Month: September 2024

The Cup final was familiar duel: Crvena zvezda vs Hajduk. One more chapter in the long rivalry between Serbian and Croatian leading clubs and increasingly getting more than football rivalry, but into nationalistic struggle. Crvena zvezda prevailed thanks to early goal – Darko Pancev scored in the 12th minute.
Hajduk lost the Cup final and thus ended the season without a trophy, despite having a cluster of stars: Bokšić, Bilić, Štimac, Jerkan, Asanović, Pudar, Jurković, Jarni. Well, rather future stars, but still it was a team of plenty of talent. But Crvena zvezda was stronger presently. Apart from the lost final, Hajduk left Yugoslavia without a team for the Cup Winners Cup: they were banned from UEFA and Crvena zvezda were going to play in the European Champions Cup.
Crvena zvezda won a double this year, confirming their superiority. It was their 13th Cup and 5th double. Remarkable season, which increasingly meant more than football – it was Serbian victory, Serbian dominance over the rest of the country, over Croats, in particular. Nationalism was getting the upper hand, although disintegration of Yugoslavia was not envisioned yet – but it was coming and football was big part of it. But Yugoslavia was still one country and to a point Crvena zvezda symbolized this unity: Serbians, Montenegrans, Macedonians, even a Croat made the squad. Plus a worthy foreigner, perhaps representing the political turmoil of Eastern Europe best, was here: Miodrag Belodedici. The Romanian of Serbian descent, already famous as a member of the great Steaua (Bucharest) team, run away from his native land and took asylum in Yugoslavia. In Romania ‘the traitor’ was promptly sentenced to jail in absentia, but Crvena zvezda was glad to have him in its defensive line and very likely Yugoslav citizenship was quickly granted. But the situation was rapidly changing… by the summer of 1990 the Communist regime of Romania fell down and the political change brought among other things anullment of Belodedici’s sentence – he was able to play again for Romania and there was no need anymore to be called Belodecic (the Yugoslav spelling of his name). The irony of the times: Belodedici became Romanian again, but soon his teammates will seize to be Yugoslavs and become Croats (Prosinecki), Macedonians (Pancev, Kanatlarovski, Najdoski), and so on. For the moment, though, Crvena zvezda practically had the squad eventually winning the European Champions Cup in the very near future – Dragan Stojkovic (the best Yugoslav star at the moment), Belodedici, Prosinecki, Pancev, Sabanadzovic, Savicevic, Najdoski, Mrkela, Stojanovic, etc. The strongest Yugoslav squad for sure, but what was missing was largely the coach leading them to European glory: presently the former club legend Vladimir Petrovic was at the helm, but international success was achieved with his successor Ljupko Petrovic.
Life was good: a double! Life was good – this team had great potential, great future. Politics were nothing, football was everything… what a grave illusion.

First Division. One dominant leader, one hopeless outsider. Apart from that, a surprising relegation and late punishment – UEFA slapped 2-year ban from European competitions on Hajduk (Split) in 1987. It was for the behavior of the fans in the 1987-88 Cup Winners Cup match against Olimpique (Marseille), but earlier incidents in the first half of the 1980s contributed as well. Since Hajduk did not qualify to play in Europe at the time, the punishment was enacted for seasons when Hajduk qualified to play in the European tournaments, that is, now.

