Heracles Almelo

Heracles Almelo is a Dutch professional football club based in Almelo, founded in 1903. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the Eerste Divisie title during the 2004–05 season, gaining promotion to the Eredivisie 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 final for the first time in the club's history, losing to PSV in the final. The club's main rival is FC Twente.

Heracles Almelo

Full name	Heracles Almelo
Nickname(s)	Heraclieden, HAFC
Founded	3 May 1903; 120 years ago (1903-05-03)
Ground	Erve Asito
Capacity	12,080
Chairman	Jacob Roche
Head coach	John Lammers
League	Eredivisie
2022–23	Eerste Divisie, 1st of 18 (promoted)
Website	Club website
Home colours Third colours
Current season

History

The club was founded on 3 May 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. 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.^[1]

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 after losing 6-1 to Excelsior Rotterdam on aggregate in the semifinals.^[2] Less than a year later, the Heraclieden sealed an immediate return to the top flight, with a 3-0 home win over Jong PSV securing them a top two finish in the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie.^[3][4] On 19 May 2023, Heracles won their third Eerste Divisie title after defeating Jong Ajax in the last round of play.^[5][6]

Stadium

Heracles Almelo currently play at the Erve Asito in Almelo. The Erve Asito was built in 1999 with a capacity 6,900, this was expanded in 2005 to hold 8,500. The pitch at the Erve Asito is artificial turf. After renovation of the stadium at the beginning of 2015–16 season, it currently holds 13,500 spectators.

Honours

National

• Eredivisie
  • Champions: 1926–27, 1940–41
• Eerste Divisie
  • Winners: 1984–85, 2004–05,^[7] 2022–23
• KNVB Cup
  • Runners-up: 2011–12

Domestic results

 

Historical chart of league performance

Below is a table with Heracles Almelo's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

Domestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	Domestic cup	Cup result
2022–23 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2022–23	Second round
2021–22 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2021–22	Second round
2020–21 Eredivisie	9th	–	2020–21	Round of 16
2019–20 Eredivisie	8th	–	2019–20	Round of 16
2018–19 Eredivisie	7th	– (losing EL play-offs)	2018–19	Second round
2017–18 Eredivisie	10th	–	2017–18	Round of 16
2016–17 Eredivisie	10th	–	2015–16	Third round
2015–16 Eredivisie	6th	Europa League (winning EL play-offs)	2015–16	Fourth round
2014–15 Eredivisie	14th	–	2014–15	Round of 16
2013–14 Eredivisie	14th	–	2013–14	Round of 16
2012–13 Eredivisie	12th	–	2012–13	Quarter-final
2011–12 Eredivisie	12th	–	2011–12	Final
2010–11 Eredivisie	8th	– (losing EL play-offs)	2010–11	Fourth round
2009–10 Eredivisie	6th	– (losing EL play-offs)	2009–10	Round of 16
2008–09 Eredivisie	15th	–	2008–09	Second round
2007–08 Eredivisie	14th	–	2007–08	Semi-final
2006–07 Eredivisie	14th	–	2006–07	Second round
2005–06 Eredivisie	13th	– (losing IC play-offs)	2005–06	DSQ
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2004–05	Third round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2003–04	Quarter-final
2002–03 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2002–03	Second round
2001–02 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	2001–02	Second round
2000–01 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2000–01	Round of 16
1999–00 Eerste Divisie	7th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1999–00	Third round
1998–99 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	1998–99	Second round
1997–98 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1997–98	Round of 16
1996–97 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	1996–97	Round of 16
1995–96 Eerste Divisie	8th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1995–96	Second round
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1994–95	Quarter-final
1993–94 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1993–94	Third round
1992–93 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	1992–93	Third round
1991–92 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1991–92	Second round
1990–91 Eerste Divisie	6th	–	1990–91	Second round
1989–90 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1989–90	First round
1988–89 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	1988–89	First round
1987–88 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	1987–88	Second round
1986–87 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	1986–87	Second round
1985–86 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1985–86	Second round
1984–85 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1984–85	First round
1983–84 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	1983–84	Second round
1982–83 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	1982–83	First round
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	1981–82	Quarter-final
1980–81 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	1980–81	First round
1979–80 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1979–80	First round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	1978–79	Second round
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1977–78	Second round
1976–77 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	1976–77	First round
1975–76 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	1975–76	Second round
1974–75 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1974–75	Quarter-final
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1973–74	Second round
1972–73 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	1972–73	Round of 16
1971–72 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1971–72	First round
1970–71 Eerste Divisie	6th	–	1970–71	Second round
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1969–70	First round^[citation needed]
1968–69 Eerste Divisie	10th	–	1968–69	Quarter-final^[citation needed]
1967–68 Eerste Divisie	11th	–	1967–68	Group stage^[citation needed]
1966–67 Eerste Divisie	6th	–	1966–67	Quarter-final^[citation needed]
1965–66 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1965–66	Round of 16^[citation needed]
1964–65 Eredivisie	9th	–	1964–65	Second round^[citation needed]
1963–64 Eredivisie	13th	–	1963–64	First round^[citation needed]
1962–63 Eredivisie	14th	–	1962–63	Third round^[citation needed]
1961–62 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1961–62	?^[citation needed]
1960–61 Eerste Divisie	3rd (group B)	–	1960–61	?^[citation needed]
1959–60 Eerste Divisie	4th (group B)	–	not held	not held
1958–59 Eerste Divisie	7th (group B)	–	1958–59	?^[citation needed]
1957–58 Tweede Divisie	1st (group B)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1957–58	?^[citation needed]
1956–57 Tweede Divisie	3rd (group A)	–	1956–57	?^[citation needed]

