ASWH, short for Altijd Sterker Worden Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, is an association football club from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Netherlands. The club was founded in 1929. It won section championships in 1949, 1959, 1961, 1970, 1883, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2024. In 2005 ASWH also won the Dutch Championship of Amateur Soccer and the Dutch Championship of Saturday Soccer. Ascending gradually through the ranks, ASWH played 2019–2022 in the semi-professional Tweede Divisie. In 2023, it joined the Vierde Divisie, after relegating twice for the first time in the club's history. In 2023–2024, ASWH operates 70 teams in competitions.
ASWH has won several cups: the KNVB Amateur Cup in 2006 and 2014, the District Cup South I in 2006, 2014, and 2016, and the Dutch Super Cup for Amateurs in 2005 and 2014. In the 2006–07 KNVB Cup, ASWH defeated the professional side Cambuur in the 16th finals, 4–2,[5] before losing 5–0 against Roda JC in the 8th finals. In the 2016–17 KNVB Cup, ASWH reached the 8th finals again, where it lost 2–0 against AZ Alkmaar.[6]
The origin of the club's name is not clear. Some claim ASW stood for Altijd Sporten Wij (We're Always Sporting), others claim it meant Altijd Sterker Worden (Always Growing Stronger). Clueless about which of the two is historically correct, club members eventually settled on "Altijd Sterker Worden" because of a general preference for this phrase as is. An H for Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht was later added as there were additional clubs with the name ASW.
The club was founded on August 1, 1929, as ASW, by five children from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht: Bas van Wingerden (born 1915), Johannes van Wingerden (born 1917), Jan van Nieuwenhuyzen (born 1917), Siem van der Wulp (born 1919) and Harmen Haksteeg (born 1920). The oldest of the five, 14-year-old Bas van Wingerden, became the club's first chairman. He was succeeded by then-16-year-old Harmen Haksteeg in 1936. Haksteeg would remain chairman of the club until 1971.
The club initially played only friendly away matches, for lack of its own ground, and could not join a competition. This changed when farmer Nugteren gave the club a pasture in 1936, coincidentally (as the club kept moving around) opposite the location of its current field. The first home match was played on May 25, 1936, against ULO Groenendijk. The club joined the Rotterdam district of the Christian Dutch Football Association, as a new club in its third and lowest class.[7] On 2 November 1936 ASW lost in Rijsoord 3–1 against VV Rijsoord, the leaders of the competition[7] and initially a stronger rival of ASW. With ASW central forward Pons missing, Van der Wulp scored an equalizer for H.I. Ambacht, yet the team and its keeper were no match for Rijsoord.[7]
Starting in the 1937–38 season, the classes of the struggling CNVB were reorganized into regional sections. Henceforth ASW played in section C in the equivalent of a regional class 1, so it went supposedly up two tiers, while there was a stronger quality variance. In its first loss for this season, ASWH was beaten 7–4 by VVE Nieuw Lekkerland, in what the Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde [sic] praised as "a match in which often good soccer could be enjoyed."[8] On Monday, 6 June 1938 ASWH drew 1–1 against ONA Gouda and 0–0 against ZCFC Zaandam – the eventual winners of the 1B division cup – in the Western Tourneer of the Christian Dutch Football Association.[9] In March 1939, ASW played again a strong game against VVE, going 1–0 into recession. In the second half VVE received and utilized a penalty shot.[10] The supporters and players were annoyed by the decision, the referee by their protest, and decided with little reason to quit the game.[10]
In 1939–40, ASWH participated in an emergency competition.[11] The competition was managed by the KNVB by standards set by the CNVB that had collapsed as the season was about to start. Initially, ASWH drew against Oranje Wit Dordrecht, 0–0.[12] On 28 September 1940, "that brave little club" from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht beat Rijsoord, 2–3, in Rijsoord.[13] In November 1941, ASW led the regional Division B competition unbeaten, beating among others Dordrecht 3–1.[14] In 1942 the Nazis confiscated the field of ASW after which it played on Ido's Football Club grounds on the Nieuwe Bosweg.[15][16] The last game during World War II was a 1–5 loss against Kinderdijk-side VV De Zwerver in February 1944.
The first game after the war was a 3–0 loss against H.I.-Ambacht partner and rival IFC.[15] Gradually an H for Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht was added to the club name, to avoid confusion with ASW from Dordrecht (merged into SC Reeland in 1997) and ASW from Waddinxveen (continuing under this name). The first section title for ASWH 1, in the highest division of the Dordrecht district of the Royal Dutch Football Association, was won in 1949, after winning all matches. The right for promotion posed a problem: the pitch didn't meet the criteria for admission to the main league system of the KNVB. A new ground on the Pruimendijk in Oostendam was offered by farmer Plaisier,[15] and the club was promoted.
