Editing Sparta Rotterdam (section)

==History==
===Origins===
[[File:SpartaBlackpoolRdam1957.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Sparta Rotterdam vs [[Blackpool F.C.]], August 1957]]
On the Easter Sunday of 1 April 1888, eight students from Rotterdam founded a [[cricket]] club called '''Rotterdamsche Cricket & Football Club Sparta'''. It was established in the garden of the house of the first treasurer, Hartevelt Hoos Oostvestple, a building located on the 11 in Rotterdam.<ref name=Sparta>{{Cite web |url=https://historiebetaaldvoetbal.nl/sparta/ |title=Sparta – Historie Betaald Voetbal |trans-title=Sparta – History Professional Football |language=nl |website=historiebetaaldvoetbal.nl |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607064056/https://historiebetaaldvoetbal.nl/sparta/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The club was founded by eight students between the ages of 13 and 16.<ref name=oldest>{{Cite web |url=https://wedstrijd.tips/sparta-oudste-voetbalclub-nederland/ |title=Sparta de oudste voetbalclub van Nederland |trans-title=Sparta the oldest football club in the Netherlands |language=nl |website=wedstrijd.tips |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701215941/https://wedstrijd.tips/sparta-oudste-voetbalclub-nederland/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Five of them were students of the then [[Hogere Burgerschool|HBS]] at the Van Alkemadeplein, and the remaining three were students of the [[Gymnasium Erasmianum]] on the Coolvest, the name of the [[Coolsingel]] before it changed in 1888.<ref name=Sparta/> All the founders came from wealthy families in Rotterdam, because at the time, it was only the high and middle classes who had the time and money to practice sports, such as cricket.<ref name=Sparta/> All the founders, along with the other early members of Sparta, lived in the [[Stadsdriehoek]], [[Cool, Rotterdam|Cool]], [[Rubroek]] or [[Crooswijk]] neighborhoods of Rotterdam, which had become a fast-growing port city of the Netherlands in the second half of the 19th century.<ref name=Sparta/>

Sparta initially started as a cricket club, with the Dutch newspaper [[NRC (newspaper)|NRC]] of May 1888 already reporting a victory for Sparta over Achilles by 45 runs.<ref name=Sparta/> However, when the boys were given a [[Ball (association football)|suitable ball]], they also engaged in the sport of football, which had recently come over from the United Kingdom.<ref name=Sparta/><ref name=oldest/> The young Sparta members began playing this sport in the terrain that was located on the [[Noordereiland]], west of the [[Burgmeester Hoffmanplein]],<ref name=Sparta/> and in July 1888, a football branch of the club was thus established. In the Netherlands, it was Sparta who introduced the goal with a crossbar and nets. Before them, only a rope was stretched between the posts.<ref name=Sparta/>

===First Matches===
The members of Sparta only played matches against each other in the first year. These matches were played in various compositions between the 35-hour lesson week and the subsequent 20-hour working week at the [[Delftse Poort]], usually on the square in front of the church of the [[Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk (Rotterdam)|Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk]].<ref name=oldest/>

In 1888 there was not yet an umbrella organization for football, so there were no organized competitions. Therefore, the clubs had to invite or challenge each other, which resulted in a lot of mutual challenges between the existing clubs.<ref name=oldest/> The first football challenge that Sparta received dates back to 28 December 1888, more than 38 weeks after the foundation date, but the game, scheduled for 30 December 1888, was not played due to the unplayability of the opponent's field.<ref name=legends>{{Cite web |url=https://www.voetballegends.nl/site/profile_club.php?id=21 |title=Sparta Rotterdam (1888) |language=nl |website=www.voetballegends.nl |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701215938/https://www.voetballegends.nl/site/profile_club.php?id=21 |url-status=live }}</ref> From April 1889, the training and matches began to take place on a site designated by the [[alderman]] to the west of [[Baden Powelllaan 12, Rotterdam|De Heuvel]] in Rotterdam.<ref name=oldest/><ref name=legends/> In the same period, the club also got its first clubhouse on the Delfshavensedijk.<ref name=oldest/>

===Federal Football===
In March 1890, Sparta joined the Dutch Football and Athletics Association (''Nederlandse Atletiek en Voetbal Bond'', NVAB), founded by [[Pim Mulier]] on 8 December 1889, the predecessor of today's [[Royal Dutch Football Association|KNVB]],<ref name=Sparta/><ref name=oldest/><ref name=legends/> and they played their first real match later that year. In 1892 Sparta disbanded the cricket branch. On 18 December 1892, Sparta defeated the [[:nl:Amersfoortsche FC|Amersfoortsche FC]] ([[:nl:AFC Quick 1890|AFC Quick 1890]]) with what still is a record result for a Dutch league match: 17–0.<ref name=Sparta/><ref name=oldest/> The right winger [[Freek Kampschreur]] scored 9 of the 17 goals and is still the shared record holder for the most goals in a single Dutch league match.<ref name=Sparta/> The next home match against {{ill|GVC (football club)|lt=Go Ahead|nl|GVC}} from [[Wageningen]] is an important one as both teams have a shot at winning the 2nd division championship, and thus it attracted 1500 spectators.<ref name=Sparta/> Sparta lost 2–4, which still is their only loss in the 2nd division, but then won the away game (0–2) in February, thus finishing the season with the same amount of points, and since there were no tie-breakers at the time, both teams were promoted to the highest league of Dutch football on 23 April 1893.<ref name=Sparta/>

