RKC Waalwijk
| Full name | Rooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | RKC | ||
| Founded | 26 August 1940 | ||
| Ground | Mandemakers Stadion | ||
| Capacity | 7,508 | ||
| Chairman | Peter Konijnenburg | ||
| Head coach | Sander Duits | ||
| League | Eerste Divisie | ||
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie, 17th of 18 (relegated) | ||
| Website | www | ||
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RKC Waalwijk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɛrkaːˈseː ˈʋaːlʋɛik]) is a Dutch professional football club based in Waalwijk. They currently play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2024–25 season. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie Waalwijk' ('Roman Catholic Combination Waalwijk' in Dutch) and was established as a merger of HEC, WVB and Hercules.
History
The club was formed on 26 August 1940 and used to play its home games at Sportpark Olympia. Its new stadium, the 7,500 seater Mandemakers Stadion was opened in 1996 and featured the home match against Roda JC. RKC's clubname was also expanded with the name of the town before that 1996–97 season. While considered one of the Eredivisie's smaller clubs, it nevertheless maintained its top flight status for many years. Its home colors are yellow and blue.
At the end of the 2006–07 season, RKC Waalwijk were relegated from the Eredivisie after a defeat in play-offs against VVV-Venlo.
On 3 June 2009 they were promoted to the Eredivisie division after a win in the play-offs against De Graafschap. Though, their spell didn't last long ending in the last place with only 15 points. In the season followed they would finish first in the Eerste Divisie promoting back in the top flight of Dutch football.
After another relegation at the end of the 2013–14 season, RKC Waalwijk finished 20th (last) in the 2014–15 season of Eerste Divisie. However, they didn't relegate to Topklasse (amateurs) because both of the two Topklasse champions declined promotion into professionalism. In 2016–17, they made the Eerste Divisie playoffs, losing 5–2 on aggregate to FC Emmen.
In the 2017–18 season, RKC was placed 16th out of 20 teams in the Eerste Divisie. In 2019, Waalwijk promoted back to the Eredivisie after a five-year absence, after beating Go Ahead Eagles in the play-off finals. After a 0–0 draw in the first leg at home, RKC won the second leg 5–4 away.[1]
In the 2019–20 season, RKC finished in last place, but they survived relegation due to the season being declared void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In the subsequent 2020–21 season, the club managed to avoid relegation on their own by finishing in 15th place.[3] RKC were relegated from the Eredivisie at the end of the 2024–25 season, finishing 17th. The club endured a historically poor start, equalling the league record for most consecutive defeats to start a season, and struggled with discipline, receiving six red cards in the first twelve matches.[4] Head coach Henk Fraser remained in charge throughout, despite mounting criticism.[5][6][7] In October, the club attracted national attention by signing former prodigy Mohamed Ihattaren, whose arrival briefly lifted morale and media focus.[8] A short resurgence in early 2025, including a 5–0 win over NAC Breda, proved insufficient, and relegation to the Eerste Divisie was confirmed on the final matchday.[9][10]
Results
Below is a table with RKC's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1984.
| Domestic Results since 1956 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic league | League result | Qualification to | KNVB Cup season | Cup result |
| 2024–25 Eredivisie | 17th | Eerste Divisie (relegation) | 2024–25 | round of 16 |
| 2023–24 Eredivisie | 15th | – | 2023–24 | first round |
| 2022–23 Eredivisie | 9th | – | 2022–23 | first round |
| 2021–22 Eredivisie | 10th | – | 2021–22 | quarter finals |
| 2020–21 Eredivisie | 15th | – | 2020–21 | first round |
| 2019–20 Eredivisie | 18th | No relegation due to COVID-19 | 2019–20 | first round |
| 2018–19 Eerste Divisie | 8th | Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs) | 2018–19 | round of 16 |
| 2017–18 Eerste Divisie | 18th | – | 2017–18 | second round |
| 2016–17 Eerste Divisie | 10th | – | 2016–17 | second round |
| 2015–16 Eerste Divisie | 18th | – | 2015–16 | second round |
| 2014–15 Eerste Divisie | 20th | – | 2014–15 | second round |
| 2013–14 Eredivisie | 16th | Eerste Divisie (promotion/relegation playoffs: relegation) | 2013–14 | second round |
| 2012–13 Eredivisie | 14th | – | 2012–13 | third round |
| 2011–12 Eredivisie | 9h | – | 2011–12 | quarter final |
| 2010–11 Eerste Divisie | 1st | Eredivisie (promoted) | 2010–11 | semi final |
| 2009–10 Eredivisie | 18th | Eerste Divisie (relegation) | 2009–10 | second round |
| 2008–09 Eerste Divisie | 2nd | Eredivisie (promotion/relegation play-offs: promotion) | 2008–09 | third round |
| 2007–08 Eerste Divisie | 2nd | promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion | 2007–08 | round of 16 |
| 2006–07 Eredivisie | 17th | Eerste Divisie (promotion/relegation play-off: relegation) | 2006–07 | semi final |
