# FC Emmen

FC Emmen is a Dutch professional football club based in Emmen, Drenthe. They currently play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2022–23 season. Founded in 1925, the club entered the professional Eerste Divisie in 1985. In 2018, Emmen were promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time. Home games are played at De Oude Meerdijk.

## History

The amateur club Emmen was formed on 21 August 1925. When the Dutch professional league was formed in 1954, Emmen opted to maintain its amateur club status instead.
In 1985, Emmen finally joined the professional ranks. In 1988 the club was split into an amateur and a professional section. The latter was mostly called BVO Emmen ( Betaald Voetbal Organisatie, professional football organisation). In 2005, the professional club Emmen changed its name into FC Emmen, for two reasons. Firstly, it was hoped that the new name would better reflect the club's history, and secondly because many misunderstandings had arisen, among people who had grown to believe that BVO was an abbreviation similar to for instance PSV, RBC or ADO.
FC Emmen has reached the Eerste Divisie play-offs eleven times and on 20 May 2018, they managed to clinch promotion to the Dutch Eredivisie for the first time in their history after beating Sparta Rotterdam 3–1 in the promotion/relegation play-off finals.
They played their first Eredivisie match on 12 August 2018 at ADO Den Haag, and won 2–1. Glenn Bijl scored the first goal for Emmen in the top flight. Emmen finished 14th in their first Eredivisie season and secured their spot in the Eredivisie for the 2019–20 season.
Despite a very poor start to the 2020–21 season (six points in the first 22 matches), Emmen incredibly bounced back with an 8-match unbeaten run (five wins, three draws) from February to April, and ended the season with two wins to finish with 30 points. However, they could not achieve automatic safety, as they had a worse goal differential than 15th-placed RKC Waalwijk. This meant that Emmen would have to win the playoffs to avoid relegation, but they lost on penalties following a 1–1 draw vs. NAC Breda. As a result of this loss, FC Emmen were relegated to the Eerste Divisie following three seasons in the top tier. However, they were promoted the first attempt the next year. In the 2022–23 season, they finished 16th, having to win the playoffs to avoid relegation again. This time, they became the first 16th-place team in the Eredivisie to even reach the playoff final under the new format, but they were relegated again after losing to Almere City in the playoff final.

## Stadium

FC Emmen's previous JenS Vesting, more popularly known as De Meerdijk, now as de Oude Meerdijk was the scene of several matches of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.

## Sponsors

| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| 1985–1988 | Yellow Bird | American Stores |
| 1988–1989 | Hummel | Haka Electronics |
| 1989–1991 | Hummel | Zwiers |
| 1991–1993 | Hummel | Direktbouw Holland |
| 1993–1995 | Hummel | Meubelboulevard Emmen |
| 1995–1997 | Hummel | Gamma Emmen |
| 1997–2001 | Hummel | Ariston/Indesit |
| 2001–2004 | Hummel | Haka Electronics |
| 2004–2006 | Hummel | Henk ten Hoor |
| 2006–2007 | Hummel | KoelGroep Dorenbos |
| 2007–2008 | Hummel | Hof van Saksen |
| 2008–2009 | Legea | Hof van Saksen |
| 2009–2012 | Legea | Peter van Dijk Projects & Investments |
| 2011–2012 | Klupp/Legea | Peter van Dijk Projects & Investments |
| 2012–2013 | Jako | Sunoil Biodiesel |
| 2013–2015 | Masita | Sunoil Biodiesel |
| 2015–2016 | Robey | Q&S Garten Deco |
| 2016–2017 | Robey | Noordlease |
| 2017–2018 | Beltona | Noordlease |
| 2018–2019 | Beltona | Hitachi Capital Mobility |
| 2019–2020 | Hummel | Hitachi Capital Mobility |
| 2020–2021 | Hummel | EasyToys |

