The Cup also repeated the familiar – PSV Eindhoven and FC Groningen reached the final and there was no doubt which team will lift the trophy. When FC Groningen finally scored a goal, the result was already 0-3 and PSV scored their 4th in the very next minute. Romario, twice Ellerman, and finally Kieft scored the goals.
FC Groningen had no chance – if Ajax was unable to stop PSV, how was Groningen to do it with their modest squad? At least they were going to play in the Cup Winners Cup as losing finalists – that was a consolation. Top row from left: Eric Groeleken, Jan van Dijk, Claus Boekweg, Erik Manders, Dick Koster
Middle row: Theo Huizinga (teammanager), Hans Westerhof (trainer), John de Wolf, Piet Wiersma, Erik Regtop, Marco Koorman, Harry Sinkgraven, Edwin Olde Riekerink, René Eijkelkamp, Martin Koeman (assistent)
Sitting: Jos Roossien, Marco Waslander, Gert-Jan Beltman, Johan Tukker, Sjaak Storm, Delano Jozefzoon, Theo ten Caat
Missing from the picture: Henny Meijer (their scorer at the Cup final), Wim Koevermans, Jan Veenhof, Barend Beltman, Sixto Rovina. And keeping longer John de Wolf was mission impossible…
Second Cup in a row for PSV Eindhoven. Well… that made it 4 titles in a row, 2 Cups in a row, 11 titles altogether, 5 Cups, 3 doubles. Clearly the best period in the history of the club. Top row from left: Erik Gerets, Berry Van Aerle, Edward Linskens, Soren Lerby, John Veldman, Ronald Koeman, Hendrie Kruzen, Anton Janssen.
Middle row: Jac van de Ven (verzorger), Ivan Nielsen, Wim Kieft, Hans van Breukelen, Patrick Lodewijks, Stan Valckx, Adick Koot.
Sitting: Jules Ellerman, Jan Heintze, Kees Ploegsma (manager), Guus Hiddink (trainer), Hans Dorjee (trainer), Huub Stevens (trainer 2e elftal), Hans Gilhaus, Gerard Vanenburg.
What a squad! Guus Hiddink was doing excellent job and establishing himself among the top coaches in the world. His assistant Huub Stevens was growing as well and soon will behighly respected coach on his own. The players were already famous stars and neither aging (Gerets, Lerby, Nielsen, Kieft, van Breukelen, Vanenburg), nor inevitable transfers to bigger clubs (Ronald Koeman) was trouble – they got Romario, they had Veldman, Valckx, Koot, Gilhaus moving up. PSV Eindhoven dominated Dutch football for 4 years already and looked like they will continue the victorious march.
Holland I Division
First Division. PSV Eindhoven and Ajax were head and shoulders above the rest of the league. This season they also fought heavily between themselves, unlike the previous seasons. Feyenoord was still struggling. No change of the status quo.
SC Veendam – last with 24 points and relegated.
VVV (Venlo) – 17th with 24 points and relegated. Top row from left: Edwin van Berge Henegouwen, Gerrie Slagboom, Chris Burhenne, Rene Eijer, Jack Weerts, Bert Verhagen, Jeroen Boere.
Middle row: Anton van Veggel (verzorger), Frans Nijssen, Jos Rutten, Juno Verberne, Jos Hermkes, Danny Hoekman, Marc Korsten, John Wolter, Leo van Veen (trainer).
Sitting: Remy Reynierse, Jos Luhukay, Rik Laurs, Wiel Teeuwen (manager), John Roux, Marcel Peeters, Jay Driessen.
PEC Zwolle – 16th with 25 points and relegated.
Willem II survived – 15th with 27 points. Third row from left: Cyril Holtkamp, Anno de Kleine, Marcel Bontekoe, Patrick Cohen, Fons Mallien, John Feskens.
Middle row: Adri Koster, Andre Bergman, Corne Lucassem, Willem v/d Ark, Roland Jansen, Frank Brugel, Bert Spee, Meindert Dijkstra, Bud Brocken, Ad Damen, Geert v/d Wiel (masseur).
