Koninklijke HFC

Koninklijke HFC was the first Dutch Rugby club, established on 15 September 1879 by the 14-year-old Pim Mulier, who first encountered the sport in 1870. However HFC switched to association football in 1883. (The Delftsche Studenten Rugby Club was the first official rugby club on 24 September 1918.)

In 1899 they moved from their original ground "De Koekamp" to the "Spanjaardslaan", where they still play their home matches to this day. At that period the Spanjaardslaan (Spaniard's Lane), the east–west road at the southern edge of the oldest public park of the Netherlands, was part of the neighbouring town of Heemstede, but switched back to be part of Haarlem in 1927.

The beginning of football in the Netherlands

The Netherlands national football team have played two international matches at the Spanjaardslaan. Both matches were versus Belgium, resulting in a 1–2 loss and a 7–0 win. In the past HFC has contributed several players to the Netherlands national football team. Of those players, goalkeeper Gejus van der Meulen obtained the most caps, 54. At present his grandson still plays for HFC.

Before the Dutch championship was officially established, HFC won three unofficial national titles:

• 1889–1890
• 1892–1893
• 1894–1895

Three times in the club's history they have won the KNVB Cup (1904, 1913 and 1915). In the cup competition of 1903–04 HFC beat VVV from Amsterdam 25–0, which still remains a record score in the Dutch cup competition.

The club was named Koninklijk (Royal) in 1959, 80 years after the club was founded.[1] Since 1923 the first team of HFC plays the opening match of a new year versus a selection of former Dutch international players on 1 January.

As of 11 November 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF  NED Danny Hols 3 DF  NED Oscar Wilffert 4 DF  NED Peet van der Slot 5 DF  USA John Hilton 6 FW  NED Sietse Brandsma 7 FW  NED Daniël van Son 8 DF  NED Kevin van Gasteren 9 FW  NED Khalid Tadmine 10 MF  NED Franklin Lewis 11 FW  NED Jordy Hilterman 12 FW  NED Jeffrey van der Heijden 13 DF  NED Kane Prins 14 MF  NED Jacob Noordmans (captain) 15 MF  SOM Liban Abdulahi

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 MF  NED André Morgan 17 FW  NED Roy Castien 18 DF  NED Wessel Boer 19 DF  NED Teun Versteeg 21 GK  NED Richard de Groot 22 GK  NED Tom Boks 23 DF  NED Deron Payne 25 FW  NED Noud Kaagman 27 DF  NED Roy Deken 28 MF  NED Lans Bovenberg 33 MF  NED Bram van de Wiel 38 MF  NED Taye Lee 51 MF  NED Mitchell Honkoop

• Club of Pioneers