Non-league in Amsterdam is quite popular, despite what you'd think when you spoke to people who couldn't think of other clubs. There are many born and bred Amsterdam people who rather go to a non-league club than Ajax, who attract many people from outside the city. Non-league clubs therefore more profile themselves as being "proper" Amsterdam clubs. Being from The Netherlands originally and following non-league, I've come across other Amsterdam clubs a few times and had some interesting conversations with fans of those clubs. Many clubs don't want to get promoted from the 3rd to the 2nd tier. But it's also for a part the fault of the KNVB (Dutch FA). The licensing rules to join the Eerste Divisie (2nd tier) are very strict, major investments are needed for almost any 3rd tier club. Clubs fear that if they make those investments and it goes wrong with them dropping straight back down, that could be the end of the club. Many 3rd tier clubs are massive community clubs with loads of different teams, men usually right down to what would be "Sunday League standard" in England, but usually also several women's teams, many youth teams, veterans and so on. Therefore, risking the club's future on a higher adventure for just the 1st team could risk the status of loads of other teams as well with potentially hundreds of football players. For many clubs, that's just not worth the risk.

I was at the Rangers v DWS Amsterdam at Ibrox in 1969 Rangers won 2-1 and there was a very good crowd over than 60,000

as a dutch person, i love watching this deep dive into our football heritage. very interesting! good video mate

I was a member of Blauw Wit Amsterdam in the '70, it was a professional team just like DWS. Blauw Wit and DWS used to play their home-matches in the Olympic Stadium. In 1972 they merged into FC Amsterdam, and in 1974 they were joined by the Volewijkers, only to last till 1982.

The complex of AFC is also worth the most money in the Netherlands. With a value between 800 million and a billion.

Good thing to keep in mind is that when the people associated with these amateur sides say what level they are in they are mentioning the non-league level the club is in. Not the actual level in the full pyramid. First you have the 5 highest levels that are playing at a national level. Eredivisie, Eerste Divisie, Tweede Divisie, Derde Divisie (split in 2 leagues) and Vierde Divisie (split in 4 leagues). After that you get 5 levels which are regional and have all non-league teams in them. These are Eerste Klasse, Tweede Klasse, Derde Klasse, Vierde Klasse and the Vijfde Klasse. There even used to be Zesde, Zevende and Achtste klasse levels, but they have been abolished for first teams. So in a lot of cases when you ask someone what level the club is at and they say for example the 4th tier, they actually mean the Vierde Klasse, actually being the 9th level of Dutch football.

Anyone that follows Dutch football, will know AFC aswell. They usually do well in the first few rounds of the Dutch cup. Bigger Dutch cities have multiple bigger clubs. Rotterdam has already been mentioned with Feyenoord, Sparta and Excelsior. Eindhoven has PSV and FC Eindhoven. Even Utrecht has FC Utrecht and USV Hercules.

That Amsterdam fc ground is quite decent, with that background, as always, a proper quality video

Wow, my old club. Played for AFC for years.. That’s crazy to see at your channel. Also my father played professionally for FC Amsterdam, Amsterdam former second professional club in the 70s and 80s. “De Lieverdjes”, as they were called, turned out to be quite the cult club. Then my grandad played more than 250 games for Ajax. So we’re quite the Amsterdam football family. 😅

The thing is that in the Eredivisie (Netherlands highest football league) there is only one city that has more than 1 club in the city itself. Its Rotterdam and it has 3 clubs. But only one is basically the biggest. Those 3 are Feyenoord, Sparta and Excelsior. Sparta btw is the oldest still continuing professional football club still playing in the Eredivisie. The stadium even looks like a castle and thats also the nickname “Het Kasteel”. Btw there is another city in Netherlands which also has more than one club. Its Eindhoven. But that second club plays one rank lower than PSV from Eindhoven which is (very original name) FC Eindhoven.

during the seventies and probably early eighties Blau-witt would host a youth tournament. Leicester city would usually take part. it was a really well organized event. it was my first trip ever abroad.

