Helmond Sport () is a Dutch professional football club based in Helmond, North Brabant.

Founded in 1967 following the acquisition of the professional license of , the club achieved promotion to the top-tier Eredivisie in 1982. After two seasons in the Eredivisie, Helmond Sport was relegated and has since remained a consistent presence in the second-tier Eerste Divisie. The club's most notable achievement came in the 1984–85 KNVB Cup, where they finished as runners-up after a narrow defeat to FC Utrecht in the final.

Helmond Sport has played its home matches at GS Staalwerken Stadion since 2025.

History Helmond Sport was established on 27 June 1967 following the acquisition of the professional license of , ensuring that professional football would remain in the city of Helmond. The club began in the Tweede Divisie and, after a single season, earned promotion to the Eerste Divisie by defeating Fortuna Vlaardingen in a decisive play-off match.

In its early years, Helmond Sport struggled to make a significant impact in the Eerste Divisie, achieving only three top-ten finishes in its first 13 seasons. A breakthrough came in the 1981–82 season, when the club won its first period title and went on to secure the Eerste Divisie championship. This success earned Helmond Sport promotion to the top-tier Eredivisie for the first time. The club narrowly avoided relegation in its debut top-flight season but was relegated the following year.

One of the club's most notable achievements occurred in 1985, when Helmond Sport reached the KNVB Cup final. After defeating FC Wageningen over two legs in the semi-finals, the team faced FC Utrecht in the final. The match, played in Utrecht due to financial considerations, ended in a 1–0 defeat for Helmond Sport after John van Loen scored in the final minute.

From 1985 through the late 1990s, Helmond Sport remained a consistent presence in the Eerste Divisie, though it seldom challenged for promotion. The 1998–99 season marked a resurgence, with the team finishing fourth and claiming a period title. Another strong campaign followed in 2003, when the club finished third. Despite reaching the promotion play-off finals in 2003, 2005, 2011, and 2012, Helmond Sport was unable to secure a return to the Eredivisie.

Between 2008 and 2013, the club enjoyed a period of consistent success, finishing in the upper half of the table each season. This run ended in 2014, when Helmond Sport finished 13th. The following seasons were marked by disappointing performances, with the team failing to qualify for the play-offs between 2014 and 2016. Improvement came in the 2016–17 season under new head coach Roy Hendriksen, as the team secured a spot in the promotion play-offs by finishing second in the second period.

Despite these sporadic successes, Helmond Sport has not returned to the Eredivisie since its relegation in 1984.

Honours KNVB Cup Runners-up: 1985 Eerste Divisie Winner: 1982 Promoted to Eerste Divisie Promotion: 1968

Domestic results

Below is a table with Helmond Sport's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.

