Heracles Almelo is a Dutch professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club based in
Almelo
Almelo () is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie, and Bornerbroek.
Almelo has about 72,000 inhabitants in the middle of the rolling countryside of Twente, ...
, founded in 1903. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie (, en, First Division) is the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie and with the third-level Tweede Divisie via promotion/relegation systems. It is also known as the ...
title during the 2004–05 season, gaining promotion to the
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...
for the first time in 28 years. The club remained in the top division for 17 seasons before suffering relegation at the end of the
2021–22 season. In
2012, they reached the
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), branded as the TOTO KNVB Beker for sponsorship reasons, is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Ou ...
final for the first time in the club's history, losing to
PSV in the final. The club's main rival is
FC Twente
Football Club Twente () is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, sometimes known internationally as Twente Enschede. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Dutch champions Sportclub Enschede with Enschedese ...
.
History
The club was founded on 3 May 1903 as
Heracles
Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive ...
, after the demigod son of
Zeus
Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D ...
. They changed their name on 1 July 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998.
Heracles finished sixth in the Eredivisie during the
2015–16 season, qualifying for the end of season European play-offs. The club first defeated
FC Groningen and then
FC Utrecht and thus qualified for the first time in club history for European football, starting in the third qualifying round of the
2016–17 UEFA Europa League.
A run of three consecutive losses saw Heracles end the
2021–22 season in sixteenth place, condemning them to the promotion/relegation play-offs. The club were relegated to the
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie (, en, First Division) is the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie and with the third-level Tweede Divisie via promotion/relegation systems. It is also known as the ...
after losing 6-1 to
Excelsior Rotterdam
Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football from the 2022–23 season following promotion. The club was found ...
on aggregate in the semifinals.
Stadium
Heracles Almelo currently play at the
Erve Asito
Erve Asito, formerly the Polman Stadion, is a multi-use stadium in Almelo, Netherlands. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 12.080 spectators and was built in 1999. It is the official stadium of Eredivis ...
in
Almelo
Almelo () is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie, and Bornerbroek.
Almelo has about 72,000 inhabitants in the middle of the rolling countryside of Twente, ...
. The
Erve Asito
Erve Asito, formerly the Polman Stadion, is a multi-use stadium in Almelo, Netherlands. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 12.080 spectators and was built in 1999. It is the official stadium of Eredivis ...
was built in 1999 with a capacity 6,900, this was expanded in 2005 to hold 8,500. The pitch at the
Erve Asito
Erve Asito, formerly the Polman Stadion, is a multi-use stadium in Almelo, Netherlands. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 12.080 spectators and was built in 1999. It is the official stadium of Eredivis ...
is
artificial turf. After renovation of the stadium at the beginning of 2015–16 season, it currently holds 13,500 spectators.
Honours
National
*
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...
**Champions:
1926–27,
1940–41
*
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie (, en, First Division) is the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie and with the third-level Tweede Divisie via promotion/relegation systems. It is also known as the ...
**Winners:
1984–85,
2004–05[Eerste Divisie Champions](_blank)
RSSSF.com, Retrieved 7 June 2013
*
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), branded as the TOTO KNVB Beker for sponsorship reasons, is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) since 1898. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Ou ...
**Runners-up:
2011–12
Domestic results
Below is a table with Heracles Almelo's domestic results since the introduction of the
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...
in 1956.
European record
;Notes
* 3Q: Third qualifying round
Current squad
Coaching staff
Former coaches
*
Horace Colclough
Albert Horace Colclough (3 November 1888 – 25 May 1976) was an English international footballer, who played as a left back. He played his club football for Crewe Alexandra and Crystal Palace F.C., Crystal Palace in the years immediately prior ...
(1920–21)
*
Ted Magner (1921–23)
*
Horace Colclough
Albert Horace Colclough (3 November 1888 – 25 May 1976) was an English international footballer, who played as a left back. He played his club football for Crewe Alexandra and Crystal Palace F.C., Crystal Palace in the years immediately prior ...
(1923–32)
*
Robert Roxburgh (1932–35)
*
Leslie Lievesley
Leslie Lievesley (July 1911 – 4 May 1949) was an English football player and manager. During his playing career, his regular position was at full-back.
Born in Staveley, Derbyshire, Lievesley started his career as an amateur with Rossingt ...
(1 March 1946 – 30 June 1947)
*
David Davison (July 1948 – February 1949)
*
Gilbert Richmond
Gilbert Richmond (2 April 1909 – 14 March 1968) was an English professional footballer who played as a full back. He played in the Football League with Nelson and Burnley.
Richmond was manager of Swedish club IS Halmia
IS Halmia is a foot ...
(1949-53)
*
Duggie Lochhead
Dougald "Duggie" Lochhead (16 December 1904 – 29 August 1968) was a Scottish professional football player and manager.
Career
Playing career
Lochhead joined St Johnstone in summer 1925, just after the club had been promoted to the old First ...
(1953–56)
*
Jan Bilj (1956–60)
*
Michael Keeping
Alexander Edwin Michael Keeping (22 August 1902 – 28 March 1984) was an English footballer and manager. He coached Real Madrid CF from January 1948 to October 1950. His father was the Olympic medal winning cyclist Frederick Keeping.
Playing ca ...
(Sept. 1960 – 30 January 1961)
*
Frits van der Elst /
Freek Jaarsma
Freek or Freeks may refer to:
Music
* ''Freek'' (album), a 1994 album by Keller Williams
* "Freek", a 2017 single by Tom Budin
* Freek FM, a pirate radio station that broadcasts UK garage
* Freek, a UAE-based Somali rapper
Other uses
* Freek ...
