Holland. After the decline of late 70-s and early 80s, Dutch football was rapidly coming back – with talented young generation of players, talented crop of coaches, and two strong teams, playing exciting football. And scoring spectacular number of goals.
Second Division. Promotion was the only important thing – two teams directly and the third: the winner of promotional tournament after the end of the regular season.
Spcl. Cambuur – 19th with 19 points. Last.
Emmen – 18th with 24 points.
SC Heerenveen – 17th with 27 points.
FC Eindhoven – 16th with 29 points.
DS’79 Dordrecht – 15th with 29 points.
FC Wageningen – 14th with 30 points.
NAC Breda – 13th with 32 points.
Helmond Sport – 12th with 32 points.
SVV Schiedam – 11th with 33 points.
RBC Roosendaal – 10th with 33 points.
De Graafschap – 9th with 33 points.
Vitesse – 8th with 38 points.
FC Volendam – 7th with 40 points.
Telstar – 6th with 41 points.
Willem II – 5th with 42 points.
SC Veendam – 4th with 44 points.
RKC Waalwijk – 3rd with 45 points.
PEC Zwolle – 2nd with 51 points. Way stronger then most of the league and promoted as a result.
FC Den Haag – 1st with 62 points. Dominant and impressive champions: they did mot lose even one match! 26 wins, 10 ties, 0 losses, 85-33 goal-difference. They left the second-best team 11 points behind. Was it really important or not, but FC Den Haag had the only player with well established name in the whole league: Martin Jol, now 30-years old and back from successful career in West Germany and England.
The third promoted team had to be decided in the traditional small tournament after the season between 4 teams, qualifying by performance in different stages of the regular championship. Probably ambition played biggest role at this stage.
Vitesse was last just 2 points. RKC Waalwijk – 3rd with 3 points. Willem II – 2nd with 7 points. Veendam played perfect tournament – 6 games-6 wins – and won the last promotion to First Division.