## Results

| Season | League | Rank | Games | Points | GF | GA | Manager | Topscorer | Goals |
| 1985–86 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 36 | 24 | 30 | 54 | Theo Verlangen | Henry Pelleboer | 8 |
| 1986–87 | Eerste divisie | 16 | 36 | 26 | 41 | 59 | Theo Verlangen | Rudy Metz | 15 |
| 1987–88 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 36 | 22 | 29 | 59 | Theo Verlangen | Gerrie Schaap | 6 |
| 1988–89 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 36 | 20 | 39 | 91 | Ben Hendriks | Willem Brouwer | 13 |
| 1989–90 | Eerste divisie | 6 | 36 | 38 | 53 | 47 | Ben Hendriks | Jan de Jonge | 16 |
| 1990–91 | Eerste divisie | 12 | 38 | 36 | 54 | 67 | Ben Hendriks | Michel van Oostrum | 24 |
| 1991–92 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 38 | 29 | 37 | 56 | Piet Buter | Jan de Jonge | 13 |
| 1992–93 | Eerste divisie | 12 | 34 | 27 | 44 | 66 | René Notten | Jan de Jonge | 14 |
| 1993–94 | Eerste divisie | 9 | 34 | 36 | 49 | 58 | René Notten | Jan de Jonge | 14 |
| 1994–95 | Eerste divisie | 10 | 34 | 35 | 56 | 61 | Leen Looijen | Antti Sumiala | 9 |
| 1995–96 | Eerste divisie | 2 | 34 | 67 | 71 | 39 | Azing Griever | Michel van Oostrum | 26 |
| 1996–97 | Eerste divisie | 3 | 34 | 63 | 58 | 36 | Azing Griever | Michel van Oostrum | 25 |
| 1997–98 | Eerste divisie | 3 | 34 | 61 | 64 | 45 | Azing Griever | Michel van Oostrum | 18 |
| 1998–99 | Eerste divisie | 3 | 34 | 61 | 53 | 37 | Azing Griever | Michel van Oostrum | 11 |
| 1999–00 | Eerste divisie | 5 | 34 | 58 | 53 | 45 | Jan de Jonge | Michel van Oostrum Peter Hofstede | 13 |
| 2000–01 | Eerste divisie | 11 | 34 | 41 | 53 | 64 | Jan de Jonge | Peter Hofstede | 14 |
| 2001–02 | Eerste divisie | 5 | 34 | 59 | 53 | 43 | Hennie Spijkerman | Paul Weerman | 14 |
| 2002–03 | Eerste divisie | 2 | 34 | 75 | 66 | 33 | Hennie Spijkerman | Donny de Groot | 30 |
| 2003–04 | Eerste divisie | 8 | 36 | 61 | 65 | 54 | Hennie Spijkerman | Dirk Jan Derksen | 14 |
| 2004–05 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 36 | 30 | 38 | 71 | Jan Olde Riekerink | Niki Leferink | 11 |
| 2005–06 | Eerste divisie | 6 | 38 | 60 | 68 | 56 | Jan van Dijk | Serginho van Dijk Mourad Mghizrat | 18 |
| 2006–07 | Eerste divisie | 11 | 38 | 48 | 59 | 65 | Jan van Dijk | Serginho van Dijk | 12 |
| 2007–08 | Eerste divisie | 9 | 38 | 53 | 61 | 74 | Gerry Hamstra | Morten Friis Jensen Roy Stroeve | 12 |
| 2008–09 | Eerste divisie | 13 | 38 | 47 | 48 | 68 | Gerry Hamstra | Roy Stroeve | 13 |
| 2009–10 | Eerste divisie | 15 | 36 | 48 | 51 | 79 | Harry Sinkgraven | Hans Denissen Ruud ter Heide | 12 |
| 2010–11 | Eerste divisie | 13 | 34 | 35 | 48 | 64 | Azing Griever René Hake | Ruud ter Heide | 15 |
| 2011–12 | Eerste divisie | 18 | 34 | 17 | 24 | 73 | René Hake | Ruud ter Heide | 5 |
| 2012–13 | Eerste divisie | 12 | 30 | 32 | 38 | 52 | Joop Gall | Ruud ter Heide Wout Weghorst | 8 |
| 2013–14 | Eerste divisie | 12 | 38 | 51 | 64 | 68 | Joop Gall | Roland Bergkamp | 14 |
| 2014–15 | Eerste divisie | 4 | 38 | 67 | 88 | 57 | Joop Gall | Cas Peters | 23 |
| 2015–16 | Eerste divisie | 7 | 38 | 51 | 58 | 57 | Marcel Keizer Gert Heerkes | Erixon Danso | 14 |
| 2016–17 | Eerste divisie | 9 | 38 | 55 | 50 | 40 | Dick Lukkien | Cas Peters | 14 |
| 2017–18 | Eerste divisie | 7 | 38 | 58 | 58 | 50 | Dick Lukkien | Cas Peters | 17 |
| 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 14 | 34 | 38 | 41 | 72 | Dick Lukkien | Anco Jansen | 5 |
| 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 12 | 26 | 32 | 32 | 45 | Dick Lukkien | Michael de Leeuw | 9 |
| 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 16 | 34 | 30 | 40 | 68 | Dick Lukkien | Michael de Leeuw | 15 |
| 2021–22 | Eerste divisie | 1 | 38 | 83 | 64 | 24 | Dick Lukkien | Rui Mendes | 17 |
| 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 16 | 34 | 28 | 33 | 65 | Dick Lukkien | Ole Romeny | 11 |
| 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 7 | 38 | 57 | 59 | 60 | Fred Grim | Piotr Parzyszek | 10 |