Vardar (Skopje) – last with 25 points and relegated. Standing from left: fiz. Belevski, pom. trener Gruevski, Markovski, Filevski, A.Stojanović, Sinani, Naumovski, Urošević, Grošev, Simovski, pom. trener Mojsov, trener Dončevski. Sitting: Kocić, Trajanovski, T. Trajčevski, Z. Trajčevski, Boškovski, Džipunov, Vasilevski, Angelovski, G. Stojanović.
Velez (Mostar) – 17th with 36 points and relegated. A surprise, really – Velez had strong reputation. Top row from left: Emir Tufek, Josko Popovic, Andjelko Kvesic, Marinko Knezovic, Ronald Hrkac, Sejo Rebac, Stipe Juric.
Middle row: Vukasin Petranovic, Ahmet Gosto,Anel Karabeg, Sead Kajtaz, Nenad Dzidic, Ismet Sisic, Ivan Jurilj, Vladimir-Vanja Gudelj, Elvis Margeta, Vela Pudar.
Sitting: Mili-Toza Hadziabdic, Zijad Repak, Meho Kodro, Zeljko Cavar, Darko Birjukov, Veselin Djurasovic, Zdenko Jedvaj, Ibro Rahimic.
NK Osijek (Osijek) – 16th with 38 points. Top row from left: S. Končalović, I. Perić, R. Špehar, G. Skeledžić, M. Miličević, D. Lepinjica, N. Gluhačević, T. Štajnbrikner. Middle row: M. Janković, J. Sinanović, G. Radojević, M. Žitnjak, M.Maričić, B. Šerić, I. Kolar. Sitting: S. Vidović, Ž. Pakasin, M. Vukčević, I. Maras, Z. Stanković, I. Grnja, A. Batinić, D. Živković, S. Mišković, A. Lukić.
Radnicki (Nis) – 15th with 38 points. Top row from left: Nikolić, Zarić, Cvejić, Manojlović, Mehinagić, Mladenović, Veljković, Manojlović, tr. Janković. Middle row: Kocić, Antić, Stojiljković, Momirović, Momčilović, Višnjić, Jakšić, Mitrović, tr. Milenković; Front row: Sudimac, Dimoski, Pejić, Savov, Dimoski, tr. Halilović, Milošević, Antonijević, Lukić, Radosavljević.
Borac (Banja Luka) – 14th with 39 points.
FK Sarajevo (Sarajevo) -13th with 40 points.
Spartak (Subotica) – 12th with 40 points.
Vojvodina (Novi Sad) – 11th with 42 points. The previous season champions dropped down and practically out of sight.
Buducnost (Titograd) – 10th with 42 points. Standing from left: B.Brnović,Ž.Leković, M.Božović, D. Leković, Dmitrović, Janović. Crouching:Vlahović, Mirotić, Mijatović, Petrović, Stanisavljević.
Sloboda (Tuzla) – 9th with 45 points. Third row from left: fiz. Sabitović, Verlašević, Pilipović, Čogurić, Mrkić, Peštalić, Jovanović, Konjić, Hadžimahović, Šulović,
Middle row: Nalić, Ivanović, C. Milošević, Smajlović, Jogunčić, Radovanović, Šarić, dr. Muminhodžić, Memišević, pom.trener Hukić;
First row: Z. Milošević, Sadiković, Ibrić, tr. Jovičić, Lukić, G. Milošević, Hasanbašić, Tahirović.
Sloboda was the only team without penalty shoot-out win – they lost all 4 shoot-outs.
Olimpija (Ljubljana) – 8th with 46 points.
Zeljeznicar (Sarajevo) – 7th with 46 points. Back row from left: trener Braculj, Curic, Viteskic, Jurisic, Bogdanovic, Stilic, Komsic, Milosevic, Pavlovic, Alihodzic, trener Smajlovic. Front: Nikic, Hadzijalagic,Nikolic, Krunic ,Skrba, Gajic, Osim, Ilic, Velic
NK Rijeka (Rijeka) – 6th with 47 points.
Rad (Belgrade) – 5th with 52 points. Rad, behind Olympiakos (Athens), dressed in blue, had impressive season for top-league newcomer.
Partizan (Belgrade) – 4th with 55 points.
Hajduk (Split) – 3rd with 56 points.
Dinamo (Zagreb) – 2nd with 56 points. They finished first in the first half of the season, but dropped out of the championship race in the spring.

And the well-known new champions – Crvena zvezda (Belgrade). Top row from left: Vladimir Petrovic, Bukumirović, Najdoski, Pančev, Kanatlarovski, Belodedić, Radinović, Bešić, Dujković.
Third row: Stojanović, Marović, Vasilijević, Milojević, Prosinečki, Raosavljević, Simeunović, ?.
Second row: Nešović, Stanojević, Mrkela, Šekularac, Stošić, Vujović, Antonijević.
Front row: Šabanadžović, Lukić, Jurić, Stojković, Savićević, Musović.
Nothing surprising in their victory, except that they were behind Dinamo (Zagreb) at the end of the first half of the season and it was hard to imaging in December 1989 that they will be so dominant in the srping. At the end: 24 wins, 3 penalty shoot-out wins, 2 penalty shoot-out losses and 5 regular losses. Scored 79 goals, received 29, earned 75 points. Dinamo (Zagreb) had stronger defensive record (25 goals), but when it came to scoring goals Crvena zvezda had no rival: Dinamo, second-best scorers, managed only 53 goals. Crvena zvezda left them 19 points behind, there was no rivalry really in the spring, it was just Crvena zvezda. Thus, the 17th title was collected.

