First Division. One outsider and two outstanding leaders, but PSV Eindhoven dominated the season. It was also marked by massive return of those playing in England. Particularly high scoring records at the top of the table.
SC Heracles’74 – last and out with 12 points. They distinguished themselves by winning more away than home games. 2 vs 1.
NEC Nijmegen – 17th with 23 points and relegated.
MVV Maastricht – 16th with 24 points. Relegated as well. Third row from left: Paul Penders, Jean Maas, Arie van Staveren, Chrit Baetsen, Marcel Spa, Huub Driesen, Eric Gerets (short spell, quickly joining PSV Eindhoven), Hans Linders.
Middle row: Frans Schobbe, Cor Bromm – coach, Reginal Thal, Toin van Mierlo, Marcel Adam, Bert van de Poppe, Bert van Marwijk, Gilbert Hautvast, Huub Smeets, Ron Weyzen – assistant coach, John Voorts.
Sitting: Berry Penders, Jos Schmeitz, Eric Merk, Eric van der Luer, Rob Delahey.
Excelsior – 15th with 25 points.
Twente – 14th with 27 points. Top row from left: Henk Eysink – physiotherapeut, Martin Koopman, John Scheve, Evert Bleuming, Willy Carbo, Ron Willems, Andre Paus, Niels Overweg – assistant coach.
Middle row: Jan Steenbeeke – masseur, Dick Schoenaker, Bert-Jan Janssen, Ulrich Wilson, Rene Roord, Theo ten Caat, Fred Rutten, Epi Drost – assistant coach, Fritz Korbach – coach.
Sitting: Michael Birkedal, Manuel Sanchez Torres, Theo Snelders, Marcel Fleer, Patrick Bosch, Martien Vreijsen.
Not enough good players for something better – only Schoenaker, Snelders, and Sanchez Torres.
VVV Venlo – 13th with 27 points. Top row from left: Veggel – masseur, F. Verbeek, P. Berkens, J. Taihuttu, J. Rutten, J. Roux, L. Gilkes, H. Ringels, W. Hooreman.
Middle row: W. Teeuwen – manager, G. Kopp, H. Coort, W. Jacobs, R. Libregts, R. Reynierse, E. van Berge Henegouwen, P. Corbijn, C. burhenne, M. Verlijsdonk, G. Janssen, G. van Rosmalen.
Sitting: J. van Aerts, H. Winkelmolen, F. Nijssen, S. Vergoossen – coach, J. Versleijen – assistant coach, S. Valckx, J. Versleeuwen, W. van den Beek.
FC Utrecht – 12th with 32 points. Third row from left: John v. d. Linden, Jan v. d. Akker, Ton du Chatinier, John van Loen, Ton de Kruyk, Gerrit Plomp, Herman Verrips.
Middle row: Gijs v. d. Bidt, Gert Kruys, Peter v. d. Waart, Edwin Godee, Jan-Willem van Ede, Jan Lecker, Wim Rijsbergen, Ben Rietveld, Martin Ockhuyzen.
Henk Vonk – assistant coach, Fred Tuinman, Johan v. d. Hooft, Nol de Ruiter – coach.
Wim Rijsbergen playing his last days here – and, seemingly, helping enough.
Haarlem – 11th with 32 points. Top row from left: P. Keur, J. Bockling, C. Baas, C. Verkaik, M. Metgod.
Middle row: J. van Doorneveld – coach, R. Talan, R. Moniz, R. Hesp, L. Nijholt, M. Liesdek, Th. Immers – assistant coach.
Sitting: W. Balm, R. Attefveld, R. Collewijn, E. Metgod, K. Masefield, A. Leysner, R. Matthaei.
Go Ahead Eagles – 10th with 33 points.
AZ’67 – 9th with 34 points. Sinking… There still were few well-known players, but nothing like what Alkmaar had at its great days – Kees Kist (33 years old), Peter Arntz (32 years old), Gerrie Kleton (32 years old). It was much lower lever, no doubt – the English import David Loggie used to play for York City…
Fortuna – 8th with 34 points. Top row from left: H. A. Jessen, Mario Eleveld, Wim Koevermans, Anne Evers, Roger Houtackers, John Linford, P. Bruls.
