FC Twente will fight the KNVB’s plan to relegate them to the Eerste Divisie for financial irregularities. 

  • By Nicholas Koopman
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twe stadiumTwente have endured a difficult time both on and off the field this season. The former 2009/10 Eredivise winners have had to suffer a thirteenth place finish after scraping together only forty points, looking a shadow of the team they use to be. To make matter worse, the club has also been suffering from financial problems which have hampered their ability to compete with the teams at the top of Dutch football.
The situation stems from events that took place in 2013 when the previous management completed deals with an investment firm Doyen Sports. The Dutch F.A. (KNVB) ruled that the practice, which allowed Doyen to profit on player transfers, broke league rules and decided to act against F.C. Twente. In December, Twente were docked three points, banned from all European competition for three years and fined €200,000 euros.

In May, Twente missed their latest deadline for improving their finances and, as a result, were only given a license for the Jupiler League (or Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football) effectively relegating Twente. The financial and sporting implications of relegating one of the Netherlands biggest teams is huge.

The club plan to the fight the ruling saying in a statement “F.C. Twente cannot bear the financial consequences of this sanction. (We have) identified elements enabling (us) to contest the proposed definitive revocation of (our) licence to play in the Eredivisie – and that’s what we’ll do.”

Having rejected a comprise, offered by the other Eredivise clubs, that would have seen Twente relegated but still eligible for several million euros in media funds, it seems like this is a saga that could run and run.

Twente have managed to avoid bankruptcy before, back in 2002, and recover to claim a Eredivise title, but with the KNVB set to announce next year’s fixtures on the 14th June, time is running out to save The Tukkers from the drop.




Nicholas Koopman (93 Posts)