During 1954–58, Floor de Zeeuw, former goalkeeper on Feyenoord's first squad, coached ASWH 1.
During almost the entire 1950s ASWH played in the Vierde Klasse 4C and 4D. It ended 9th in 1954, 8th in 1955 and '56, 7th in 1950, 4th in 1953 and '58, 3rd in 1951 and '57, and runner-up in 1952. In the runner-up year it was supposed to play an important game against Woudrichem, where the referee failed to show up.[17] One of the larger victories during these years was the November 1952 shellacking of PPSC [nl] of Schiedam at 6–0.[18] In 1959 it won the 4D section championship and promoted to the Derde Klasse.
The first gig in the Derde Klasse B lasted only one year and in the summer of 1960 ASWH went back to the Vierde Klasse from position 9. For an equally short period as in 1961 ASWH secured its second Vierde Klasse section championship.[19] In the decisive game, on Saturday 18 March 1961, it had beaten SV Bolnes 2–0 in Ambacht.[19] ASWH thus promoted a second time to the Derde Klasse, this time staying for 2 seasons. In 1963 ASWH returned to the Vierde Klasse for two seasons.
In 1965 it was promoted from the second position in the Vierde Klasse, never to go to the Vierde again. Now a stable Derde Klasse team, it ended 8th in 1966, runner-up in 1967, 5th in 1968, and 6th in 1969.
Slowly but steadily, ASWH rose through the ranks. In 1970 the Ambacht side won its only Derde Klasse championship after it beat RC Leiderdorp 2–0 at home.[20][21] It promoted to the Tweede Klasse where it would play for the remainder of the 1970s and beyond.
In 1983, ASWH won its first and only Tweede Klasse championship. During the remainder of the 1980s, ASWH played in the Eerste Klasse. During the years 1992–1995, ASWH played back in the Tweede Klasse. In 1995 it was back in the Eerste Klasse.
André Wetzel coached ASWH at the start of the 21st century
In 1996 ASWH was promoted from the Eerste Klasse to the Hoofdklasse, at that time the third tier and the highest tier of amateur football in the Netherlands. The club was relegated two years later, followed by the title in the Eerste Klasse and automatic promotion back to the Hoofdklasse.
The club was placed in the Saturday Hoofdklasse B, where it finished in third place. The next season brought the first Hoofdklasse title in the club's existence. In 2002 ASWH again won the title, this time in the Saturday Hoofdklasse A.
A third Hoofdklasse championship was earned in 2004–05, this time followed by the national title for Saturday amateurs, defeating IJsselmeervogels and Excelsior '31, and the national amateur title, defeating Mijdrecht-side SV Argon.
From Fall 2010 through Spring 2016 ASWH played continuously in Hoofdklasse B. In the 2015–2016 season, ASWH finished third in the Hoofdklasse. Through playoffs, it was promoted for the first time beyond the Hoofdklasse, to the newly coined Derde Divisie.
In the 2016–17 KNVB Cup ASWH beat De Treffers 0–3 in Groesbeek in the first round. In the second round, it won 2–3 over SV Spakenburg in Spakenburg. In the third round it lost 2–0 against AZ Alkmaar in Alkmaar.[6] While ASWH suffered a moderate loss and returned to Ambacht with dignified results against a leading professional team, AZ did not utilize several of its prime players.[6] AZ eventually were runners-up in the national cup.
ASWH started its first Derde Divisie season with a series of victories, eventually stopped at a 1–3 defeat against Heemskerk-side ODIN '59 on 25 September 2016.[22] It was a sour loss as ASWH had not been beaten at Sportpark Schildman since November 2015 and controlled the ball 70 percent of the game.[22] Regrouping soon enough, ASWH completed its first Derde Divisie season in 4th position.
