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KPN Eredivisie, 2000-2001: Club Profile

RODA JC: A MINER'S CLUB - DEFINITELY NOT A MINOR CLUB

Even though the last Dutch coal-mines were closed in the 1960s, the southern parts of Holland's most southern province, Limburg, are still called the 'mine district'. Because of the hills and rocks in the beautiful, shelving landscape, southern Limburg does not look like The Netherlands at all. The coal-mines are still industrious in many folk songs in the regional dialect and in the stories of the old miners, reminiscing of an era that will never return. South Limburg will always be their home and - in most cases - Roda JC is their team.

Yes, Roda is a 'coal-miner's club'. Although fans of MVV, from the mundane provincial capital of Maastricht, pronounce those words condescendingly, Roda JC is without any doubt Limburg's number one, now VVV and MVV are in the First Division and Fortuna Sittard seems to be stuck in the lower regions of the Eredivisie table. Roda's club honors include six European Cup Winners Cup or UEFA Cup campaigns, five Dutch national cup finals, of which the latter two (1997 and 2000) were won. Roda's predecessor, Rapid JC, even won the Dutch title once, in 1956.

Roda JC was not always names Roda JC. If there's a 'C' in de the name of a Dutch football club (RKC, NAC, NEC), prepare for a history of 'Combinations'. Roda JC stands for 'Roda Juliana Combination'. For the record: Kerkrade (of 1926) and Bleijerheide (of 1914) became Roda Sport in 1954. Juliana (of 1910) and Rapid (of 1954) became Rapid JC in the same year. Roda Sport and Rapid JC, finally, formed Roda JC in 1962. The new-born club promoted to the Eredivisie in 1973, and did not go down since. The future looks good in Parkstad Limburg Stadium, most definitely one of the most beautiful of the many new Eredivisie facilities.

Since 1973, Roda finished in the top ten of the Eredivisie over twenty times, thereby entering the select group of 'almost top sides' in The Netherlands, regularly qualifying for European Cup tournaments and ra\egarded as traditionally tough opponents by the 'Big Three'. Roda's fine performances reached an impressive peak in 1994-1995, becoming the only team not to get defeated by unbeaten national and European champions Ajax. Both games ended 1-1 and Roda JC finished second on the table.

The yellow and black side's most memorable European campaign was in the 1988-1989 season, as they made it through the winter in the European Cup Winners Cup, before succumbing to the superb strikers of Bulgarian giant Sredets Sofia: Hristo Stoichkov and Emil Kostadinov, who were soon to become superstars in Europe's major football leagues.

Roda's position in Dutch football is best illustrated by their history in the Dutch Cup: strong enough to have played five finals, but in those big games the major teams are usually better: PSV won in 1976 and 1988, Feyenoord in 1992. But if some other team happens to be the opponent, the Cup is likely to go to Kerkrade. Succesful finals against SC Heerenveen (1997) and NEC (2000) made Roda JC twofold Dutch Cup winners, underscoring their reputation as one of those three or four teams regarded as Holland's 'best of the rest'. A club able to win actual trophies in modern football.

Roda keeps up with the big ones, but without being unfaithful to the real Roda soul, of course. Typically, the club's eternal fan favourite is a scion of a local coal-miner's family. A history of Roda is incomplete without his name: Eugène Hanssen, long-time Roda captain during the 1980s and early 1990s and the working-class hero of Limburg's 'mining district'. (MP)

RODA JC FACTS

Founded: 27 June, 1962. Fusion of Roda Sport (1954) and Rapid JC (1954). Roda Sport was a fusion of Kerkade/Minor (1926) and Bleijerheide (1914). Rapid JC was a fusion of Juliana (1910) and Rapid '54 (1954).
City: Kerkrade
Stadium: Parkstad Limburg Stadium
Capacity: 19,979
Honors:

• Dutch Cup winners: 1997, 2000

Ajax vs Roda JC, the last five Eredivisie seasons: RELATED LINKS

• Official Roda JC website