Second Division. 20 teams now, the top 2 directly promoted to First Division, the last 4 relegated to third level. 3 points for a win, no ties – penalty shoot-outs instead and the winner gets 1 point.
Mladost (Lucani) – last with 5 points. Absolute outsiders, even if they had all points they earned – the team was penalized 6 points for match fixing in the last round of the previous season. Justly relegated this time.
Celik (Zenica) – 19th with 18 points. What a disaster for a club mostly known for playing top league football, some times very well. Now going to third level. Standing from left: Bolić, Šehić, Zekotič, Šišić, Jevtić, Komšić. Front: Bajrić, Petrović. B. Gavran, Fočić, Bilješko.
Liria (Prizren) – 18th with 23 points and relegated. Standing from left: Gadžolli, Marjanović, Đinali, Beriša, Belanica, Čejku. Crouching: Harun Isa, Kapra, Luma, Ramadani, Bylykbashi.
Rudar (Ljublja) – 17th with 32 points. Fought to escape relegation, but lost the battle and went down.
Borac (Cacak) – barely survived: 16th with 33 points. Top row from left: Nikitović, Kovačević, Dragutinović, ?, Maričić, Biberčić, Panić.
Middle row: Marković, Stojanović, Petrović, Lučić, Sušić, Maričić, Kaličanin.
Sitting: Jelić, Ristić, Božović, Vulović, Ćirković (assistant coach), Rajevac (coach), Dragićević, Vujčić, Đačić.
OFK Beograd (Belgrade) – terrible decline and almost relegated further down: 15th with 33 points.
Napredak (Krusevac) – also in great decline. 14th with 34 points.
Iskra (Bugojno) – 13th with 34 points.
Macva (Sabac) – 12th with 34 points.
Leotar (Trebinje) – 11th with 35 points.
GOSK Jug (Dubrovnik) – 10th with 36 points.
Pelister (Bitola) – 9th with 36 points.
Dinamo (Vinkovci) – 8th with 37 points.
Kikinda (Kikinda) – 7th with 38 points.
Sloboda (Titovo Uzice) – 6th with 39 points. Second row from left: Čumić, Cvetković, Bosiljčić, Vičević, Gudurić, Popov. Crouching: Divac, Simić, Tutić, Omerhodžić, Savić.
Sibenik (Sibenik) – 5th with 41 points.
Prishtina (Prishtina) – 4th with 43 points.
Sutjeska (Niksic) – 3rd with 43 points. They excelled in scoring and goal-difference, though: 70 goals and +36.
The top 2 teams were well ahead of the rest and fought for the first place between themselves.
Proleter (Zrenjanin) lost the battle and finished 2nd with 50 points: 23 regular wins, 4 penalty shoot-out wins, 2 penalty shoot-out losses, and 9 regular losses. 55-30 scoring record. No trouble, though – Proleter earned promotion and was happily returning to top flight.
FK Zemun (Zemun) clinched the Second Division title with 51 points: 23 wins, 5 penalty shoot-out wins, 1 penalty shoot-out loss and 9 regular losses. 59-35 was their scoring record – not the best at all. They scored only 1 goal more than lowly OFK Beograd and Prishtina and Sutjeska outscored them. Proleter and Sutjeska had better defensive record, but lowly Borac (Cacak) permited the same number of goals in their net as the champions. Proleter and Sutjeska had better goal-difference. Yet, what mattered was point and Zemun had the most, so they triumphed.
It was great to win the championship and get promoted to First Division – Zemun hardly ever played there, unlike second-placed Proleter. Thus, a truly triumphal season.

