halves are not played in the same order.
At the end of each season, the champion of the
Eerste Divisie is automatically promoted to the
Eredivisie. Six other clubs enter the
Nacompetitie, a promotion/relegation playoff that includes the 16th- and 17th-place clubs in the Eredivisie. The following teams qualify for the Nacompetitie:
*The club with the best record in the "first period" of the season (after 8 rounds).
*The club with the best record in the "second period" of the season (rounds 9-16).
*The club with the best record in the "third period" of the season (rounds 17-24).
*The club with the best record in the "fourth period" of the season (rounds 25-32).
*The remaining spots are filled at season's end by the highest-placed clubs that have not already earned automatic promotion or qualified for the Nacompetitie.
If the club that wins a period has qualified for the Nacompetitie by winning a previous period, its place is filled by the next-best club in that period that has not already qualified. Usually, the clubs that qualify for the Nacompetitie turn out to be the 2nd- through 7th-placed clubs in the final table.
The Nacompetitie is divided into two groups of four clubs each, with one Eredivisie club and three Eerste Divisie clubs. Each group winner will play in the
Eredivisie the next season, while the other three will play in the Eerste Divisie.
Teams are not relegated from the Eerste Divisie, but
Hoofdklasse (the main amateur league and the third tier of Dutch football) clubs can be promoted to the Eerste Divisie.
*2005/2006 -
Excelsior Rotterdam*2004/2005 -
Heracles Almelo*2003/2004 -
FC Den Bosch *2002/2003 -
ADO Den Haag *2001/2002 -
FC Zwolle *2000/2001 -
FC Den Bosch *1999/2000 -
NAC Breda*1998/1999 -
FC Den Bosch*1997/1998 -
AZ Alkmaar*1996/1997 -
MVV Maastricht*1995/1996 -
AZ Alkmaar*1994/1995 -
Fortuna Sittard*1993/1994 -
FC Dordrecht 90*1992/1993 -
VVV Venlo*1991/1992 -
Cambuur Leeuwarden*1990/1991 -
De Graafschap*1989/1990 -
Schiedamse Voetbal Vereniging*1988/1989 -
Vitesse Arnhem *1987/1988 -
RKC Waalwijk*1986/1987 -
FC Volendam*1985/1986 -
FC Den Haag³
*1984/1985 -
SC Heracles Almelo *1983/1984 -
MVV Maastricht*1982/1983 -
Drecht Steden 79*1981/1982 -
Helmond Sport*1980/1981 -
HFC Haarlem*1979/1980 -
FC Groningen*1978/1979 -
Excelsior Rotterdam*1977/1978 -
PEC Zwolle*1976/1977 -
Vitesse Arnhem*1975/1976 -
HFC Haarlem*1974/1975 -
NEC Nijmegen*1973/1974 -
Excelsior Rotterdam*1972/1973 -
Roda JC*1971/1972 -
HFC Haarlem*1970/1971 -
FC Den Bosch*1969/1970 -
FC Volendam*1968/1969 -
Schiedamse Voetbal Vereniging*1967/1968 -
Holland Sport³
*1966/1967 -
FC Volendam*1965/1966 -
Sittardia²
*1964/1965 -
Willem II Tilburg*1963/1964 -
Sittardia²
*1962/1963 -
Door Wilskracht Sterk*1961/1962 -
Fortuna Vlaardingen en
SC Heracles Almelo*1960/1961 -
FC Volendam and Blauw Wit Amsterdam¹
*1959/1960 -
Groningse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging and
Alkmaar 54*1958/1959 -
FC Volendam and
Sittardia²
*1957/1958 -
Willem II Tilburg and
Scheveningen Holland Sport³
*1956/1957 -
ADO Den Haag and Blauw Wit Amsterdam¹
¹ Blauw Wit, De Volewijckers and
DWS merged into
FC Amsterdam, which folded in 1982. Now as
FC Blauw-Wit Amsterdam² Fortuna 54 merged with Sittardia to form FSC, later renamed
Fortuna Sittard.
³ ADO merged with Holland Sport into FC Den Haag, later renamed to
ADO Den Haag*
Sports league attendances
