SC Cambuur

Cambuur
Full name	Sportclub Cambuur
Nickname(s)	The Yellow-Blues; SCC
Founded	19 June 1964; 60 years ago
Ground	Kooi Stadion; Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Capacity	15,000
Chairman	Cees Heijboer
Head coach	Henk de Jong
League	Eerste Divisie
2023–24	Eerste Divisie, 13th of 20
Website	https://cambuur.nl
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

SC Cambuur, also known as Cambuur Leeuwarden, or simply Cambuur, (Dutch pronunciation: [ɛsˈseː ˈkɑmbyːr]) is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Leeuwarden formed on 19 June 1964. They currently play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2022–23 season. The home ground of the club is the 15,000-capacity Kooi Stadion, which opened in 2024.^[1] The club usually plays in yellow shirts and blue shorts. The origin of the club's emblem is the coat of arms of the House of Cammingha, a Frisian noble family. Their main rivals are SC Heerenveen.^[2]

History

Historical chart of league performance

Founded in 1964, Cambuur has played a total of seven seasons in the top-flight Eredivisie. In the 1980s and 1990s, the club was a regular contender in the Eerste Divisie playoffs. Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie title in 1992 and gained promotion to the Eredivisie, but was relegated two seasons later in 1994. In 1998, the club was promoted again to the Eredivisie, but again was relegated after just two years in the top-flight in 2000. Troubled times followed which brought the "folk club" close to bankruptcy in 2005. The rebuilding started in 2006 and since 2010, the club has been in a relatively stable financial condition.

In 2009, the club almost won the playoff against Eredivisie side Roda JC, only losing on penalties. In 2010, the club came in second, again just narrowly missing promotion. Cambuur welcomed during these play-offs more than 40,000 spectators in just two weeks. Another estimated 7,000 fans watched the final play-off match against Roda on a large screen in the city centre of the city of Leeuwarden. More than 1.4 million people watched the final play-off match on television, which appeared to be another record for a play-off promotion match in the Netherlands. In total, more than 4.5 million people watched the play-off matches between Cambuur, PEC Zwolle and Roda JC on television that year.

Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie championship in the 2012–13 season, awarding the club promotion to the Eredivisie for the 2013–14 season. On 1 May 2016, Cambuur were relegated to the Eerste Divisie after losing 6–2 away to PSV.

Cambuur were denied promotion to the 2020–21 Eredivisie as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being in first place of the 2019–20 Eerste Divisie.^[3]

Cambuur won the 2020-21 Eerste Divisie to return to the Eredivisie. In the 2021-2022 Eredivisie season they would finish in 9th place, a record high for the club. The 2022-23 season went terribly for the club, and on the 6th of May 2023 the club would be relegated back to the Eerste Divisie following a 3–0 loss away to FC Utrecht.^[4]

Supporters

Cambuur has a group of ultras, known as the M.I.-Side, who stand on the north and south stands at the Cambuur Stadion. The name derives from the street names in which the stands are built: M stands for Marathonstraat and I for Insulindestraat. Most of the hardcore fans of Cambuur are sitting close to the stand of the away fans on the northern side of the stadium. They are among the most notorious in the Netherlands. In the 2009–10 season, the average attendance was 8,600 fans per game, and more than 6,500 season tickets were sold. That was a new record for Cambuur, as these numbers were achieved while the club was in the second division but even higher than when it played in the Eredivisie. In the 2009–10 season, the club sold out six regular season matches with 10,000 fans per game, another milestone for the Leeuwarden-based club. Never before in the second division it had sold out that many regular season matches.

Current squad

As of 4 September 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	NED	Thijs Jansen
2	DF	NED	Gabi Caschili
5	DF	NED	Thomas Poll
6	MF	NED	Jeremy van Mullem
7	FW	NED	Remco Balk
8	MF	NED	Maikel Kieftenbeld
9	FW	IRL	Jonathan Afolabi (on loan from Kortrijk)
10	MF	NED	Fedde de Jong
11	FW	NED	Ilias Alhaft
12	MF	NED	Mark Diemers
14	DF	ESP	Arnau Casas
15	DF	NOR	Sturla Ottesen
17	MF	NED	Matthias Nartey


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	MF	GER	Tony Rölke
19	FW	NED	Michael de Leeuw
20	DF	NED	Bryant Nieling
21	MF	NED	Marcel Schaapman
22	GK	NED	Daan Reiziger
23	GK	NED	Brett Minnema
24	FW	NED	Toni Jonker
25	DF	NED	Bram Marsman
26	DF	CUW	Tyrique Mercera
27	FW	NED	Wiebe Kooistra
28	MF	CUW	Nicky Souren
29	FW	BEL	Benjamin Pauwels
30	FW	NED	Yoram van der Veen

Youth players in use

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
51	FW	NED	Iwan Henstra

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	NED	Floris Smand (at Västerås SK until 31 December 2024)

Honours

Eerste Divisie
- Winners (3): 1991–92, 2012–13, 2020–21
- Runners-up (3): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2009–10
Tweede Divisie
- Winners (2): 1956–57, 1964–65

Recent history

Below is a table with Cambuur's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.

Domestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2023–24 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	2023–24	semi-finals
2022–23 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2022–23	second round
2021–22 Eredivisie	9th	Eredivisie (promotion)	2021–22	second round
2020–21 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2020–21	second round
2019–20 Eerste Divisie	1st (no title awarded)	Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic	2019–20	second round
2018–19 Eerste Divisie	10th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2018–19	round of 16
2017–18 Eerste Divisie	8th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2017–18	quarter-finals
2016–17 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2016–17	semi-finals
2015–16 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2015–16	second round
2014–15 Eredivisie	12th	–	2014–15	quarter-finals
2013–14 Eredivisie	12th	–	2013–14	round of 16
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2012–13	Round of 16
2011–12 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2011–12	second round
2010–11 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2010–11	fourth round
2009–10 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2009–10	second round
2008–09 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2008–09	third round
2007–08 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2007–08	third round
2006–07 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	2006–07	second round
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2005–06	second round
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	2004–05	second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	2003–04	third round
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	2002–03	second round
2001–02 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2001–02	third round
2000–01 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2000–01	third round
1999–2000 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-off)	1999–2000	second round
1998–99 Eredivisie	15th	–	1998–99	round of 16
1997–98 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promo./releg. play-off)	1997–98	second round
1996–97 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion	1996–97	second round
1995–96 Eerste Divisie	6th	–	1995–96	quarter-finals
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1994–95	second round
1993–94 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1993–94	second round
1992–93 Eredivisie	14th	–	1992–93	third round
1991–92 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1991–92	third round
1990–91 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1990–91	second round
1989–90 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1989–90	first round
1988–89 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1988–89	first round
1987–88 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1987–88	second round
1986–87 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion competition: no promotion	1986–87	first round
1985–86 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	1985–86	first round
1984–85 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1984–85	second round
1983–84 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1983–84	first round
1982–83 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion competition: no promotion	1982–83	second round
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1981–82	second round
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1980–81	first round
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion competition: no promotion	1979–80	second round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	1978–79	first round
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	1977–78	second round
1976–77 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1976–77	first round
1975–76 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1975–76	first round
1974–75 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	1974–75	second round
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1973–74	first round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	1972–73	first round
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	1971–72	did not participate
1970–71 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1970–71	round of 16
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	1969–70	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1968–69 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1968–69	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1967–68	group stage ^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1966–67	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1965–66 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1965–66	group stage ^{[citation needed]}
1964–65 Tweede Divisie	1st (winning championship play-off)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1964–65	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Tweede Divisie	9th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1963–64	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Tweede Divisie	7th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1962–63	first round ^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Eerste Divisie	13th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	Tweede Divisie (relegation)	1961–62	? ^{[citation needed]}
1960–61 Eerste Divisie	10th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1960–61	? ^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eerste Divisie	6th (group B) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	not held	not held
1958–59 Eerste Divisie	2nd (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1958–59	? ^{[citation needed]}
1957–58 Eerste Divisie	3rd (group B) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1957–58	? ^{[citation needed]}
1956–57 Tweede Divisie	1st (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1956–57	? ^{[citation needed]}

Club staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Henk de Jong
Assistant Manager	Dennis Haar
First-Team Coach	Pascal Bosschaart
Goalkeeper Coach	Peter van der Vlag
Fitness Coach	Nicky Boonstra
Performance coach	Daan Ganzinga
Video Analyst	Ruben de Jong
Doctor	Dirk Steensma Antje Tardy
Physiotherapist	Harvey Bischop Kevin Koster
Materialman	Paul Jansen
Team Manager	Peter Drijver Niels Dissel

Managers

Jan Bens (1 July 1964 – 30 June 1966)
Piet de Wolf (1966–68)
Jan Bens (1 July 1968 – 30 June 1970)
Arie Otten (1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972)
Leo Beenhakker (1972–75)
Nol de Ruiter (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1980)
Henk de Jonge (1980–83)
Theo Verlangen (1983–85)
Simon Kistemaker (1 July 1985 – 30 June 1986)
Fritz Korbach (1 July 1986 – 30 June 1988)
Sándor Popovics (1 June 1988 – 30 June 1990)
Rob Baan (1 July 1990 – 30 June 1992)
Theo de Jong (1 July 1992 – 30 September 1993)
Fritz Korbach (30 September 1993 – 31 January 1995)
Han Berger (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1998)
Gert Kruys (1 July 1998 – 18 May 2002)
Henny Lee (interim) (19 May 2002 – 30 June 2002)
Rob McDonald (1 July 2002 – 30 June 2003)
Dick de Boer (1 July 2003 – 31 December 2004)
Jan Schulting (31 December 2004 – 30 June 2005)
Roy Wesseling (1 July 2005 – 19 February 2007)
Gerrie Schouwenaar (2007)
Jurrie Koolhof (1 July 2007 – 14 September 2008)
Stanley Menzo (20 September 2008 – 27 October 2010)
Alfons Arts (27 October 2010 – 22 March 2013)
Henk de Jong (interim) (22 March 2013 – 30 June 2013)
Dwight Lodeweges (1 July 2013 – 1 April 2014)
Henk de Jong (2 April 2014 – 9 February 2016)
Marcel Keizer (15 February 2016 – 30 June 2016)^[5]
Rob Maas (30 June 2016 – 15 October 2016)
Sipke Hulshoff (15 October 2016 – 17 June 2017)
Marinus Dijkhuizen (1 July 2017 – 28 November 2017)
Sipke Hulshoff (28 November 2017 – 31 January 2018)
René Hake (31 January 2018 – 30 June 2019)
Henk de Jong (1 July 2019 – 20 October 2022)
Pascal Bosschaart & Martijn Barto (interim) (20 October 2022 – 14 November 2022)
Sjors Ultee (14 November 2022 – 9 October 2023)
Henk de Jong (10 October 2023 – present)

Notable former players

The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed represented their countries while playing for SC Cambuur.