Yugoslavia. Ranked 10th. One more country to experiment with new rules in the 1980s: 3 points for a win, but also no ties – penalty shoot-out instead, giving 1 point to the winner and nothing to the loser. Political problems were boiling as well in the country, although the bloody disintegration was not yet expected. Crvena zvezda dominated the season entirely. Second Division was now unified in a single league of 20 teams, the last 4 relegated to third level, the Inter-Republic Leagues. A glimpse of teams from third level – because some were former First or Second Division clubs and others will emerge from obscurity after the disintegration of Yugoslavia.
FK Novi Sad (Novi Sad)
Kabel (Novi Sad)
GIK Ramiz Sadiku (Prishtina)
Jedinstvo (Brcko)
Junak (Sinj)
Pobeda (Prilep)
Rabotnicki (Skopje)
Teteks (Tetovo)
FAMOS (Hrasnica)

AIK (Backa Topola)
FK Novi Pazar (Novi Pazar)
But most important were the teams winning promotion to Second Division: 4 teams, all of them having quite significant past and practically returning to the spotlight:
Mogren (Budva), Radnicki (Belgrade), FK Bor (Bor), and
NK Zagreb (Zagreb).

The Cup final opposed traditional rivals, both eager to win a trophy and thus save the season. The classic Vienna derby: Austria vs Rapid. Regular time ended without a winner, but Austria prevailed in the overtime and won 3-1.
Rapid (Vienna) was the big loser this season – no trophy at all.
Austria (Vienna) won the Cup, so at the end it was not so wasted season – still a Cup in their hands and beating Rapid is always sweet. Finally, it was a round record too: their 20th Austrian Cup.

Austria. Ranked 9th. Fall season was contested by 12 teams, and higher eight teams go into Meister playoff. Lower four teams fought in Mittlere Playoff with higher four teams of Austrian Football First League. Because of the unusual mixed formula only the final standings here:
Mittlere Playoffs – 8 teams, the top 4 starting in the First Division next season, the lower 4 – in the Second Division. Those who started this season in the Second Division mentioned.
SV Spittal an der Drau (Second Division) – 8th with 9 points and staying in the same level.
Grazer AK – 7th with 11 points and thus relegated to Second Division. Top row from left: Reiterer, Zisser, Hösele, Karner, Dampfhofer, Kogler, Künast
Middle row: Trainer Binder, Trainer Ekmecic, Rajkovic, Koleznik, Glieder, Jessenitschnig, Hanser,
Reiner, Masseur Reiterer.
Front: Pech, Scheucher, Zoglmeier, Goriupp, Sauseng, Osterman.
VfB Modling (Second Division) – 6th with 13 points and staying in the same level.
SK VOEST (Linz) (Second Division) – 5th with 13 points and staying in the same level.
Donawitzer SV Alpine (Second Division) – 4th with 14 points. Going to start in the top league next season.
Kremser SC – 3rd with 15 points. Remaining in the top league.
Wiener Sportclub – 2nd with 15 points and remaining in the top league.
SV Vorwaerts (Steyr) – 1st with 22 points and remaining in the top league.
Championship play off. The teams started with half of the points they got in the first part of the season, but everything else was combined. Fall final positions given in brackets.
First Vienna FC (6th) – 8th with 19 points.
VSE Sankt Polten (8th) – 7th with 24 points.
SV Austria Salzburg (7th) – 6th with 25 points.
SK Sturm Graz (5th) – 5th with 25 points.
FC Admira/Wacker (3rd) – 4th with 28 points.
SK Rapid Wien (4th) – 3rd with 30 points.
FK Austria Wien (2nd) – 2nd with 30 points.
FC Swarovski Tirol won the championship with 38 points. A second in a row splendid season and 2nd title for the new concoction made in Innsbruck. The name is confusing, of course… easily confused with previous and later names of the leading club/clubs in this city with or without participation of the famous Swarovski firm. At the moment, the strongest Austrian team: they won the fall part of the season with 34 points from 13 wins, 8 ties, and single loss. 44-21 goal-difference. In the final stage they starter with 17 points – half of what they earned in the fall – to which they added another formidable campaign: 10 wins, 1 tie, 3 losses, 34-16 goal-difference. So, the total of the year: 23 wins, 9 ties, 4 lost games, 78-37 goal-difference and 8 points ahead of the nearest rival. Swarovski Tirol ruled Austria. At the moment.