In the 2017–18 KNVB Cup ASWH was out in its first game, against Hoofdklasse-team HSV Hoek, when the Zeelanders beat ASWH 1–3 in Sportpark Schildman.[29] ASWH 2 followed suit; it did not pass the classifying stage of the District Cup after it lost 3–1 against VV De Zwerver.[30] Since 2019 the youth department has been KNVB certified as a regional football academy.[31]
ASWH strengthened throughout its third Derde Divisie season and on 25 May 2019 it secured the championship of the third period (season trimester), placing the club in the promotion playoff.[32] After a 2-1 victory at Sportpark Schildman and 2-2 in Oostzaan, ASWH qualified for a playoff final against FC Lienden.[33][34][35][36] In the finals, it lost the first game at Sportpark Schildman 0–1,[37][38][39][40] then won 2–0 in Lienden, securing the promotion to the Tweede Divisie.[41][42][43][44]
In its first game in the Tweede Divisie, ASWH drew against title candidate SV Spakenburg, 1–1. Sam van de Kreeke, who defeated FC Lienden with a second and last goal in the promotion finals, also scored the first goal in ASWH's new league.[45] Next Saturday, ASWH was beaten 0–3 by VV Katwijk, another contender for the Tweede Divisie championship,[46] and dropped from a shared 7th place to 15th position. In the third week, ASWH won its first Tweede Divisie game, 2–0 against SVV Scheveningen through goals by Abderrahim Loukili and Clarence Bijl, rising to 11th position.[47][48] In week 5, ASWH was badly beaten by VV Noordwijk, 5–1.[49] Noordwijk promoted alongside ASWH to the Tweede Divisie.[50][51] ASWH dropped to 14th position. A series of mostly defeats followed, bringing ASWH to the last spot on December 7, after losing 0–4 against HHC Hardenberg.[52] After two draws against other bottom contenders, with a defeat in between, ASWH rose to the 17th spot on January 25.[53] After an expected defeat on February 2 against IJsselmeervogels, 4–1, ASWH was dead last again.[54] A home victory of ASWH on 8 February over GVVV brought the club to 17th position and brought fresh hope for remaining in the Tweede Divisie.[55][56] On 29 February, after losing to Excelsior Maassluis, ASWH returned to the 18th last spot.[57][58] It remained in the Tweede Dvisie as there were no relegations due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands.
ASWH had a usually successful game preparation for its second Tweede Klasse Season that included a 1–0 victory against the 1st squad of the professional side FC Dordrecht.[59] In its first league game against the strong Kozakken Boys in Werkendam, ASWH surprised with a narrow 2–3 loss, having reduced Kozakken's lead while ASWH played with only 10 players.[60] In the third game it won as a visitor in Scheveningen from one goal, scored in the 21st second by Daniel Wissel.[61] A 2–0 victory against De Treffers at home brought ASWH to second position, a 3–2 loss against AFC (after ASWH had led twice) to the fourth place, and a 2–0 victory over Quick Boys back to runner-up position, where it finished the season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With an almost entirely new squad,[62] ASWH started its preparations for a Derde Divisie season on 9 July 2022.[63] It started the season on August 20, with an out victory against Harkemase Boys, 1–3. ASWH finished last with 27 points, and was relegated for the second year in a row, this time to the fifth-tier Vierde Divisie. It was the first time that ASWH had relegated twice.
For the 2023–24 season, ASWH recruited from OFC Oostzaan the former FC Volendam professional Genridge Prijor, several players from other amateur teams, and it advanced more than the usual of its youth players. Most players were again new to ASWH and, atypical to ASWH, all others played just one year for the club. By winter break it led the table at a staggering 11-point advantage over FC 's-Gravenzande in second position, having lost only one game since the beginning of the season, against bottom-dweller RVVH of Ridderkerk. On the route, it won the first-trimester championship, securing at participation in the promotion playoff, if not taking the championship. ASWH went on to also win the second trimester and, on April 20, a very early Vierde Klasse championship, as it had opened a 17-point distance from any competition. After winning and losing two more games each, ASWH also won the third trimester and promoted to the Derde Divisie with a 14 point advantage.
^Dingenouts, Bas (7 March 2022). "Rogier Veenstra: 'We zijn Klein Duimpje in competitie van reuzen'". Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant. Wie voor de winterstop tegen Rogier Veenstra had gezegd dat zijn ASWH drie van de eerste vier wedstrijden van 2022 zou winnen, was wellicht uitgelachen door de Middelburger. Door de overwinning van zaterdag op Jong Sparta is dit toch een feit en vinden we de tweededivisionist op de veilige vijftiende plaats terug.
^ abc"Zuinig AZ met samengeknepen billen langs dapper ASWH" [Efficient AZ with twitched ass passed brave ASWH]. Voetbal International. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016. AZ heeft zich ten koste van derdedivisionist ASWH geplaatst voor de kwartfinale van het toernooi om de KNVB-beker. De bezoekers uit Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht mochten lang hopen op een stunt, maar die kwam er niet: 2-0.
^"Een prachtige strijd". Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde. Oud-Beijerland. 3 March 1952. Retrieved 1 August 2020 – via Delpher. In 4 D ging de belangrijke wedstrijd ASWH—Woudrichem wegens het niet opkomen van de scheidsrechter niet door.
^"PPSC-resultaten". De Schiedammer. 17 November 1952. p. 2 – via Gemeentearchief Schiedam - Krantenkijker. Deze wedstrijd tegen ASWH is voor PPSC op een wel heel grote telleursteling uitgelopen. Onze stadsgenoten verloren deze ontemoeting met niet minder dan 6–0.