(1961 interim)
*
Jaap van der Leck
Jaap van der Leck (10 September 1911, Oudshoorn – November 18, 2000 in Tilburg) was an association football manager from the Netherlands.
He worked for DSO, RFC Rotterdam, UVV Utrecht, De Volewijckers, the Netherlands national football team ...
(March 1961–63)
*
Keith Spurgeon
Keith Matthew Spurgeon (29 August 1932 – December 1984) was an English football player and manager.
Playing career
Spurgeon played for Tottenham Hotspur, Margate, Leytonstone, Folkestone Town, Herne Bay and Snowdown Colliery Welfare. In Oct ...
(1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964)
*
Jan de Bouter (1964–66)
*
Les Talbot (1 July 1966 – 30 June 1967)
*
Toon Valks (1967–69)
*
Evert Teunissen (1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970)
*
Rinus Gosens
Rinus Gosens (1 January 1920 – 22 May 2008) was a Dutch football player and manager. As a player, he won the Dutch championship with SVV in 1949. After his active career he became a football manager, who worked for Fortuna Vlaardingen
Fortun ...
(1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972)
*
Ron Dellow (1 July 1972 – 30 June 1975)
*
Jan Verhaert (1975–76)
*
Hennie Hollink
Hendrikus ("Hennie") Hollink (1 October 1931 in Glanerbrug, Overijssel – 31 January 2018) was a football (soccer) player and manager from the Netherlands, who played for Roda JC, FC Twente and Heracles Almelo. He played professional football hi ...
(1 July 1976 – 30 June 1979)
*
Theo Laseroms (1979–81)
*
Jan Morsing (1 July 1981 – 3 November 1982)
*
Arie Stehouwer (1982–83)
*
Gerard Somer (1983–87)
*
Jan Morsing (1988)
*
Henk van Brussel (1989–90)
*
Henk ten Cate
Hendrik Willem ten Cate (born 9 December 1954) is a Dutch football manager and former professional player.
In the 2005–06 season, he was assistant to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona when the team won the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles. ...
(21 November 1990 – 30 June 1992)
*
Azing Griever
Azing Griever (born 21 July 1945, Noordbroek) is a Dutch football coach and former goalkeeper.
Playing career
*1958–1964 : ZNC (Zuidbroek-Noordbroek Combinatie)
*1964–1969 :(GVAV Rap.)
*1969–1974 :(SC Heereveen)
*1975–1981 : FC Groning ...
(1 February 1993 – 1 March 1995)
*
Jan van Staa (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1996)
*
Gerard Marsman
Gerard is a masculine forename of Proto-Germanic origin, variations of which exist in many Germanic and Romance languages. Like many other early Germanic names, it is dithematic, consisting of two meaningful constituents put together. In this ca ...
(1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998)
*
Theo Vonk
Theo Vonk (born 16 December 1947) is a Dutch former association football, football player and manager, most recently in charge of Gibraltar Premier Division side Glacis United F.C., Glacis United, where he also served as technical director.
Ca ...
(8 March 1998 – 30 June 1999)
*
Fritz Korbach
Fritz Korbach (18 July 1945 – 14 August 2011) was a German professional football player and manager. He was particularly well known in the Netherlands, where he served eleven different teams, including FC Wageningen, FC Zwolle, FC Volendam, ...
(1 July 1999 – 30 June 2001)
*
Gertjan Verbeek
Gertjan Verbeek (; born 1 August 1962) is a Dutch former professional footballer who last managed Eerste Divisie side Almere City.
Coaching career Netherlands
After retiring from his playing career in 1994, Verbeek stayed with SC Heerenveen as ...
(1 July 2001 – 30 June 2004)
*
Peter Bosz
Peter Sylvester Bosz (, born 21 November 1963) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. Playing career
Club
A midfielder, Bosz started his professional career played with Vitesse in 1981; after a loan season with then amat ...
(1 July 2004 – 30 June 2006)
*
Ruud Brood (1 July 2006 – 24 December 2007)
*
Gert Heerkes
Gert Heerkes (, born 3 November 1965) is a Dutch football manager who is the assistant manager of Norwegian side Rosenborg BK, Rosenborg's reserve team.
He has been in charge of professional teams Willem II (football club), Willem II, Heracles A ...
(2 January 2008 – 30 June 2009)
*
Gertjan Verbeek
Gertjan Verbeek (; born 1 August 1962) is a Dutch former professional footballer who last managed Eerste Divisie side Almere City.
Coaching career Netherlands
After retiring from his playing career in 1994, Verbeek stayed with SC Heerenveen as ...
(1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010)
*
Peter Bosz
Peter Sylvester Bosz (, born 21 November 1963) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. Playing career
Club
A midfielder, Bosz started his professional career played with Vitesse in 1981; after a loan season with then amat ...
(1 July 2010 – 30 June 2013)
*
Jan de Jonge
Jan de Jonge (born 8 May 1963 in Emmen, Drenthe) is a retired football striker and is currently working as the manager of De Treffers. As a player, he served three clubs in the Netherlands: FC Groningen, SC Heerenveen and FC Emmen.
Manage ...
(1 July 2013 – 31 August 2014)
*
John Stegeman (1 September 2014 – 30 June 2018)
*
Frank Wormuth
Frank Wormuth (born 13 September 1960) is a German football manager who most recently managed Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. T ...
(1 July 2018 – 16 May 2022)
References
External links
Fansite HAFC.nl
Tactical formations at football-lineups.com
{{Eerste Divisie
Association football clubs established in 1903
1903 establishments in the Netherlands
Football clubs in the Netherlands
Football clubs in Overijssel
Sport in Almelo