The merger club FC Amsterdam (DWS/Blauw-wit/Volewijckers) existed from 1972-1982. For a short period of time they were quite succesful. Not a real top team, but they managed to play European football. I think they even beat Inter Milan. They also once beat Ajax on its own ground (2-4) and Feyenoord as well (1-2). But their following evaporated, I don't know exactly why. When they were relegated, they really lost their 'raison d'être'. A businessman kept on paying their bills for a few years, but when he pulled the plug, it was end of story. It seems that since 2008, there's a club that calls itself FC Amsterdam and plays in the same colours (red-white) as the old FC Amsterdam.

Fun Fact about AFC is that it’s probably the most expensive football ground in the world. Every big building company wants this ground to put skyscrapers on but it’s impossible cause the Football Club don’t want to move.

It’s exceptionally important to share the teams that are out there that aren’t the biggest names that we all know. To see the teams that play in the gigantic shadows of a team like Ajax reminds me of why I choose to support team that aren’t the biggest names. Thank you again for sharing this wonderful group of teams.

Try Sparta Rotterdam. Het Kasteel is a great place to see a match, even though you have already been there. I saw them play Sparta Vitesse. The away support was fantastic. I would check out a match there. Thanks for the great videos!

I definitely remember DWS and Blauw Wit when I was growing up in the 60's...but only just. Great video.

DWS were in the Fenix Trophy with FC United etc mate. Good video as always.

Truly fantastic video. Thanks Sam for all your hard work, especially showcasing little known teams no matter where they are hiding under the radar. Well done man.👍😀

Superb video ! I learnt so much I didn't know about Dutch football , always watch and enjoy your posts, especially the creative way you approach new clubs to visit or even when you visit familiar territory in the SPFL.

Absolutely awesome video Sam. Love the trips abroad❤

Cant believe you actually went to AFC! I lived just around the corner when I was younger. Was there last wednesday such a shame I missed you!

When I was in Amsterdam, I did went to a third tier game who were called AFC. The matchday atmosphere is decent though. Quite sad they didnt sell their kits that day...

Brilliant as usual, keep up the good work mate.

"in holland everyone knows it" not a single person knew them... I feel a bit sad for that guy :D

He missed the only club in the ring. AVV Swift.

That was a really interesting video Sam. Great footballing history learnt from that!

A light needs to be shone on football in *Czechia.* The top three clubs: *Sparta, Slavia and Viktoria Plzen* are performing well these days and the Czech league seems pretty intense. Czechia and Slovakia have a long, powerful, fascinating heritage in football dating back to the 1930s. Czechoslovakia won the 1976 Euros, got to the 1962 World Cup Final. They have produced great players, yet it's a region of Europe that doesn't get much exposure, analysis, reverence.

Another great video Sam! Really interesting to learn about the other teams in Amsterdam

In the 50'2 and 60's we had 4 clubs in Amsterdam: Ajax,DWS,Blauw Wit and De Volenweijkers in Amsterdam Noord. In the 70's after a fusion we had fc Amsterdam but not for a longtime. You like to visit small clubs so you should visit fc Volendam in Volendam 30 minutes by bus from Amsterdam. They had some famouse players who played for Ajax,Ipswich Town.Man.Utd.

Promotion/relegation is locked between professional and amateur teams, I actually would like for it to open up, but a number of teams don't want to get promoted. It is a really difficult situation. Btw: I love your video's on the smaller teams, I hope you come to Hardenberg for HHC someday, they also play third level football like AFC, and are ofcourse near me ;)

So glad you went to Amsterdamsche FC I’ve been there, a great set up where you can see multiple age groups play. They also have a beautiful shirt dark red with a black V on the front similar to Airdrieonians shirt. I’ve also have their pin badge in my collection.