The Cup final opposed PSV Eindhoven to Vitesse Arnhem. One of the strongest teams in Europe against up and coming squad, but a much weaker squad. Still, it was not an easy final and certainly not a walk-over for PSV Eindhoven – they prevailed, but just 1-0.
Vitesse lost the battle for the Cup, but was still lucky – because of Ajax: its ban to play in the European tournaments moved PSV Eindhoven to the European Champions Cup and thus Vitesse took the place of PSV in the Cup Winners Cup. Nice, but they had strong period anyway and were playing in Europe recently anyway, As for the squad, it was modest, compared to Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, and even weak Feyenoord. No stars, but sturdy second-raters, who played well collectively.
PSV Eindhoven lost the championship, but still finished the season with a trophy. This was not only their 6th Cup, but also 3rd consecutive. To a point, Cup formats suited best already aging team: the old masters would prevail in single combat. Standing from left: Koot, Popescu, Bosman, Erwin Koeman, van Broekelen. First row: Romario, Bwalya, Heintze, Linskens.
Some changes were inevitable – wonderful Romanian Popescu arrived plus Erwin Koeman from Belgian Mechelen. PSV Eindhoven was determined to stay strong.

First Division. Two teams, way above the rest, entangled in battle for the title. The last two relegated, the 16th going to promotion/relegation play-off.
HFC Haarlem – last with measly 15 points. The club from which Ruud Gullit launched his famous career went down. Top row from left: Romano Sion, Dennis Purperhart, Leeroy Echteld, Rini Van Roos, Cees Baas, Orlando Trustfull.
Middle row: H. Elzinga (Elftalbegeleider), P.D. Heiliegers (verzorger), Raymond Atteveld, Michel Doesburg, Wout Holverda, Marcel Oost, Frank Dikstaal, Marcel Looyer, Mike Helenklaken, P.G. Van der Lem, (Hulptrainer), F.G. Gaus (materiaalverzorger).
Sitting: Robert Matthaei, Andre Stafleu, Arthur Numan, Edward Metgod, Brian Tevreden, Stefan Matthaei, Aad Mathot.
Their were still one or two players with promise and eventually becoming quite famous, but at the moment unable to help the team.
FC Den Bosch – 17th with 25 points and relegated.
NEC Nijmegen – 16th with 26 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-off, but, luckily, they prevailed over FC Emmen and remained in the top league.
MVV Maastricht – 15th with 27 points.
FC Utrecht – 14th with 27 points. Top row from left: Peter Hofman, Herman Verrips, Kevin Young, Robert Roest, Erik Willaarts, Johan de Kock, Jan-Willem van Ede.
Middle row: H. Vonk (ass.trainer), Erik van der Meer, Gert van Hanegem, Edwin de Kruyff, John Moore, Etienne Kelders, M. Ockhuysen (verzorger).
Front row: Marco Boogers, Bert Buizert, Rob Alflen, directeur Ooft, trainer C. Loffeld, Edo Ophof, Henny Lettinck, Gijs Steinmann.
Willem II – 13th with 27 points.
Sparta – 12th with 31 points. Top row from left: Edwin Vurens, Ron van de Berg, Gerald Sandel, Ronald Lengkeek, Marco Sas, Dennis De Nooyer, Raymond Libregts, Peter Houtman.
Middle row: Rob Baan (trainer coach), Gerard, de Nooyer, Jan Olde Riekerink, Marco Jochems, Michel Valke, Lodie Roembiak, Oni Louhenapessy, Ben Spork, John Schuurhuizen, Jan Nijman.
Front: Prince Polly Sampene, Piet Wijnberg, Gleen Helder, Eddy De Geoij, Lemy Stevens, Ronny Lutten, Rob Eger, Mike Snoei, H. Klamer.
Feyenoord – terrible season again. 11th with 31 points.
FC Den Haag – 10th with 33 points.
FC Groningen – 9th with 35 points. Top row from left: Wim Koevermans – Jan Veenhof – Barend Beltman – René van der Duin – Marco Koorman – Piet Wiersma – Claus Boekweg
Middle row: Hans Westerhof (trainer) – Eric Groeleken – Hendrikus Huisman – Harry Sinkgraven – Martin Koeman (manager) – Grafton Holband – Edwin Olde Riekerink – Theo ten Caat – Henk Hagenauw (verzorger)
First row: Geon Weering – Jan van Dijk – Jos Roossien – Theo Migchelsen – Johan Tukker – Patrick Lodewijks – Henny Meijer – René Eijkelkamp – Ulrich Wilson
RKC Waalwijk – 8th with 37 points. Top row from left: Pieter in ‘t Groen, Peter Treffers, Adri Bogers, Stanley Brard, Erik Gouda.
Middle row: Herman Teeuwen, Cees Schapendonk, André Hoekstra, Ad van de Wiel, Leo van Veen (trainer/coach).
Sitting: Edwin de Wijs, Ricardo Moniz, Nico Jalink, Marc van Hintum, Anton Joore, Leon Hutten.
Fortuna Sittard – 7th with 38 points.
FC Volendam – 6th with 39 points.