European record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Arouca	1–1	0–0	1–1 (a)

Notes

• 3Q: Third qualifying round

Current squad

As of 11 January 2024^[8]

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 Michael Brouwer 2 DF   NED Sylian Mokono 3 DF   GER Jannes Wieckhoff 4 DF   GER Sven Sonnenberg 5 MF   NED Jordy Bruijn 6 DF   SRB Sava-Arangel Čestić 7 FW   BEL Bryan Limbombe 8 FW   GER Mario Engels 9 FW   ITA Antonio Satriano 10 MF   MAR Anas Ouahim 11 FW   DEN Nikolai Laursen 12 DF   NED Ruben Roosken 14 MF   BEL Brian De Keersmaecker 15 DF   NED Jetro Willems 16 GK   NED Fabian de Keijzer

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 MF   NED Thomas Bruns 18 MF   NED Marko Vejinović 19 DF   SUR Navajo Bakboord 21 DF   NED Justin Hoogma (captain) 23 FW   NED Jizz Hornkamp 24 FW   GER Abdenego Nankishi (on loan from Werder Bremen) 28 GK   NED Robin Jalving 29 FW   SWE Emil Hansson 30 FW   NED Diego van Oorschot 32 MF   NED Sem Scheperman 34 DF   NED Chiel Olde Keizer 35 DF   NED Stijn Bultman 36 GK   NED Timo Jansink 39 FW   GER Lasse Wehmeyer 44 FW   NED Mohamed Sankoh (on loan from VfB Stuttgart)

Former players

Africa

Burundi

•   Mohamed Amissi

Europe

Belgium

•   Lucas Schoofs

Germany

•   Janis Blaswich
•   Orestis Kiomourtzoglou
•   Mark Uth
•   Robin Gosens

Hungary

•   Adrián Szőke

Netherlands

•   Marijn de Kler
•   Tim Breukers
•   Robin Pröpper
•   Teun Bijleveld
•   Rai Vloet
•   Silvester van der Water
•   Mats Knoester
•   Jeff Hardeveld
•   Delano Burgzorg

Turkey

•   Sinan Bakış

North America

Curaçao

•   Jeremy Cijntje
•   Brandley Kuwas

United States

•   Luca de la Torre

Coaching staff

As of 1 July 2022

Position	Staff
Technical director	Nico-Jan Hoogma
Team Manager	Edwin van Lenthe
Manager	Tom Uitzetter
Head coach	John Lammers
Assistant coach	René Kolmschot   Ivo Rossen
First-team coach	Hendrie Krüzen
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach	Brian van Loo
Video analyst	Leen den Boer
Chief scout	Alfred Nijhuis
Scout	Robin Hoogma
Physiotherapist	Emiel Bolscher   Léon van Beelen   Ashwien Baidnath
Kit Manager	Martin Dalhoeven

