Roda JC Kerkrade

Lore & Background

Roda JC is known as the 'coal-miner's club'; fans of archrival club MVV say those words condescendingly, but in Kerkrade and the surrounding area, they are said with pride and respect. The club's honours include seven European campaigns and six KNVB Cup finals, of which they won two (1996–97 and 1999–2000). One of its predecessors, Rapid JC, were champions of the Netherlands in 1956.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over Philips Stadion on a crisp autumn evening. The air smelled of rain and hot dogs as fans from Kerkrade arrived, their black-and-red scarves standing out against the red sea of Eindhoven. A whistle blew, cutting through the noise. For ninety minutes, it wasn't just about the league table; it was about who owned the south.

Reader's Guide

Roda JC was placed in the Eerste Divisie after the merger, and after a relegation they were promoted back to the top division in 1973, where they would stay for 41 years until being relegated in 2014. In 2009–10, they added Kerkrade to the name to create brand awareness and get financial support.

Did You Know?

• Ten out of eleven players on the 1956 Rapid JC championship team were coal miners.
• Roda JC's most memorable European match was on 28 February 2002, when they took Milan to a penalty shoot-out at San Siro after a 0–1 win.
• The club came close to bankruptcy on several occasions in the late 2010s.