Middle row: Dick Voom – assistant coach, Wilbert Suvrijn, Theo van Well, Tiny Ruys, Rene Maessen, Gerrie Schrijnemakers, Jos Nordang, Roger Reijners, Frans Thijssen, Bert Jacobs – coach.
Sitting: Wouter Holverda, willy Boessen, Andre van Gerven, Chris Korver, Arthur Hoyer, Rob Philippen.
Frans Thijssen back from Englsih glory and getting too old now.
Sparta – 7th with 37 points. Top row: Oomen, Schuurhuizen, v.d. Weel, Noortwijk, Dilberto, De Kant, Veldhoen.
Middle row: Nijmen, Klamer, Andriessen, De Goey, Fraser, Lengbeek, van Gaal, Vonk.
Sitting: Schmidt, Blind, Olde Riekernik, Eijer, Tiktak, v. Polanen, Tebbens.
Van Gaal was still playing along with bright young talent Blind and de Goey. One will retire soon and become famous coach, the other will move to the big clubs and also become stars. Sparta was just a donor, unfortunately.
FC Den Bosch – 6th with 37 points. Most famous was their coach Rinus Israel. On the field – Hans Gilhaus was great promise, but still too young.
Roda JC – 5th with 39 points. Third row from left: Norbert Keulen, Hennie Meijer, Marco Grassi, R. Frolichs, Jos Daerden, Rene Trost, Jimmy Calderwood.
Middle road: Frans Korver – coach, John de Jong, Hans Cremer, Ron Jans, Jan Nederburgh, Harry Klein, Martin van Geel, Peter van de Veen.
Sitting: Eugene Hanssen, Edwin Gorter, Rene Hofman, Jos Smits, Pierre Blatter, Rinie Verwest, Michel Haan.
Their best years, but such a squad could no go really high – the Englishman Calderwood was the their most recognizable player.
FC Groningen – 4th with 40 points. Top row from left: Jan Jaap Kooistra, Ron van den Berg, Stoffer Bakker, John de Wolf, Mark Verkuyl, Adri van Tiggelen.
Middle row: Han Berger – coach, Paul Mason, Johan de Kock, Pieter Beuzenberg, Edwin Bakker, Pieter Huistra, Harris Huizingh, Sief Ronde – assistant coach.
Sitting: Henk Hagenauw, Rob McDonald, Sjaak Storm, Steve Goble, Jos Roossien, Jan van Dijk, John Visser.
Wonderful season, but to keep even this level – good, but far from challenging the big clubs – they needed the impossible: to keep players like van Tiggelen and de Wolf. To keep their imports too.. Rob McDonald may not have been great player in the large scheme, but attractive enough for PSV Eindhoven to grab him.
Feyenoord – 3rd with 44 points. Too strong for the rest of the league, but in the same time much weaker than the other two big clubs. The last title came with Cruijff, who was never accepted by Feyenoord fans, and was often booed – the sign of weakness was in continuing using former Ajax stars: there were three of them this season – Johnny Rep, Tscheu La Ling, and Simon Tahamata. Perhaps the fans were not hostile to them, but it was a story of inability to either bring up own talent or hire stars from elsewhere – to keep up, Feyennord had to look to Ajax’s veterans… In general, it was aging team – including the 3 Danish national team players Nielsen, Eriksen, and Sorensen.
Ajax – 2nd with 52 points. Officially, Spitz Kohn was the coach – in reality, it was Cruijff, whose lack of proper credentials needed a bit of trickery – he had different position on paper. The team was wonderful and there was direct link with the greatest Ajax – Cruijff and van Dord coaching and Arnold Muhren back from England. Enough for inspiration, it seems – Ajax scored astonishing 120 goals this season. But it was good only for distant second place with 52 points.
PSV Eindhoven won the championship without letting any challenge: 27 wins, 6 ties, only 1 lost match, 100-22 goal-difference, and 60 points. Massive gap between them and Ajax – 8 points! Great scorers, best defenders, well-rounded, still having live link with the great squad from the 1970s – Willy van de Kerkhof, fresh great recruits – van Breukelen, Gerets, and most importantly Gullit. The advantage the had over Ajax was not that much talent, but experience – PSV was wonderfully coming to its peak as team and that was coming along with the peaks of their key players.