Interesting video. One thing about the Netherlands though which you overlook is that it's so compact that although strictly speaking there is only one professional club in Amsterdam, it does actually have a fair few others in the immediate vicinity even if they are supposedly in different cities - e.g. Almere with Almere City is only 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam and also in the Eredivisie. Alkmaar (AZ Alkmaar), Utrecht (FC Utrecht) and Den Haag (ADO Den Haag, currently in 2nd tier but sometimes in Eredivisie) are also all only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam. It's likely quicker to get from all those teams to Ajax than it is to get from say Spurs to Fulham, even though they're in the same city.

Amazing content! Interesting topic to dive in to. I’ve been born in Amsterdam and this to me has always been an interesting topic. A little add on that you’d maybe find interesting aswell, is the old rivalry between Ajax and FC Amsterdam (fusion of DWS and Blauw-wit). It was the rivalry between the arrogant Ajax from the east part of town and the working class FC Amsterdam from the west part of town. Nowadays almost everybody supports Ajax in Amsterdam and we have take the arrogant attitudes as being one of our prides. But back in the days, even within Amsterdam there used to be a big division. And still today you’ll find some traditional Amsterdam families that are opposed to Ajax, because of loyalty to FC Amsterdam.

Hey! lovely video! The 2nd best club in Dutch history (PSV Eindhoven) is also really popular, but outside of the Netherlands no one really knows about other clubs from Eindhoven. You have FC Eindhoven, the team that is in the 2nd division since 1976(?), which is the longest time there of every Dutch club ever. FC Eindhoven also has a quite fierce derby with arch-nemesis Helmond Sport. Really interesting and (in my opinion) really underrated. FC Eindhoven has won the Eredivisie once, back in the 50's. Last season they managed to qualify for the Play-offs for promotion to the Eredivisie, where in the first round they won at home against Almere City, but away in Almere they did not manage to score which led them losing the play-offs. Now after losing 2-0 in the Derby against Helmond Sport they are 15th.

Nice video....but I really miss the stories about Fc Amsterdam. There is actually a book called "de lieverdjes " this book tells you some really good stories. Good luck with youre videos👍

Well researched, and informative ❤

Best video yet - really enjoyed this one. Proper niche.

Great video sam. They are all great . Keep it going mate

Paris comes to mind as a big capital city with only one well-known team. PSG of course, but the city has many other teams with Paris FC in the second tier and another dozen clubs in the lower leagues or amateur leagues that have long history.

Goodevening! I always enjoy your video’s! Especially the ones in Holland. It maken me proud that you are really interested in Dutch football! Go on!! Greetings from Joey

Nice! I watched over them for 6 months when I worked in the weird building in the background. Amazing!

Former Arsenal Head of Youth Andries Jonker was (maybe still is) Director of Football at De Volewijkerss.

Big Ajax fan and Dutch myself, AFC is one

FC Amsterdam should have been the second club in Amsterdam. They played in the Olympic stadium but for some reason it didn’t work out for them. How great would it have been if there was an Amsterdam derby every year.

As a Dutch man, I always shake my head thinking about our football pyramid. Winning the 3rd tier and not promoting to the 2nd tier is outrageous to me. However, the strict rules from the KNVB (Dutch FA) are a big problem and they don't seem to lighten up anytime soon. Which is a shame. Some of the big teams in 3rd tier (which can be considered semi pro at least) are strong enough to compete in the 2nd tier, I'm sure of it. As for some of the 2nd tier teams, who ended up in the last place several times throughout their existense, are never punished. They'll never relegate. It's just... unexplainable to outsiders. It never made sense to me. And it probably never will.

The bloke from De Volewijkers had vibes of Jim from the Vicar of Dibley...when asked if they could get back to the top...errrrrrr, no!

It’s kind of like the same here in the southern part of the Netherlands in Tilburg. We used to have three clubs in professional football: NOAD, LONGA and Willem II, but NOAD and LONGA just couldn’t keep up and got into financial problems with the result of them being fused, with one other amateur team (RKTVV), into one new club FC Tilburg. This fusion happened quite recently in 2017.