Former coaches

•   Horace Colclough (1920–21)
•   Ted Magner (1921–23)^[9][10]
•   Horace Colclough (1923–32)
•   Robert Roxburgh (1932–35)^[11][12]
•   Leslie Lievesley (1 March 1946 – 30 June 1947)
•   David Davison (July 1948 – February 1949)
•   Gilbert Richmond (1949-53)
•   Duggie Lochhead (1953–56)
•   Jan Bilj (1956–60)
•   Michael Keeping (Sept. 1960 – 30 January 1961)
•   Frits van der Elst / Freek Jaarsma (1961 interim)
•   Jaap van der Leck (March 1961–63)
•   Keith Spurgeon (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 (1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972)
•   Ron Dellow (1 July 1972 – 30 June 1975)
•   Jan Verhaert (1975–76)
•   Hennie Hollink (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1979)
•   Theo Laseroms (1979–81)^[13]
•   Jan Morsing (1 July 1981 – 3 November 1982)^[14]
•   Arie Stehouwer (1982–83)
•   Gerard Somer (1983–87)^[15]
•   Jan Morsing (1988)^[16][17]
•   Henk van Brussel (1989–90)
•   Henk ten Cate (21 November 1990 – 30 June 1992)
•   Azing Griever (1 February 1993 – 1 March 1995)
•   Jan van Staa (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1996)
•   Gerard Marsman (1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998)
•   Theo Vonk (8 March 1998 – 30 June 1999)
•   Fritz Korbach (1 July 1999 – 30 June 2001)
•   Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2001 – 30 June 2004)
•   Peter Bosz (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2006)
•   Ruud Brood (1 July 2006 – 24 December 2007)
•   Gert Heerkes (2 January 2008 – 30 June 2009)
•   Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010)
•   Peter Bosz (1 July 2010 – 30 June 2013)
•   Jan de Jonge (1 July 2013 – 31 August 2014)
•   John Stegeman (1 September 2014 – 30 June 2018)
•   Frank Wormuth (1 July 2018 – 16 May 2022)
•   John Lammers (25 June 2022 – )

References

1. "Sport – Het laatste nieuws uit Nederland leest u op Telegraaf.nl". Telegraaf. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
2. "Heracles Almelo degradeert na 17 jaar uit Eredivisie". Telegraaf. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
3. "Heracles Almelo promoted, and will return to the Eredivisie | NL Times". nltimes.nl. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
4. "Feest in Almelo: uitblinker Azzaoui schiet Heracles terug naar eredivisie". NOS. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
5. "Winnend Heracles ziet PEC niet uithalen en is kampioen van eerste divisie". nos.nl (in Dutch). 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
6. "Heracles Almelo and PEC Zwolle celebrate Eredivisie promotion | NL Times". nltimes.nl. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
7. Eerste Divisie Champions, RSSSF.com, Retrieved 7 June 2013
8. "Team". Heracles Almelo (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
9. "De Heracles trainer mr. Magner" (in Dutch). Overijsselsch dagblad. 9 October 1923. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
10. "Trainer-Verzorger E. Magner" (in Dutch). Sportkroniek. 31 December 1923. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
11. . kb.nl. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
12. "Delpher Kranten – De Heerenveensche koerier : onafhankelijk dagblad voor Midden-Zuid-Oost-Friesland en Noord-Overijssel 10-05-1950". kb.nl. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013.
13. . kb.nl. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
14. . kb.nl. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
15. "Delpher Kranten – De Telegraaf 04-12-1987". kb.nl. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013.
16. "Delpher Kranten – Leeuwarder courant : hoofdblad van Friesland 08-01-1988". kb.nl. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013.
17. "SC HERACLES '74". 18 August 1988. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via KBDK.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heracles Almelo.

• Fansite – HAFC.nl (in Dutch)
• Tactical formations at football-lineups.com (in English)