SC Cambuur explained

Sportclub Cambuur, most often styled SC Cambuur (pronounced as /nl/) and sometimes Cambuur Leeuwarden, is a Dutch professional football club in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland. Founded on 19 June 1964, the team compete in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football league system. Since August 2024, they have played their home games at the 15,000‑seat Kooi Stadion, a purpose‑built stadium that replaced Cambuur Stadion.^[1]

Cambuur play in yellow shirts and blue shorts, colours drawn from the coat of arms of the Cammingha family, whose heraldic lions also feature on the club crest. Organised as a member‑owned association, the club enjoys strong regional backing and contests the "Friese Derby" against neighbouring sc Heerenveen.

The club have won the second-tier Eerste Divisie three times (1991–92, 2012–13 and 2020–21) and spent a total of seven seasons in the top-tier Eredivisie. Away from the pitch Cambuur operate an accredited youth academy and the Cambuur Foundation, which runs grassroots sport and social‑inclusion programmes throughout Friesland.^[2]

History

Founded in 1964, SC Cambuur has spent a total of nine seasons in the Dutch top flight, the Eredivisie. During the 1980s and 1990s, the club was a consistent contender in the Eerste Divisie promotion play-offs. Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie title in 1992 and earned promotion to the Eredivisie, but were relegated two seasons later following the 1993–94 season. In 1998, the club returned to the Eredivisie, though they were again relegated after just two seasons, in the 1999–2000 season.

The early 2000s proved turbulent, and in 2005 the club narrowly avoided bankruptcy. A period of restructuring began in 2006, and by 2010 Cambuur had achieved relative financial stability.

In 2009, Cambuur came close to promotion, narrowly losing a play-off to Roda JC on penalties. The following year, they finished second in the league and again missed promotion by a slim margin. The club attracted over 40,000 spectators during that year's play-offs, with an estimated 7,000 supporters gathering in Leeuwarden's city centre to watch the decisive match against Roda on a large screen. The final match drew a record 1.4 million television viewers in the Netherlands, and the entire play-off series—featuring Cambuur, PEC Zwolle, and Roda JC—was watched by more than 4.5 million people.

Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie title in the 2012–13 season, earning promotion to the Eredivisie for the 2013–14 season. On 1 May 2016, they were relegated back to the Eerste Divisie after a 6–2 away defeat to PSV.

In 2020, Cambuur were leading the Eerste Divisie when the season was voided due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the club was controversially denied promotion to the Eredivisie.^[3]

The club returned to the top flight after winning the 2020–21 Eerste Divisie title. In the 2021–22 season, Cambuur achieved a ninth-place finish—the highest league position in the club's history. However, the following campaign proved difficult, and on 6 May 2023, Cambuur were relegated back to the Eerste Divisie following a 3–0 away defeat to FC Utrecht.^[4]

Supporters

Cambuur has a group of ultras, known as the M.I.-Side, who stand on the north stand at the Kooi Stadion, but used to stand at both the north and south stands at the Cambuur Stadion. The name derives from the street names in which the stands of the Cambuur stadion were built: M stands for Marathonstraat and I for Insulindestraat. 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.

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

ImageSize = width:800 height:60PlotArea = left:10 right:10 bottom:30 top:10TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyyDateFormat = dd/mm/yyyyPeriod = from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/2025ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:1990Colors = id:bl1 value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.3) id:bl2 value:rgb(0.5,0.8,0.5) id:rs value:rgb(0.8,0.6,0.6) id:rn value:rgb(0.9,0.1,0.1)

PlotData= bar:Position width:15 color:white align:center

from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1991 shift:(0,-4) text:11 from:01/01/1991 till:01/01/1992 shift:(0,-4) text:1 from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1993 shift:(0,-4) text:14 from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1994 shift:(0,-4) text:18 from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1995 shift:(0,-4) text:7 from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/1996 shift:(0,-4) text:6 from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1997 shift:(0,-4) text:2 from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/1998 shift:(0,-4) text:2 from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/1999 shift:(0,-4) text:15 from:01/01/1999 till:01/01/2000 shift:(0,-4) text:17 from:01/01/2000 till:01/01/2001 shift:(0,-4) text:4 from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2002 shift:(0,-4) text:7 from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2003 shift:(0,-4) text:11 from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2004 shift:(0,-4) text:17 from:01/01/2004 till:01/01/2005 shift:(0,-4) text:9 from:01/01/2005 till:01/01/2006 shift:(0,-4) text:15 from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2007 shift:(0,-4) text:12 from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2008 shift:(0,-4) text:17 from:01/01/2008 till:01/01/2009 shift:(0,-4) text:3 from:01/01/2009 till:01/01/2010 shift:(0,-4) text:2 from:01/01/2010 till:01/01/2011 shift:(0,-4) text:5 from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2012 shift:(0,-4) text:7 from:01/01/2012 till:01/01/2013 shift:(0,-4) text:1 from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2014 shift:(0,-4) text:12 from:01/01/2014 till:01/01/2015 shift:(0,-4) text:12 from:01/01/2015 till:01/01/2016 shift:(0,-4) text:18 from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2017 shift:(0,-4) text:3 from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2018 shift:(0,-4) text:8 from:01/01/2018 till:01/01/2019 shift:(0,-4) text:10 from:01/01/2019 till:01/01/2020 shift:(0,-4) text:1 from:01/01/2020 till:01/01/2021 shift:(0,-4) text:1 from:01/01/2021 till:01/01/2022 shift:(0,-4) text:9 from:01/01/2022 till:01/01/2023 shift:(0,-4) text:18 from:01/01/2023 till:01/01/2024 shift:(0,-4) text:13 from:01/01/2024 till:01/01/2025 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1992 color:bl1 shift:(0,13) text: "Eerste Divisie" from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1994 color:bl2 shift:(0,13) text: "Eredivisie" from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1998 color:bl1 shift:(0,13) text: "Eerste Divisie" from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2000 color:bl2 shift:(0,13) text: "Eredivisie" from:01/01/2000 till:01/01/2013 color:bl1 shift:(0,13) text: "Eerste Divisie" from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2016 color:bl2 shift:(0,13) text: "Eredivisie" from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2021 color:bl1 shift:(0,13) text: "Eerste Divisie" from:01/01/2021 till:01/01/2023 color:bl2 shift:(0,13) text: "Eredivisie" from:01/01/2023 till:01/01/2025 color:bl1 shift:(0,13) text: "Eerste Divisie"

