Highlighted: Experience driving FC Volendam forward
FC Volendam fans are used to a familiar pattern: one season up, the next season down. The Volendam club have earned promotion to the Eredivisie 11 times, but have also dropped back to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie on 10 occasions. Ahead of this season, some once again labelled FC Volendam as a relegation candidate, but an 11th relegation is anything but certain.
Best season start in nearly 30 years
After 12 matchweeks in the Eredivisie, FC Volendam sit 13th on 13 points. The club has recorded three wins and four draws, giving them a four-point cushion above the relegation zone. The last time FC Volendam had collected this many points after 12 Eredivisie matches was in 1996/97, when they had fourteen. That squad, featuring experienced names such as Luc Nijholt, Johan Steur and Edwin Zoetebier, relied heavily on seasoned players. This season tells a similar story: no Eredivisie club has logged more minutes from players aged 33 or older than FC Volendam — a total of 2,889 minutes.
Henk Veerman keeps going: goals and minutes
One of those experienced pillars is captain Henk Veerman. Among outfield players, only Yannick Leliendal (1,033) has played more minutes than the 34-year-old striker (1,018 minutes). Veerman has scored four goals in the Eredivisie so far, including in each of his last two matches. He could become only the second FC Volendam player in the past 25 years to score in three consecutive league games. After Rowin van Zaanen, who achieved the feat in January–February 2009 (three matches).
Henk Veerman in the match FC Volendam vs NAC Breda (2–1).
Second half as their secret weapon
FC Volendam’s points tally is partly thanks to their strong second-half performances: something that was evident again in the most recent match against NAC Breda. Based on second-half results alone, FC Volendam would be fifth in the Eredivisie this season, with an impressive 19 points. That is six points more than their actual total, the largest positive difference of any club. A key factor is their defensive resilience after the break: FC Volendam have conceded just seven second-half goals, the fewest in the league alongside Ajax.
| # | Team | Points | Goal difference | Points (normally) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
PSV |
23 |
+9 |
31 |
-8 |
|
2 |
Feyenoord |
22 |
+9 |
28 |
-6 |
|
3 |
AJax |
21 |
+5 |
20 |
1 |
|
4 |
N.E.C. |
19 |
+10 |
18 |
1 |
|
5 |
FC Volendam |
19 |
+3 |
13 |
6 |
|
6 |
AZ |
19 |
+1 |
24 |
-5 |
On Saturday, FC Volendam host FC Twente at the Kras Stadion. The Palingboeren have won their last three home matches in the Eredivisie. The last time FC Volendam managed at least four consecutive home league wins was between March and August 1994, when they recorded a run of seven. Can the team’s experienced core once again push the club closer to securing safety?
FC Volendam celebrating after the 2–1 victory over NAC Breda.