Roda JC – 5th with 41 points.
Vitesse Arnhem – 4th with 41 points.
Twente – 3rd with 42 points. Wonderful comeback, yet, not a title contender. Top row from left: Marcel Peeper, Per Steffensen, John Nijenhuis, Marco Roelofsen, Michael Dikken, Andre Paus, Wilfried Elzinga, Robin Schmidt.
Middle row: Ronald Spelbos, Paul Krijnsen, Frank Tempelman, Jan Gaasbeek, Andre Karnebeek, Sander Boschker, Erik ten Hag, Gert-Jan Duif, Jan Steenbeeke, Theo Vonk.
Front: Claus Nielsen, Pieter Huistra, Hans de Koning, Mika Lipponen, Fred Rutten.
And at the very top Ajax and PSV Eindoven fought between themselves for the title. One point was the whole difference between champion and second-best.
PSV Eindhoven lost the battle and finished 2nd with 48 points. Wonderful team led by Guus Hiddink, but aging – compared to their rivals, this may have been the decisive factor. Great scorers, though: 94 goals this season and Romario was rapidly becoming world-famous star. Which practically meant he will go to bigger club…
Top row from left: Stan Valckx, Michel Boerenbach, Soren Lerby, Wim Kieft, Erik Gerets, Berry van Aerle, Edward Linskens.
Middle row: Jerry de Jong, Adick Koot, Hans van Breukelen, Ivan Nielsen, Jan Nederburgh, Josef Chovanec, Kalusha Bwalya.
Sitting: Monne de Wit (fysio), Juul Ellerman, Hans Gilhaus, Kees Ploegsma (manager), Guus Hiddink (trainer), Hans Dorjee (trainer), Gerald Vanenburg, Jan Heintze, Mart van den Heuvel (verzorger).
Ajax clinched the title – their 23rd, but first after 1985 – with 49 points. Dramatic victory and well deserved. Leo Beenhakker at the helm, having more than competent help from Bobby Harms and Spitz Kohn. As for the squad – full of bright stars, some still young and still making their names. Players, who will define the 1990s – compared to PSV Eindhoven, which players defined the 1980s, Ajax was more formidable in time perspective. Such a wealth of talent, even the foreign players in the squad (Peter Larsson and Stefan Petersson from Sweden and Hungarian Pal Fischer) paled behind the shining Dutch. Ajax was back in full flight, ready to repeat the glorious early 1970s and perhaps do even better than Cruijff and company, but… they were not going to concur Europe next season: on September 27, 1989, Austrian goalkeeper Franz Wolhfahrt  was hit and injured by a bar, thrown by a home supporter at an Ajax-Austria Wien UEFA Cup match. Ajax subsequently were banned from European competition for a year. And instead of them PSV Eindhoven was going to play in the European Champions Cup. Thus, Ajax had to bask only in local glory after 19 wins, 11 ties, 4 losses, and 67-23 goal-difference. PSV Eindhoven won more games then them – 20 – and greatly outscored them – 94 goals – but also lost more matches – 6 – and had much weaker defensive record, permitting 36 goals in their net.