Sitting: Farley Westphal, Frank van Straalen, Guus v/d Borgt, Rene Wolffs, Mark Farrington, Ruben Kogeldans, Edwin Godee, Hennie de Romijn, Sjef Van Weet.
MVV (Maastricht) – 14th with 29 points.
FC Utrecht – 13th with 29 points.
Sparta – 12th with 30 points.
RKC (Waalwijk) – 11th with 31 points. Third row from left: Ricardo Moniz, Cees Schapendonk, Ruud Das, Marc Van Hintum, Ad v/d Wiel, Anton Joore, Stanley Brard.
Middle row: Andre Hoekstra, Ronnie Van Geneugden, Adri Bogers, Edwin de Wijs, Gerben v/d Weerd, Jack Vermeulen, Peter TReffers, Leon Hutten.
Sitting: Bob Lindhout, Eerik Jansen, Herman Theeuwen, Ger Blok (trainer), Hans van Loen, Jos Van Herpen, Erik Gouda.
HFC Haarlem – 10th with 33 points. Top row from left: Ortwin Linger, Chris Verkaik, Cees Baas, Rini Van Roon, Leeroy Echteld, Peter Van Velzen.
Middlw row: Dick Advocaat (trainer), Raymond Atteveld, Frank Dikstaal, Marcel Oost, Jerry Kranthove, P.G. Van Der Lem (hulptrainer), P.D. Heiliegers (verzorger).
Sitting: Wout Holverda, Brian Tevreden, Arthur Numan, Edward Metgon, Carlo Van Tour, Michel Doesburg, Robert Matthaei.
FC Volendam – 9th with 33 points. Third row from left: Jack Tol, René Binken, Eric Steltenpool, Richard Sneekes, Bert van der Poppe, Winand van Loon, Steven van Dorpel
Middle row: Jaap Schilder, Jack Kemper, Theo Bond, Johan Steur, Hans Bakker, Jan Klouwer
Sitting: Gert-Jan Duif, Ton Guyt, Leo Tholens (fysiotherapeut), Jan Brouwer (manager), Leo Steegman (trainer-coach), Ab Plugboer, Nico Zwarthoed.
Fortuna (Sittard) – 8th with 34 points.
BVV Den Bosch – 7th with 36 points.
FC Groningen – 6th with 36 points.
Roda JC – 5th with 38 points. One of their best seasons.
Feyenoord – 4th with 40 points. Top row from left: Ton Lokhoff, Sjaak Troost, Keje Molenaar, Kenneth Monkou, Toni Roth, John Metgod, Marcel Brands, Ben Wijnstekers.
Middle row: Gerard Meijer (verz.) Rene Hofman, Ruud Heus, Dave Mitchell, Ricardo De Jongh, Joop Hiele, Martin Van Geel, Wlodzimierz Smolarek, Lex Schoenmaker, (ass.trainer).
Sitting: Coen Moulijn, Zier Tebbenhoff, Regi Blinker, Rob Jacobs (trainer), Peter Barendse, Paul Nortan, Tom Krommendijk.
Twente – 3rd with 40 points. Beating Feyenoord on goal-difference and looked like they were back among the best after years of decline. Top row from left: Jan Pouls, Andy Scharmin, Eric van Rossum, Piet Keur, Marco Roelfosen, Andre Paus, Henry Meyerman, Martin Koopman.
Middle row: Paul Krijnsen (fysiotherapeut), Wilfried Elzinga, Pieter Huistra, Frank Ensink, Hans de Koning, Michael Dikken, Mika Lipponen, Patrick Bosch, Jan Steenbeeke (masseur).
Sitting: Wim Balm, John Neijenhuis, Theo Vonk (trainer/coach), Robin Schmidt, Fred Rutten.
Ajax – tried hard to win the championship, but lost again. At least this season the were not distant second – with 50 points, they were only 3 points behind the champion. Still, too bad this wonderful squad was unable to win.
Simply the best – 4th consecutive title deserves to be a pillow. 24 wins, 5 ties, 5 losses, 78-31 goal-difference, 53 points. Not as dominant as in the previous championships, but PSV Eindhoven had formidable squad and there was no stopping them.