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The Netherlands’ second oldest football club - Vitesse Arnhem - have been kicked out of professional football in unprecedented scenes. Riot police were called into the town centre as fans of the former Eredivisie side turned from despondent to violent with clashes taking part. The decision appeared to be a formality with numerous warnings and points deductions over the past two years, but a final calling from a judge on Thursday was deferred to today. A district court in Utrecht ruled in favour of the Dutch FA [KNVB], meaning Vitesse will cease to exist as a professional club. This isn’t just a case of a phoenix side rising back up the leagues either, with Dutch football’s top two divisions a closed shop. Beneath are amateur leagues that any new iteration would have to assail before applying to return to professional football - a process that takes over two years, as explained in detail here. Such a situation is unprecedented in Dutch football, and comes as a result of the Arnhem side becoming the country’s first to adopt foreign ownership in 2010. Fans had gathered in the town centre in their club shirts to watch the proceedings unfold on televisions, but received the worst possible news, and riot police were called in as clashes broke out. Leading Dutch outlet AD report that journalists at the Korenmarkt were chased away and a photographer was kicked and punched. Club captain Alexander Buttner, formerly of Manchester United, commented: "This is terrible news, for such a big club like Vitesse. “Players now have to talk to new clubs. It's terrible. A scandalous decision. It's much more than just football. " The club responded with a statement, saying they were ‘deeply disappointed and distressed’ adding: "We have done everything we can in the past period to meet the set conditions, in collaboration with the investors and other stakeholders. "The fact that this has been deemed insufficient is painful for us. Above all, for our supporters, employees, and the city of Arnhem. " The club is now heading for bankruptcy and potential dissolution despite attempts from the town’s mayor and Netherlands national team coach Ronald Koeman to demonstrate the team’s importance. However, Vitesse have violated ownership rules for years, receiving a record point deduction of 18 points at the end of the 2023/24 season, later dropping to the bottom of the second tier which doesn’t have relegation to the amateur leagues. In explaining his ruling in favour of the KNVB, the judge said: "The football association made the decision reasonably and, moreover, provided sufficient and understandable reasons for this decision. “In the past season alone, the KNVB imposed nine sanctions on Vitesse. “The violations and their duration are so serious that the KNVB could reasonably conclude that no other sanction than the most severe (revocation of the license) was possible. "It is clear and understandable that revoking Vitesse's professional license has major consequences for supporters, businesses, involved social organisations, and the Arnhem region as a whole. “The interim relief judge finds it extremely regrettable that it had to come to this. ” Vitesse are best known in England for their loan association with Chelsea in the 2010s which saw players like Mason Mount refine their trade in the Eredivisie and Europa League. It later emerged that former Blues owner Roman Abramovich was involved in that takeover which came to an end in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The club sought more foreign owners in an attempt to keep competing on a European level, despite foreign ownership being a rarity in Dutch football where the majority of sides are member owned. A deal was announced with Colby Perry’s Common Group, but the takeover was never approved by the KNVB with Vitesse unable to source new funding. © 2025 talk SPORT Limited
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