Fascinating video. Thanks mate!

Fascinating!

Hiya Sam, I enjoyed the music, I enjoyed this vlog, I've been to Netherlands 3 times twice to The Hague and once to Amsterdam, but never been to a football match, I was at The Hague when Holland got to the World Cup Final in 2010, when they got beat 1-0 off Spain, this is Choppy in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England

Born and raised in Amsterdam, a fun trip down memory lane seeing all those clubs I used to play against as kid.

It's never crossed my mind before and now I can't get it out of my head. There's only one top flight team in Amsterdam. Total football. This is an historic major capital of the world. There must be another team, in Amsterdam, we're not thinking hard enough.

Moor Green also had issues with their ground in that due to complaints from local residents they waited years to have floodlights installed and when they got them they were of the mobile variety meaning they had to be taken after and erected before every night game.

I'm Dutch and blauw/wit doesn't ring a bell. But people from Amsterdam always think the world was built around them 😂

Great vid. Newcastle have a professional club nearby . Gateshead stadium is only 2 miles from st James park . It's weird the capital of Holland only has one club

Amsterdamsche FC plays at Good Enough Stadium, haha. A team somewhere in the English football system should rename theirs "Quite Lovely Ground"

The other Amsterdam teams played a lot if their games in the Olympic Stadium during their glory years.

interesting video love to see this kind of content for other 1 club cities like Marseile.

Great Vid as always!!!

DWS were really the only one I had heard of , Rob Rensenbrink played for them and I think Jongbloed the keeper for Holland in the 70's won a league title with them in 63/64. With a decent pedigree like that they really should have survived as a successful club.

What a great video. Not surprised because your enthusiasm for lower level football shines through (probably helps supporting Liverpool 😂😂😂), but this one was really interesting and clearly well researched.

The setting with its I assume 4G pitch reminds me of my club Boldmere St Michael's and their facilities who currently play in the Northern Premier League Midland Division or the 4th tier of the English Non League Pyramid.

I grew up in Amsterdam playing football, so recognised all of the grounds you went to hahaha. AFC's ground and the surrounding area have changed so much over the last 10 years - a lot of the Ajax players live in that area. I think Donny van de Beek owns an apartment overlooking those grounds.

Blauw Wit are one of my favorite football manager saves, love their old school badge. Another Amsterdam club I actually stumbled across IRL is ASV de Dijk, great kits.

AFC are more of a "posh" club. Rich kids etc.... My grandfather in Amterdam North used to be big fan of Volewijckers, its a shame they had to fuse with DWS and Blauw Wit to become FC Amsterdam. It used to be like London back in the day, you would support the club from ur neighborhood!

The smaller clubs in these cities are the life blood of football.Like many of the little clubs in the UK they are run by volunteers.Great video again thanks.

Another great video, we use to go to vittess arnhem every sept

You've been on the "wacky" 😂

Great content brother👊🏻

Amsterdam looks really beautiful.

This is a great channel. Have you done Sheffield ?

Great video, had no idea of any of these clubs. Regarding your question I think Warsaw has only one club Legia, although there's probably smaller clubs such as Amsterdam that play lower down the system.

Its very fun to see you visit a club i played at

In Rotterdam we have 3 in the eredivisie Feyenoord, Sparta, Exelsior

Hear his voice being happy when he seen his favourite team rangers top hanging up on the wall lol

To be fair, only Rotterdam and Eindhoven have multiple pro clubs

On thing to take into account is that Amsterdam is really small for a capital city, with less than 900K inhabitants. So it's smaller than even Copenhagen or Brussels, let alone London or Paris. Still, the even smaller Rotterdam has three professional football clubs. Another thing to remember is that the Netherlands still has a sizable calvinist minority. Some of the bigger Dutch amateur clubs are from towns with a strong calvinist identity and therefore refuse to play on Sundays. At most amateur levels there is still a Saturday and a Sunday league.