Earlier that same year, on 18 March 1893, Sparta was the first Dutch club to play a match against a foreign opponent, [[Harwich & Parkeston F.C.]] of England, whose football was much more developed, and they showed their clear superiority with a resounding 8–0 victory.<ref name=oldest/><ref name=legends/> When another match against an English team, [[Felixstowe FC]], was scheduled for 5 February 1894, the NVAB, in order to avert another humiliation to Sparta, forced them to field a team that included a few non-Spartan players, and the plan worked as the game ended in a 1–1 draw.<ref name=legends/><ref name=Best>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dagvantoen.nl/beste-spelers-van-nederland-niet-opgewassen-tegen-engelse-ploeg/ |title=Beste spelers van Nederland niet opgewassen tegen Engelse ploeg |trans-title=Best players in the Netherlands are no match for the English team |language=nl |website=www.dagvantoen.nl |date=6 February 1894 |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701215941/https://www.dagvantoen.nl/beste-spelers-van-nederland-niet-opgewassen-tegen-engelse-ploeg/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On the following day, 6 February, Felixstowe FC played another match, this time against a Dutch squad with the best players of the Netherlands, which fielded only two players from Sparta, Weinthal and Freek Kampschreur.<ref name=Best/> They did no better than the Sparta squad as they lost 0–1,<ref name=Best/> but this game is now considered to be the [[Netherlands national football team results (unofficial matches)|first unofficial match of the Netherlands national team]].<ref name=legends/><ref name=Best/>

In August 1893, Sparta debuted a new field on the Binnenweg which had a real fence and some seats. The players could even dress up and wash in a nearby house, but because it was continuously flooded, Sparta received permission from the municipality to move to the Schuttersveld in [[Crooswijk]]. There, they remained undefeated from January 1894 until the end of the season as they finished in fourth.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/team-historie/18931894/ |title=Eerste klasser Sparta verhuist naar Schuttersveld |trans-title=First division Sparta moves to Schuttersveld |language=nl |website=www.sparta-rotterdam.nl |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701215943/https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/team-historie/18931894/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Sparta then founded the Rotterdam Football Association in 1894.<ref name=legends/>

===Innovations===
Sparta introduced women's football in late 1896 by trying to organize a competition between a women's team from Sparta and the English Ladies Football Club from London. However, no permission for this match was given by the Dutch Football Association, which forbids it from happening.<ref name=oldest/><ref name=women>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/team-historie/18961897/ |title=Spartaans vrouwenvoetbal wordt verboden |trans-title=Spartan women's football is banned |language=nl |website=www.sparta-rotterdam.nl |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=8 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608011556/https://www.sparta-rotterdam.nl/team-historie/18961897/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Sparta also showed itself to be an innovator in other areas during this period. Over the years, Sparta introduced in the Netherlands, among other things: the [[Header (association football)|header]], a goal with a crossbar and nets, and brightly colored shirts. That red and white outfit was copied in 1899 during a visit by the Sparta board to [[Sunderland]] in England.<ref name=Sparta/><ref name=oldest/> Apart from being an innovator, Sparta was also known as a club that was sometimes difficult to deal with. For instance, in March 1897, Sparta temporarily withdrew from the Dutch league because of the alleged continuous dubious arbitration of Sparta matches, but especially due to turmoil at a match in Amsterdam against the apparently rather arrogant RAP, in which the referee did not act against the verbal abuse of the RAP players.<ref name=women/> Sparta's remaining two matches were awarded to their opponents (5–0) and the club was fined 10 Dutch coins, but despite this, it still finished fourth.<ref name=women/>

In 1899 the board of Sparta visited a match of [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]. Impressed with the red-and-white jersey of the English club, the board decided that Sunderland's colours (red-white striped jersey, black shorts) would henceforth be the colours of Sparta.<ref name=Sparta/><ref name=oldest/> The first Sparta shirts were purchased second-hand Sunderland shirts. Today, the signature red and white shirt is combined with black trousers and red and white striped stockings.<ref name=Sparta/>

===First golden age===
From 1900 Sparta played a pioneering role in the organization of Dutch football because, at the time, the board of the Dutch Football Association consisted largely of Spartans,<ref name=oldest/> and in 1901, Sparta began to organize competitions for the [[Zilveren Bal]], the most important cup tournament at the time.<ref name=legends/>