^ ab"Eerste nederlaag voor ASWH" [First defeat for ASWH]. Voetbal Rotterdam. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016. ASWH heeft vanmiddag de eerste nederlaag in de derde divisie geleden. De Ambachters liepen op eigen veld in het mes van ODIN '59. [...] De ploeg van trainer Jack van den Berg had minimaal zeventig procent balbezit tegen de zeer defensief opererende gasten, maar na afloop stond er toch 1-3 op het scorebord. Daardoor verloor ASWH voor het eerst sinds 28 november 2015 weer eens op eigen veld en raakte de ploeg tevens de koppositie kwijt.
^Sportredactie (27 August 2017). "Spakenburg ontsnapt aan nederlaag bij ASWH". De Gooi- en Eemlander. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2018. Spakenburg heeft zijn zinnen gezet op een zo snel mogelijke terugkeer naar de tweede divisie. Wat dat betreft was een puntje bij het taaie ASWH in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht (2-2) helemaal niet verkeerd, aangezien de 'blauwen' lange tijd op een nederlaag leken af te stevenen.
^Redactie (8 June 2019). "ASWH verslaat FC Lienden en is Tweede Divisionist". Voetbal247. Retrieved 3 November 2020. ASWH speelt volgend seizoen in de Tweede Divisie. De ploeg van Cesco Agterberg rekende in de finale van de play-offs af met FC Lienden. Op de Abdijhof werd het 0-2.
^Westerink, Robert (8 June 2019). "FC Lienden degradeert naar derde divisie". De Gelderlander. Retrieved 3 November 2020. FC Lienden keldert na drie seizoenen in de tweede divisie naar de derde divisie. De ploeg van trainer Hans van de Haar verloor over twee wedstrijden van ASWH, dat promoveert. Woensdag won FC Lienden nog met 0-1 in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht; in Lienden was ASWH met 0-2 te sterk.
^ abBomgaars, Arco (26 January 2020). "Jordie van der Laan verzuimt zichzelf een droomdebuut te bezorgen bij ASWH". Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved 31 January 2020. ASWH verliet de laatste plek in de tweede divisie dankzij het 0-0 gelijkspel tegen collega-nieuwkomer Noordwijk. Maar de Ambachtse oogst had royaler kunnen, zelfs móeten zijn: huurling Jordie van der Laan miste dé kans om van zijn entree een droomdebuut te maken.
^Vervelde, Daniel (14 September 2024). "Pijnlijke middag voor Goes, dat na nederlaag tegen ASWH hekkensluiter is". Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant. De belangrijke wedstrijd tegen ASWH in de onderste regionen van de derde divisie is voor Goes uitgelopen op een teleurstelling. De Zeeuwen hadden de punten heel goed kunnen gebruiken, maar gingen voor eigen publiek met liefst 1-4 onderuit tegen de concurrent.
^Kasius, Henk (2022-12-20). "ASWH versterkt zich per direct met Luis Pedro" [ASWH immediately strengthens with Luis Pedro]. Topamateurvoetbal.com (in Dutch). Newsfactory. Retrieved 2022-12-20. De Rotterdamse verdediger met Angolese roots zat sinds dit seizoen zonder club en sluit per direct aan bij de derdedivisionist uit Hendrik Ido Ambacht. Hij tekent een overeenkomst tot het einde van dit seizoen.
^"ASWH huurt Jordie van der Laan van Kozakken Boys". tweededivisie.nl. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020. ASWH huurt Jordie van der Laan voor de rest van het seizoen van Kozakken Boys, waar de aanvaller bezig is aan zijn eerste seizoen.
^"Joop Molendijk trainer NSVV". Nieuwe Leidsche Courant. 20 February 1978. p. 13. Roon Schleurholtz-Boerma wordt de nieuwe trainer van ASWH, waar Leo van Graafeiland opstapt. De laatste gaat na drie seizoenen weg naar HBBS.
^Langendorff, Geert (29 October 2013). "ASWH eerst naar Ajax, maar duel met Hoek is belangrijker" [ASWH first to Ajax, but duel with Hoek is more important]. Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant. pp. 30–31 – via Krantenbank Zeeland.
^"Johan Sturrus nieuwe trainer van Papendrecht". Regio Voetbal. 14 February 2018. Johan Sturrus is met ingang van volgend seizoen de nieuwe hoofdtrainer van zaterdagtweedeklasser Papendrecht. De 45-jarige inwoner van Zwijndrecht zal op Het Slobbengors, als opvolger van de na één seizoen alweer vertrekkende Peter de Haan, voor het eerst op eigen (trainers)benen komen te staan. Sturrus is nu nog de assistent van Jack van den Berg bij ASWH.
^"Scheurwater en Middendorp erelid ASWH" [Scheurwater and Middendorp honorary member ASWH]. Regio Rijnmond Voetbal. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
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