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
2024–25 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2024–25	second round
2023–24 Eerste Divisie	13th	–	2023–24	semi-finals
2022–23 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2022–23	second round
2021–22 Eredivisie	9th	–	2021–22	second round
2020–21 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2020–21	second round
2019–20 Eerste Divisie	(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
1968–69 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1968–69	first round
1967–68 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1967–68	group stage
1966–67 Eerste Divisie	4th	–	1966–67	first round
1965–66 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1965–66	group stage
1964–65 Tweede Divisie	1st (winning championship play-off)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1964–65	first round
1963–64 Tweede Divisie	9th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1963–64	first round
1962–63 Tweede Divisie	7th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1962–63	first round
1961–62 Eerste Divisie	13th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	Tweede Divisie (relegation)	1961–62	?
1960–61 Eerste Divisie	10th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1960–61	?
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	?
1957–58 Eerste Divisie	3rd (group B) (as VV Leeuwarden)	–	1957–58	?
1956–57 Tweede Divisie	1st (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1956–57	?

Club staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Henk de Jong
Assistant Manager	Jeroen Burghout Rik Reinsma
Goalkeeper Coach	Peter van der Vlag
Performance Coach	Nicky Boonstra Daan Ganzinga
Video Analyst	Gergely Balázs Sándor
Doctor	Dirk Steensma Antje Tardy Monique Haaksema
Physiotherapist	Harvey Bischop Kevin Koster
Materialman	Paul Jansen
Team Manager	Peter Drijver Niels Dissel

Source:^[5]

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)^[6]
• 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.

Cameroon

• Marc Mboua

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Jody Lukoki

Indonesia

• Stefano Lilipaly

Iran

• Reza Ghoochannejhad

Lithuania

• Vytautas Andriuškevičius

Morocco

• Adnane Tighadouini

Netherlands

• Bert Konterman
• Michael Mols
• Jaap Stam

Netherlands Antilles

• Robin Nelisse

Nigeria

• Bartholomew Ogbeche

Philippines

• Paul Mulders

Republic of Ireland

• Jack Byrne

Slovakia

• Albert Rusnák

Ukraine

• Yevhen Levchenko

United States

• Gregg Berhalter

Yugoslavia

• Milko Đurovski

See also

• List of football clubs in the Netherlands

External links

• • Cambuur Leeuwarden at Weltfussballarchiv

Notes and References

1. Web site: SC Cambuur opens up new stadium. thestadiumbusiness.com. 19 August 2024.
2. Web site: Willis . Craig . Hughes . Will . Bober . Sergiusz . ECMI Minorities Blog. National and Linguistic Minorities in the Context of Professional Football across Europe: Five Examples from Non-kin State Situations. . ECMI . 27 March 2023.
3. Web site: AFWIKKELING VOETBALSEIZOEN 2019/'20 EEN FEIT. Eredivisie. 2 June 2020. nl. 24 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210524145200/https://eredivisie.nl/nl-nl/uitgelicht/afwikkeling-voetbalseizoen-201920-een-feit. dead.
4. Web site: 2023-05-06 . SC Cambuur degradeert na twee seizoenen naar de Keuken Kampioen… . 2024-02-08 . Eredivisie . nl.
5. Web site: Technische staf · SC Cambuur . SC Cambuur . 28 May 2025 . https://web.archive.org/web/20250114124523/https://cambuur.nl/eerste-elftal/technische-staf/ . 14 January 2025 . nl-NL.
6. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/5610/Eredivisie/article/detail/4244235/2016/02/13/Cambuur-strikt-Keizer-als-hoofdtrainer.dhtml Cambuur strikt Keizer als hoofdtrainer