First Division. The big three were way above the rest of the league, nothing new about it, but the race was not between them: Feyenoord was much better and became solitary leader. Life at the bottom was not dramatic at all – three teams were hopeless outsiders and everybody else was just comfortably safe.
DS’79 (Dordrecht) was last with 15 points. No surprise… they struggled for mere existence, they went into some kind of amalgamation or reform, or who knows what in 1979 when the old FC Dordrecht was revamped as DS’79 – and that only if the new club had real connection with the previous one. What all that tells? One thing only: no money. Hence, down to second division.
Willem II (Tilburg) 17th with 16 points. Standing from left: Jan Notermans (hfdtrainer), Sjef van Weert (materiaal), Wim Van Steen (masseur), Johan Huybregts, Ton Soffers, Jan Formannoy, Cres Krijgh, Theo Wagener, Clemens, Bastiaansen, John Feskens, en ass trainer Cor Stolzenback.
Sitting: Bert Gozems, Toon Nelemans, Patric Cohen, Ton vd Ven, Bram Braam, John Lamners, Wanny Van Gils.
Better say nothing.
Helmond Sport – 16th with 16 points. Going down, where the club was seemingly more comfortable in recent years.
Volendam – 15th with 26 points. A giant, compared to those bellow… Top row from left: Theo Mooyer, Ton Blanker, John Holshuijsen, Wim Tol, Kees de Koning.
Middle row: Jan Molenaar, Dick de Boer, Kees Guyt, Dick Helling, Jan Klouwer, Frank Kramer, Nico Zwarthoed, Wim Kwakman, Cor v.d. Hart (trainer)
Front row: Leo Tholens (Fysiotherapeut), Klaas Tuyp, Jaap Jonk, Frans Hoek, Jan Schoker, Johan Steur.
PEC Zwolle – 14th with 29 points.
Excelsior (Rotterdam) – 13th with 31 points.
Fortuna (Sittard) – 12th with 31 points.
Go Ahead Eagles – 11th with 32 points.
FC Den Bosch – 10th with 33 points.
Roda JC – 9th with 35 points. Third row from left: Milo Muytjens, Harry Klein, Joop Dacier, Jos Smits, John Eriksen, Leo Degens.
Middle row: G.Gerards (ass.), Hans Eijkenbroek (trainer), Chris Guthrie, René Hofman, Martin van Geel, Eugène Hanssen, Norbert Keulen (verzorger).
Sitting: Leo Ehlen, Eugène Marijnissen, Peter van de Ven, Hans Cremer, Hans Zuidersma, Jimmy Calderwood, Jeffrey Rosenau.
FC Utrecht – 8th with 36 points. Dick Advocaat still playing and Jan Wouters not going to play for long for Utrecht.
FC Groningen – 7th with 37 points. Top row from left: Adri van Tiggelen – Jan de Jonge – Harry Schellekens – Pieter Beuzenberg – Rob McDonald – Bert Wiebing
Middle row: Paul Zweverink (assistent) – Karel Hiddink – Walter Waalderbos – Erwin Koeman – Bud Brocken – Ron Jans – Henk de Haan – Han Berger (trainer)
Sitting: Jan van Dijk – Fandi Ahmad – Theo Keukens – John Visser (verzorger) – Jos Roossien – Anne Mulder – Ronald Steenge. Erwin Koeman was still unknown.
Sparta (Rotterdam) 6th with 37 points.
AZ’67 (Alkmaar) – 5th with 37 points. Still stronger than most, but the risky approach – hiring veterans – was drying out and it was clear that AZ’67 was already going downhill.
Haarlem – 4th with 41 points. Excellent period, which started in 1980, but now Ruud Gullit was gone and it was only inertia.
Ajax – 3rd with 51 points. They scored amazing 100 goals this year and were bursting with young talent, but… not title contenders and even lost the battle for silver. May have been sorry as well for the mistake the club made: they let Cruijff go to arch-rivals Feyenoord. Most likely lost the championship because of that.
PSV Eindhoven – 2nd with 52 points. Not their year? Rightly so – PSV started rebuilding a bit late, but now they almost had the new team. Almost. Going up, but on yet on their peak and in need of final polishing. Soon Gerets and van Breukelen will come and their new great team will be completed, but soon is not now – now, it was still the unfinished product, good enough to edge Ajax, but not to win the title.
Feyenoord won the title after 25 wins, 7 ties, and only 2 losses. 96-31 goal-difference and 57 points. Comfortable victory, but that is what statistics tell. It was not exactly ‘a routine’ victory, nor was a beginning of great period. It was victory leaving mixed feelings. It was due to Johann Cruijff, who joined Feyenoord for his last season.
He played his last game on May 13, 1984, ending his illustrious career as champion. But he ended his career with Feyenoord… and he was not Feyenoord… and he was not even going to stay with Feyenoord… more a bit later.