I had to look it up, but there are way more footballclubs in Amsterdam than just the ones you visited. And not just DSW became national champion. RAP (which is a cricketclub now a days) was the first official national champion and was so for 5 times total. But a small note, unlike DSW and Ajax that team was national champions before 1954, when there were only amateur leagues. Also Blauw-Wit was national champion twice in the first league (which is also professional footbal in The Netherlands) and played Eredivisie for 6 seasons, De Volewijkers were also national champion twice (once as amateurs and once as pros) and played Eredivisie for 2 seasons. Not to mention FC Amsterdam which was a fusion of the professional section of Blauw Wit and De Volewijkers from 1972 - 1982 which played both Eredivisie and first league and UEFA Cup.

Almere City used to be Amsterdam team de Zwarte Schapen before they moved to Almere as FC Omniworld.

Another great video mate. Hope you enjoyed the trip to Amsterdam. Also, Edinburgh only have one big club.... Hearts. Spartans don't count. ;-)

I live for several months per year in Carcassonne France and it’s a football desert here. It’s all rugby, both codes. Nearest big club is TFC, known as « Tefessè « or the violets. Toulouse fc

Only done this video to give him an excuse to go to the coffee shops or red light… class videos Sam and representing Scottish football 👏

Leeds is the other biggest. One pro club but there's Guiseley, Farsley Celtic, Yorkshire Amateur, Garforth

Try looking into old clubs that won a lot of prices in their history like HSV Haarlem and such. Would be so interesting. But it would take a bit more time staying in the Netherlands and renting a car as well hahaah.

You forget about SV Urk, Urk used to be part of Amsterdam and it is has the most members of the Netherlands

JOS Watergraafsmeer is another Amsterdam based club, currently playing in the 5th division.There's even a song about them. JOS days from The Nits...

I know of ASV Arsenal, next to the old Olympic stadium. Thats it though. Amsterdam is fairly small though. If you were to take the 30km radius like the size London has, you could add Almere, Telstar, Volendam and almost Utrecht...

just across the river from amsterdam is almere city,currently in their first season in the eredivise.

I knew about the last club because I was attending a conference near the RAI and walking about, I found myself across the street from that club.

Brilliant video.

How long do you have left in Amsterdam Footy? (I can give you another story if you have time)

Video was recommanded because Google/KZfaq listened in to my Twitchstream yesterday.. I was talking with a friend from london about this. "how many teams you know from Amsterdam?".. I couldn't even come up with DWS and Blauw Wit... as an 8~10 year old i played for AFC... It was just funny to see that a City like london has about 7 pro teams, and here (Netherlands) we kinda only have 1 per city, with some exceptions like Rotterdam.

Great vid keep it up

Great video. Too bad you didn't went to the last pitch of the Volewijckers, the tumbnail you could have gotten from that pitch would have included a classic Dutch windmill. It might have challenged the one you used now.

Great video 👏👏 🇳🇱

The oil capital of Europe, Aberdeen, only has one main team. They play Celtic in the Scottish Cup Semi Final tomorrow.

Are you ging to heerenveen-psv?

Regarding the Coventry Query there's also three other clubs Coventry Sphinx of the Step 4 Northern Premier League Midland Division who play at Sphinx Drive, Coventry United who were formed by disgruntled Coventry City fans after they were forced out of Coventry who play at the Butt's Park Arena in the United Counties League Premier Division South at Step 5. There are also two clubs Coventry Alvis and Coventrians who play in the Step 7 Midland Football League Division 2 and Coventry Copeswood who play in the Step 6 Midland Football League Division 1.

Pity the persons you interviewed did not know any of the amateur clubs. I go watch AFC lots of times, nice club house en good fun. I know the other clubs from your video also btw.

4th May, you should cover Buckie V EK playoff then come to Rothienorman for an amateur cup semi final played at rothie rovers 18:30