Holland. Ranked 15th. This was arguably the best ever year of Holland and so low ranking? Well, it is combined 5-year record not counting 1988, so there – the first half of the 1980s was terrible for Dutch football. Guus Hiddink’s PSV Eindhoven at its peak, wonderful Ajax too. At the other end of the spectrum – Feyenoord struggling unable to build strong team and the risky project of AZ’67 expired.
Second Division. Still professional football stayed alone, so no relegation. The top 2 of the 19-team league directly promoted and 4 ‘period champions’ competed in final play-off for the last promotion. Long time established formula.
SC Heracles’74 – last with 16 points. A very weak outsider, but without relegation in the league – no danger.
SC Emmen – 18th with 22 points.
NAC Breda – 17th with 25 points.
Helmond Sport – 16th with 25 points.
SVV Schiedam – 15th with 29 points.
FC Wageningen – 14th with 31 points.
Telstar – 13th with 34 points. Top row from left: Walter Smak, René Panhuis, Frans Jansen, Florian Vijent, Koos Kuut, Dennis de Graaf, Mink Verbaan (materiaalman)
Middle row: Jan Spierenburg (verzorger), Mike Helenklaken, Stanley MacDonald, Peter de Ruyter, Edwin Ariesen, René Tesselaar, Peter van der Zwaan, Bert van Duyvenbode, Cees Schoo, Chris van der Zwan (elftalbegeleider), Loek Scholten (directeur sponsor NILO)
sitting: Peter Tania, Matthieu Niesten, Jerry de Jong, Cor van der Hart (trainer), Dick Trock, Peter de Waal (assistent), Ron Pos, Marco Robijn.
Go Ahead Eagles – 12th with 34 points.
SC Cambuur – 11th with 34 points.
SC Heerenveen – 10th with 34 points.
Vitesse – 9th with 36 points, but as one of the ‘period winners’ they were going to promotion play-offs.
Excelsior – 8th with 38 points.
RBC – 7th with 40 points, but going to promotion play-offs as a ‘period winner’.
FC Eindhoven – 6th with 40 points.
NEC Nijmegen – 5th with 42 points.
De Graafschap – 4th with 44 points and going to promotion play-offs as a ‘period winner’.
MVV – 3rd with 44 points and going to promotion play-offs as a ‘period winner’.
SC Veendam – 2nd with 51 points. Strong season, ending with promotion to the top league. Not a title contender, but vastly superior to the rest.
RKC Waalwijk – unchallenged champions of Second Division: 31 wins, 3 ties, 2 losses, 104-30 goal-difference and 65 points. Left SC Veendam 14 points behind, scored astonishing 104 goals – what else is needed to say?
The promotion play-offs after the season between the 4 ‘period winners’ – like in the championship, one team dominated the mini-league.
De Graafschap finished last with 4 points from 6 games.
RBC Roosendaal – 3rd with 5 points.
Vitesse Arnhem – 2nd with 5 points.
MVV Maastricht – way stronger than the other contenders at the final stretch: 5 wins, 0 ties, 1 loss, 17-6 and 10 points. MVV was going back to First Division – not particularly great during the regular season, but won easily the last promotion spot anyway.