| 2005–06 Eredivisie | 12th | – | 2005–06 | third round |
| 2004–05 Eredivisie | 9th | – | 2004–05 | round of 16 |
| 2003–04 Eredivisie | 11th | – | 2003–04 | round of 16 |
| 2002–03 Eredivisie | 9th | – | 2002–03 | third round |
| 2001–02 Eredivisie | 8th | – | 2001–02 | round of 16 |
| 2000–01 Eredivisie | 7th | – | 2000–01 | second round |
| 1999–2000 Eredivisie | 11th | – | 1999–00 | quarter finals |
| 1998–99 Eredivisie | 16th | promotion/relegation competition: no relegation | 1998–99 | second round |
| 1997–98 Eredivisie | 16th | promotion/relegation competition: no relegation | 1997–98 | second round |
| 1996–97 Eredivisie | 16th | promotion/relegation competition: no relegation | 1996–97 | round of 16 |
| 1995–96 Eredivisie | 11th | – | 1995–96 | second round |
| 1994–95 Eredivisie | 8th | – | 1994–95 | second round |
| 1993–94 Eredivisie | 16th | promotion/relegation competition: no relegation | 1993–94 | quarter finals |
| 1992–93 Eredivisie | 9th | – | 1992–93 | round of 16 |
| 1991–92 Eredivisie | 10th | – | 1991–92 | third round |
| 1990–91 Eredivisie | 7th | – | 1990–91 | second round |
| 1989–90 Eredivisie | 8th | – | 1989–90 | second round |
| 1988–89 Eredivisie | 11th | – | 1988–89 | second round |
| 1987–88 Eerste Divisie | 1st | Eredivisie (promotion) | 1987–88 | semi finals |
| 1986–87 Eerste Divisie | 4th | promotion competition: no promotion | 1986–87 | second round |
| 1985–86 Eerste Divisie | 3rd | promotion competition: no promotion | 1985–86 | first round |
| 1984–85 Eerste Divisie | 5th | promotion competition: no promotion | 1984–85 | first round |
European record
| Season | Competition | Round | Opposition | Home[nb 1] | Away[nb 1] | Aggregate[nb 1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Intertoto Cup | Group stage | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3rd |
| First Vienna FC | 3–4 | 2–4 | ||||
| Carl Zeiss Jena | 2–0 | 1–0 | ||||
| 1992 | Intertoto Cup | Group stage | Caen | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4th |
| Lyngby | 1–1 | 0–2 | ||||
| Schalke 04 | 2–3 | 2–4 | ||||
| 2000 | Intertoto Cup | Third round | Bradford City | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 |
| 2001 | Intertoto Cup | Third round | TSV 1860 München | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 |
Current squad
- As of 4 July 2025[11]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Honours
Club officials
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Henk Fraser |
| Assistant Coach | Sander Duits |
| First-Team Coach | Peter Uneken |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Rein Baart |
| Assistant Goalkeeper Coach | Bart Tinus |
| Video Analyst | Nyo Sulsters |
| Sports Scientist / Data Analyst | Folkert Boer |
| Chief Scout | Lars Lambooij |
| Scout | Cees Schapendonk |
| Club doctor | Tim Baijens |
| Physiotherapist | Robert van Riel Rob Westerlaken |
| Sports Carer | Ramon van Haaren |
| Exercise Physiologist | Nick van Aken |
| Kit Manager | Djordy de Nijs |
| Team Manager | Sander van den Anker |
| Technical Director | Mohammed Allach |
Former coaches
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See also
References
- ^ "RKC keert na knotsgekke wedstrijd in Deventer terug in eredivisie". nos.nl. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Afwikkeling voetbalseizoen 2019/'20 een feit | Eredivisie". eredivisie.nl (in Dutch). 24 April 2020.
- ^ "ADO Den Haag en VVV Venlo degraderen na verlies". NRC (in Dutch). 13 May 2021.
- ^ Voskamp, Leon (9 November 2024). "Na zesde rode kaart dit seizoen is RKC Waalwijk niet opgewassen tegen NEC" [RKC Waalwijk no match for NEC after sixth red card of the season]. Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ Voskamp, Leon (13 September 2024). "Fraser snapt emoties van RKC-fans: 'Maar moeten wel realistisch blijven'" [Fraser acknowledges RKC fans’ frustration but urges realism]. Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "RKC-supporters wachten spelersbus op: Henk Fraser moet het ontgelden" [RKC supporters wait for team bus as Henk Fraser bears the brunt]. OneFootball (in Dutch). 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ Wanrooij, Jurre van (15 September 2024). "Woeste RKC-supporters wachten spelersbus op: "Schaam je kapot, schaam je kapot"" [Furious RKC supporters wait for team bus: "Shame on you, shame on you"]. Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Puntloos RKC durft het aan en geeft Ihattaren nieuwe kans als profvoetballer" [RKC, still without a point, offer Ihattaren a fresh start as a professional footballe]. NOS (in Dutch). 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "RKC boekt tegen NAC een van grootste eredivisiezeges in clubgeschiedenis" [RKC achieve one of the largest Eredivisie victories in club history with win over NAC]. NOS (in Dutch). 9 February 2025. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ Hermus, Bob (20 May 2025). "Waar ging het mis voor RKC in seizoen vol rode kaarten en gemiste kansen?" [Where it went wrong for RKC in a season of red cards and missed chances]. Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "RKC Waalwijk". voetbal.com. Retrieved 7 March 2019.