Holland. Ranked 8th and that mostly because of the weak years in the first half of 1980s – now the Dutch were again formidable, but UEFA ranking computed 5 years. Yet… 2 teams clashed for the title, leaving the rest far behind and the champion was not going to represent the country in the European Champions Cup. New and more complicated rules for promotion/relegation were introduced: from this year onwards, only one club promoted directly to the Eredivisie, instead of two. Also, one of the Eredivisie-clubs (the number 16 of 18) now had a chance to avert relegation. Promotion was no longer certain for the runner-up of the Eerste Divisie. A new and expanded play-off system was introduced. The following teams entered:
Group round
Six entrants would play in two groups of three teams.
4 period champions (the best teams during each of the four quarters of the regular competition)
2 best placed teams in the league (not being league or period champion)
The two group winners: play-off 1. Losers: remain in Eerste Divisie
Play-off 1
The two group winners from the group round.
Winners: promoted to the Eredivisie. Losers: play-off 2.
Play-off 2
The losers of play-off 1
The numbers 16 from the Eredivisie (the numbers 17 and 18 already relegated directly)
Winners: Eredivisie. Losers: Eerste Divisie.
The 2 professional leagues were still closed, so no relegation from Second (Eerste) Division. 19 teams played in the Second Division, as it has been for years.
DS’79 ended last with 22 points.
Telstar – 18th with 26 points.
RBC – 17th with 32 points.
SC Heerenveen – 16th with 32 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs as quarterly winner.
PEC Zwolle – 15th with 32 points.
Excelsior – 14th with 33 points.
Helmond Sport – 13th with 33 points.
AZ’67 – 12th with 33 points.
Cambuur – 11th with 34 points.
FC Wageningen – 10th with 35 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs as quarterly winner.
Go Ahead Eagles – 9th with 37 points. Going to promotion/relegation play-offs as quarterly winner.
Veendam – 8th with 38 points.
De Graafschap – 7th with 38 points.
FC Emmen – 6th with 38 points. Qualified to promotion/relegation play-offs as quarterly winner.
FC Eindhoven – 5th with 39 points.
VVV Venlo – 4th with 39 points.
SC Heracles’74 – 3rd with 42 points. Going to promotion play-offs.
NAC Breda – 2nd with 43 points. Going to promotion play-offs.
SVV (Scheidam) – 1st with 58 points. Excellent season: 26 wins, 6 ties, 4 lost matches, and 67-21 scoring record. Dominant champions and directly promoted to First Division.
And after the regular season the play-offs started: they consisted of three rounds. In the group round, four period winners (the best teams during each of the four quarters of the regular competition) and two (other) best placed teams in the league, played in two groups of three teams. The group winners would play in play-off 1. The winners of that play-off would be promoted to the Eredivisie, the loser had to take on the number 16 of the Eredivisie in play-off 2. These two teams played for the third and last position in the Eredivisie of next season.
Group 1
1. SC Heerenveen 2 0 2 7-6 4
2. Go Ahead Eagles 2 0 2 7-7 4
3. NAC Breda 2 0 2 6-7 4
Group 2
1. FC Emmen 3 0 1 7-5 6
2. FC Wageningen 1 2 1 5-3 4
3. SC Heracles’74 0 2 2 2-6 2
Play-off 1:
FC Emmen – SC Heerenveen 1-0 and 0-2.
SC Heerenveen promoted to First Division. FC Emmen going to play-off 2.
FC Emmen – NEC Nijmegen (16th in First Division) 1-2 and 0-0.
NEC Nijmegen stays in First Division, FC Emmen stays in Second Division.
Thus, SC Heerenveen and SVV Scheidam were the teams promoted to play in the top league next season.
Champions deserve a second look: SVV Scheidam.

The Cup finals were dramatic, both. Aberdeen reached both finals, where they met Celtic and Glasgow Rangers. High stakes for all involved.
Celtic – Aberdeen clashed in the Scottish Cup final. Celtic dearly wanted a trophy to save otherwise weak season. But Aberdeen wanted a trophy too. The final finished scoreless after overtime and penalty shoot-out followed, in which Aberdeen prevailed 9-8.
Huge disappointment for Celtic’s hopes, but it was somewhat fair loss, considering the shape of Celtic this season. No trophy for them.
One may say Aberdeen was lucky to win the final, but they won and the Scottish Cup was in their hands.
The League Cup final: Rangers vs Aberdeen. Rangers wanted a double. Aberdeen wanted a second trophy as well – the League Cup final ended undecided, but in the overtime Aberdeen prevailed: 2-1.
No double for Rangers – a blow to their domination.

Once again, Aberdeen was lucky. Well, third-time lucky… which speaks volumes for their tough determination. Fighting tooth and nail for second place in the championship and both Cup finals – and prevailing at the very end. But very little, but coming on top. Getting more with less – that is, spending less than Rangers and thus having weaker squad, but the approach was sober one. Of course, the Dutch imports Theo Snelders and Willem van der Ark were not famous stars, but were dependable. Charlie Nickolas was fading already without fulfilling the great hopes he inspired some years before, but was good enough for Aberdeen. There were also Alex McLeish, Davie Dodds… the squad had enough strength. Double victors at the end – winning the 7th Scottish Cup and the 4th League Cup for the club.