## Coaching staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Robin Peter |
| Assistant coach | Gerard Wiekens Bas Sibum Casper Goedkoop |
| Team Manager | Harm Hensens |
| Goalkeeper coach | Richard Moes |
| Fitness coach | Peter Eppinga |
| Video analyst | Matthias Maurer |
| Materialman | Karel Hilbrands Dirk-Jan Stap |
| Rehabilitation trainer/Caregiver | Jan Haak |
| Club doctor | Hans de Vries Gerben Bulthuis Dick Grootoonk |
| Physiotherapist | Richard Moes Ruben Zuidema |
| Chief scout | Jan Korte Jurjan Mannes |
| Scout | Jordy Fühler |

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 9 January 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | NED | Jan Hoekstra |
| 2 | DF | CPV | Jorginho Soares |
| 3 | DF | NED | Dennis Vos |
| 4 | DF | NED | Mike te Wierik |
| 5 | DF | IDN | Tim Geypens |
| 6 | DF | NED | Pascal Mulder |
| 7 | MF | GER | Torben Rhein |
| 8 | MF | GER | Alaa Bakir |
| 9 | FW | NOR | Adrian Rogulj |
| 10 | MF | USA | Jalen Hawkins |
| 11 | FW | NED | Chardi Landu |
| 12 | FW | NED | Freddy Quispel |
| 17 | MF | NED | Jorn Hekkert |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | FW | CMR | Franck Evina |
| 20 | MF | GER | Julius Kade |
| 21 | MF | NED | Djenahro Nunumete |
| 22 | MF | GER | Michael Martin (on loan from IK Sirius) |
| 23 | DF | MAR | Faris Hammouti |
| 24 | FW | FRA | Kélian Nsona (on loan from Hertha BSC) |
| 26 | MF | GER | Fridolin Wagner |
| 27 | DF | NED | Robin Schouten |
| 28 | GK | NED | Robin Jalving |
| 34 | DF | NED | Gijs Bolk |
| 38 | GK | GER | Luca Unbehaun |
| 46 | FW | CZE | Yannick Eduardo (on loan from RB Leipzig) |

### On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | FW | FIN | Agon Sadiku (at KuPS until 31 December 2025) |

## Honours

* Eerste Divisie
** Winner: 2021–22
* Sunday amateur football title
** Winner: 1974–75
* Sunday Hoofdklasse C
** Winner: 1974–75

## Former technical directors

* Rob Groener
* Gerard Somer