In 1905, Sparta initiated and organized the first home match of the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands national team]], against [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]. The match, won 4–0 by the Netherlands, was a rematch of a game two weeks prior, when the Netherlands beat Belgium 4–1 in [[Antwerp]], Belgium. The match took place in what had been the Sparta stadium for about ten years at the time, the Schuttersveld in Crooswijk, and the Dutch squad was coached by former Sparta player [[Cees van Hasselt]].<ref name=oldest/>

From 1893 onwards, the football players of Sparta built up a reputation as "the eternal number 2" because, in its first fifteen years in the top division of Dutch football, Sparta reached second or third place six times. This changed in 1909, as Sparta won the national championship in that year as well as in 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1915; while the Silver Ball was won in 1910 and 1913, and the NBLO Cup in 1909, 1910, and 1911.<ref name=legends/> During this period, Sparta hired a coach for the first time, the Englishman [[Edgar Chadwick]], which undoubtedly contributed to the success. Star players [[Bok de Korver]], [[Huug de Groot]], and [[Cas Ruffelse]] also played a pivotal role in helping Sparta dominate the nation during these years.<ref name=oldest/><ref name=legends/>

On 15 October 1916, Sparta moved for the last time, this time to Sparta's new stadium, [[Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel|Het Kasteel]] (The Castle), in the [[Spangen]] area of west Rotterdam. The move was largely privately funded by a group of 27 residents of Rotterdam. Following the English example, the Sparta stadium became the center of the later-built residential area and was soon known as ''Het Kasteel'' because of its facade with two turrets.<ref name=oldest/><ref name=legends/> The stadium was renovated in 1999 and is still Sparta's stadium.

In 1918, Prince Hendrik was the first member of the Royal House to pay an official visit to a Sparta match. In the years that followed, Queen Wilhelmina, Princess Juliana, and Prince Bernhard also visited the stadium, among other things to attend the annual Blood Transfusion Competition, a charity initiative that earned Sparta a high award from the Dutch Red Cross on its golden jubilee.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

===Recent years===
Until the [[2002–03 Sparta Rotterdam season|2002–03 season]], Sparta had always played at the highest level, but after they appointed the former international player [[Frank Rijkaard]] as a manager they were relegated from the top-level [[Eredivisie]] in 2002. That made Rijkaard resign from his position.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Rijkaard quits at Sparta|url= https://www.uefa.com/news/0185-0e6a419e8269-ed2f7f127b22-1000--rijkaard-quits-at-sparta/|work= [[UEFA]] |date= 31 May 2002|access-date= 17 May 2018}}</ref> Sparta returned to the Eredivisie for the [[2005–06 Eredivisie|2005–06 season]]. They were relegated again in 2010. On 20 August 2010, they equalled [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]'s and [[Heracles Almelo]]'s Dutch league record win when they defeated [[Almere City FC|Almere City]] 12–1<ref>[http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7444470/__Sparta_evenaart_record_Ajax_en_Heracles__.html?sn=voetbal Sparta evenaart record Ajax en Heracles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007165051/http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7444470/__Sparta_evenaart_record_Ajax_en_Heracles__.html?sn=voetbal |date=7 October 2012 }} - De Telegraaf {{in lang|nl}}</ref> with [[Johan Voskamp]] scoring an [[Eerste Divisie]] record 8 goals on his debut.<ref>[http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7444082/__Acht_treffers_bij_debuut__.html?sn=voetbal Acht treffers bij debuut] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007165113/http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/7444082/__Acht_treffers_bij_debuut__.html?sn=voetbal |date=7 October 2012 }} - De Telegraaf {{in lang|nl}}</ref>

After six years in the Eerste Divisie, Sparta again won promotion to the Eredivisie in April 2016 after a 3–1 win over [[Jong Ajax]] won them an unassailable lead over second placed [[VVV-Venlo]].<ref>[http://nos.nl/artikel/2098596-sparta-rotterdam-terug-in-de-eredivisie.html Sparta Rotterdam terug in de eredivisie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414151850/http://nos.nl/artikel/2098596-sparta-rotterdam-terug-in-de-eredivisie.html |date=14 April 2016 }} - NOS {{in lang|nl}}</ref> However, they were relegated for the third time in their history in May 2018 after they were beaten 1–3 on aggregate by [[FC Emmen]] in the promotion/relegation play-offs. The result proved to be a historical one since Emmen won their first ever promotion to the [[Eredivisie]].<ref>[https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/emmen-schrijft-geschiedenis-met-promotie-sparta-degradeert-uit-eredivisie~a090d95a/ Emmen schrijft geschiedenis met promotie, Sparta degradeert uit eredivisie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521021329/https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/emmen-schrijft-geschiedenis-met-promotie-sparta-degradeert-uit-eredivisie~a090d95a/ |date=21 May 2018 }} - AD {{in lang|nl}}</ref>

Sparta has won six national titles (1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915 and 1959) and three [[KNVB Cup|national cups]] (1958, 1962 and 1966).