| Full name | Groninger Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Rapiditas | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 26 January 1921 | |
| Ground | Sportpark Kardinge, Groningen | |
| Capacity | 1,500 [1] | |
| Website | www | |
GVAV-Rapiditas are a Dutch multi-sport club based in Groningen, Netherlands. From 1954 to 1971, the club featured professional football. The professional branch was spun off and renamed FC Groningen in 1971. [2]
GVAV (Groninger Football and Athletics Association) was founded in 1915. The athletics club Rapiditas followed in 1917. Both club merged on 26 January 1921 under the new name "Groningse sportvereniging GVAV-Rapiditas", whose membership was only open to men. It was not until the 1970s that the club was also opened to female athletes. [3]
The new association consisted of a number of departments, such as athletics, boxing, gymnastics, football and swimming. Rugby was also played for some time. Many sporting successes were achieved in all these branches of sport, making GVAV-Rapiditas a well-known name in the Netherlands.
Especially in the field of football, the club reached the highest level. In 1940, GVAV won the Northern Football Championship. Later, after the introduction of professional football, the club competed in the top-tier Eredivisie. Finally in 1965, it was decided to set up the professional standalone club Stichting Betaald Voetbal GVAV. When this professional club was promoted to the Eredivisie in 1971, the name was changed to FC Groningen. [4]
In 1997, the organization of GVAV-Rapiditas was changed. The old association GVAV-Rapiditas became the Sports Federation GVAV-Rapiditas with a number of departments that became more or less independent clubs: gymnastics, triathlon and football. The athletics department merged in 2003 with ARGO '77 to become Groningen Atletiek. In September 2004, it was decided to dissolve the federation. Fellow consultation continued to exist at chairman level. [5]
On 22 May 2022, GVAV-Rapiditas' first men's team promoted to the Eerste Klasse, the sixth tier of the Dutch football league system, after winning the Tweede Klasse Sunday L group. [6]
Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly in The Netherlands known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the 2nd tier of Dutch football from the 2024–25 season following relegation. The club was founded on 23 July 1902 and was formerly known as "Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior". Excelsior's home stadium is the Stadion Woudestein – for sponsorship reasons known as the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion – which has a capacity of about 4,500, one of the smallest stadiums hosting professional football in the Netherlands.
Football Club Groningen is a Dutch professional association football club based in Groningen, Groningen province. Founded in 1971 as the successor of GVAV, Groningen compete in the Eredivisie, the first tier of Dutch football, following promotion from the 2023–24 Eerste Divisie.
TOP Oss, is a professional association football club based in the town of Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands, that competes in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football league system. Founded in 1928 as T.O.P., a Dutch abbreviation for Tot Ons Plezier, the team plays its home matches at the Frans Heesen Stadion, where it has been based since 1946.
Go Ahead Eagles are a Dutch professional football club from the city of Deventer in the province of Overijssel. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, having achieved promotion from the second tier Eerste Divisie in the 2020–21 season. The club's home stadium since 1920 is De Adelaarshorst. The club have won the national championship on four occasions, in 1917, 1922, 1930 and 1933.
AGOVV is a Dutch association football club based in Apeldoorn. It was established on 25 February 1913. The club played in professional football from 1954 to 1971 and from 2003 to 2013. AGOVV's men's first squad plays in 2024–25 in the Derde Klasse.
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889 and dissolved in 2010. The club won the Eredivisie in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912. Haarlem reached the second round of the 1982–83 UEFA Cup, losing to Spartak Moscow of the Soviet Union.
Sportclub Veendam was a Dutch professional association football club based in Veendam, province of Groningen. Founded on 4 September 1894 as Look-Out, it became P.J. Veendam in 1909, Veendam in 1910, SC Veendam in 1974, BV Veendam in 1997 and again SC Veendam in 2011. The club was a founder member of the regional first tier Eerste Klasse Noord in 1916 and became champions of the division in 1931–32; it qualified for the national championship play-offs but finished in bottom place. Veendam took part in the inaugural season of the third tier Tweede Divisie in 1956–57; after yo-yoing between the third and second tiers, the team won promotion to the first tier Eredivisie for the first time in 1985–86. The side spent two seasons in the Eredivisie—1986–87 and 1988–89—but were relegated both times. Veendam then competed in the second tier Eerste Divisie until they were dissolved due to financial problems in 2013.
Football Club Volendam is a professional football club based in Volendam, Netherlands. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football following relegation from the 2023–24 Eredivisie. Nicknamed "de Palingboeren", the club was founded as Victoria in 1920, changed its name to RKSV Volendam in 1923 and emerged as an exclusively professional club, FC Volendam, in 1977, following a split from its parent club. The team plays its home matches in the 6,984-capacity Kras Stadion, where it has been based since 1975.
Kurt Elshot is a Dutch former professional footballer. He usually played as a defender in a right back position. He has formerly played for FC Groningen and NAC Breda.
FC Wageningen was a Dutch football club which was founded on 27 August 1911., The club played its matches in the Wageningse Berg stadium.
Martin Drent is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a forward for SC Veendam, FC Emmen and FC Groningen.
Theodorus Maria "Dick" Tol was a Dutch footballer who spent his entire career with Volendam. Nicknamed "De Knoest", Tol played as a striker and was the top goalscorer in the Eredivisie in the 1961–62 season, scoring 27 goals. He is also the all-time top goalscorer of Volendam.
Tim Keurntjes is a Dutch footballer who plays as a left back for MASV in the Dutch Eerste Klasse.
Klaas Nuninga is a former Dutch international footballer who played for GVAV-Rapiditas, Ajax and DWS during his career.
Erwin van de Looi is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He currently manages Heracles Almelo.
Sportvereniging Door Ons Samenspel Komt Overwinning, usually known as SV DOSKO, is a football club from Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands. They play their home matches at the Sportpark Meilust. The club's colours are red and yellow.
Romano Ceciel Postema is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eredivisie club Groningen.
Sportclub Emma is an association football club from Dordrecht, Netherlands. Its first squad plays in the Derde Klasse since 2019. Its colors are red and blue.
Willem Gerrit "Wim" van der Gijp was a Dutch football player and manager. He gained one cap for the Netherlands national team in 1954.
Luciano Valente is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Eredivisie club Groningen. Born in the Netherlands, he represents Italy at international level.