Domestic Results since 1956Domestic leagueLeague resultQualification toKNVB Cup seasonCup result2025–26 Eerste Divisie18th –2025–26first round2024–25 Eerste Divisie13th –2024–25first round2023–24 Eerste Divisie11th –2023–24first round2022–23 Eerste Divisie16th –2022–23first round2021–22 Eerste Divisie20th –2021–22first round2020–21 Eerste Divisie12th –2020–21first round2019–20 Eerste Divisie20th –2019–20first round2018–19 Eerste Divisie20th –2018–19first round2017–18 Eerste Divisie19th –2017–18first round2016–17 Eerste Divisie13th –2016–17first round2015–16 Eerste Divisie13th –2015–16third round2014–15 Eerste Divisie17th –2014–15second round2013–14 Eerste Divisie13th –2013–14second round2012–13 Eerste Divisie4thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2012–13second round2011–12 Eerste Divisie4thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2011–12second round2010–11 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2010–11third round2009–10 Eerste Divisie8thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2009–10round of 162008–09 Eerste Divisie10th –2008–09second round2007–08 Eerste Divisie7thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2007–08second round2006–07 Eerste Divisie18th –2006–07second round2005–06 Eerste Divisie4thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2005–06quarter-final2004–05 Eerste Divisie6thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2004–05third round2003–04 Eerste Divisie5thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2003–04first round2002–03 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion2002–03second round2001–02 Eerste Divisie15th –2001–02group stage2000–01 Eerste Divisie8th –2000–01third round1999–2000 Eerste Divisie10th –1999–00round of 161998–99 Eerste Divisie4thpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion1998–99group stage1997–98 Eerste Divisie10th –1997–98round of 161996–97 Eerste Divisie14th –1996–97semi-final1995–96 Eerste Divisie18th –1995–96round of 161994–95 Eerste Divisie13th –1994–95second round1993–94 Eerste Divisie13th –1993–94quarter-final1992–93 Eerste Divisie13th –1992–93third round1991–92 Eerste Divisie16th –1991–92third round1990–91 Eerste Divisie5th –1990–91first round1989–90 Eerste Divisie13th –1989–90second round1988–89 Eerste Divisie16th –1988–89second round1987–88 Eerste Divisie16th –1987–88first round1986–87 Eerste Divisie17th –1986–87first round1985–86 Eerste Divisie12th –1985–86first round1984–85 Eerste Divisie13th –1984–85final1983–84 Eredivisie16thEerste Divisie (relegation)1983–84first round1982–83 Eredivisie15th –1982–83round of 161981–82 Eerste Divisie1stEredivisie (promotion)1981–82first round1980–81 Eerste Divisie12th –1980–81first round1979–80 Eerste Divisie15th –1979–80first round1978–79 Eerste Divisie17th –1978–79first round1977–78 Eerste Divisie16th –1977–78first round1976–77 Eerste Divisie15th –1976–77first round1975–76 Eerste Divisie16th –1975–76second round1974–75 Eerste Divisie18th –1974–75second round1973–74 Eerste Divisie6th –1973–74round of 161972–73 Eerste Divisie5th –1972–73second round1971–72 Eerste Divisie20th –1971–72did not participate1970–71 Eerste Divisie12th –1970–71first round1969–70 Eerste Divisie13th –1969–70first round 1968–69 Eerste Divisie6th –1968–69second round 1967–68 Tweede Divisie2ndEerste Divisie (winning promotion play-off)1967–68group stage 1966–67 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)14th –1966–67did not participate 1965–66 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)12th (group B) –1965–66group stage 1964–65 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)2ndpromotion play-off: no promotion1964–65first round 1963–64 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)7th (group B) –1963–64second round 1962–63 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)13th (group B) –1962–63first round 1961–62 Tweede Divisie (as Helmondia '55)3rd –1961–62third round 1960–61 Eerste Divisie (as Helmondia '55)18th (group A)Tweede Divisie (relegation)1960–61group stage 1959–60 Eerste Divisie (as Helmondia '55)13th (group B) –not heldnot held1958–59 Eerste Divisie (as Helmondia '55)11th (group B) –1958–59third round 1957–58 Eerste Divisie (as Helmondia '55)11th (group B) –1957–58fourth round 1956–57 Eerste Divisie (as Helmondia '55)7th (group A) –1956–57fourth round

Current squad

Management Position NameHead coach Frédéric FransAssistant coach Joonas Kolkka Mitchel van RosmalenGoalkeeping coach Albert van der SleenPerformance coach Dean CruydtHead physiotherapist Erik BorsboomPhysiotherapist Kevin Geerts Noah BaudoinMaterialman Ton RomonescoTeam manager John KoolenTechnical director Dirk Jan Derksen

Former managers

Frans Debruijn (1967–1968) Jacques de Wit (1968–1972) René van Eck (1972–1974) Co Prins (a.i.) (1974) Evert Mur (1974–75) Ron Dellow (1975–77) Harrie van Tuel (1977–1978) Jacques de Wit (1978–1979) Jan Notermans (1979–83) Jan Brouwer (1983–86) Jo Jansen (1986–87) Theo Laseroms (1987–88) Dick Buitelaar (1988–89) Frans Körver (1989–92) Henk Rayer (1992–93) Louis Coolen (a.i.) (1993) Adrie Koster (1993–95) Jan Pruijn (1995–96) Willem Leushuis (a.i.) (1996) Louis Coolen (1996–01) Mario Verlijsdonk (2001–02) Jan van Dijk (2002–04) Ruud Brood (2004–06) Gerald Vanenburg (2006–07) Mario Verlijsdonk (a.i.) (2007) Jan Poortvliet (2007–08) Jurgen Streppel (2008–11) Hans de Koning (2011–12) Eric Meijers (2012–13) Mario Verlijsdonk (a.i.) (2013) Jan van Dijk (2013–16) Remond Strijbosch (a.i.) (2016) Roy Hendriksen (2016–18) Rob Alflen (2018–19) Wil Boessen (2019–22) Sven Swinnen (2022) Tim Bakens (a.i.) (2022) Bob Peeters (2022–24) Adrie Bogers (a.i.) (2024) Kevin Hofland (2024–25) Robert Maaskant (2025) Jurgen Seegers (2025–26) Frédéric Frans (2026–present)

References

External links