Sportclub Telstar (), commonly known simply as Telstar, is a Dutch professional football club based in Velsen-Zuid, North Holland. Nicknamed the Witte Leeuwen ("White Lions") for their all‑white home strip, the team competes in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of the Dutch football league system, having secured promotion via the 2024–25 play‑offs—their first top‑flight appearance since 1978.
Founded on 17 July 1963 through the merger of the professional sections of local rivals VSV and Stormvogels, the new club was named after the recently launched communications satellite Telstar 1. Telstar play their home matches at Sportpark Schoonenberg, branded the BUKO Stadion for sponsorship purposes, a compact all‑seater ground that has a capacity of 6,000. Since formation the team have taken to the field to the Tornados' instrumental "Telstar", a tradition that underlines their link with the satellite and remains a distinctive feature of match days.
History
When professional football was introduced in the Netherlands, both and their neighbouring club, VSV, played in the professional leagues. VSV won the KNVB Cup in 1938. Due to financial difficulties at both clubs, their professional teams were merged on July 17, 1963. The new club was named Telstar, after the Telstar communication satellite launched that year. Both Stormvogels and VSV continued separately as amateur clubs.
Since 1978, Telstar competed in the Eerste Divisie and did not return to the top flight for nearly five decades. The club reached the promotion play-offs in 1978–79 and again in 1981–82, when it recorded its highest post-relegation finish of fourth place. In the mid-1980s, Telstar entered into a partnership with Ajax and functioned informally as a satellite club. During this period, Michel van Oostrum joined from Ajax, and former Ajax assistant coach Cor van der Hart took over as Telstar manager for the 1987–88 season. In 1991–92, the club made its best-ever run in the KNVB Cup, reaching the semi-finals before losing 3–0 to Roda JC.
Telstar made a strong push for promotion in the 1993–94 season, finishing fifth and narrowly missing out by a single point to RKC Waalwijk. Further top-half finishes came in 1991–92 and 2001–02, with the club ending both seasons in seventh place. In 2000–01 and 2004–05, Telstar again participated in the promotion play-offs but failed to advance.
In 2001, Telstar and Stormvogels entered into a renewed partnership, forming Stormvogels Telstar. The merger was intended to strengthen the club's youth development system and benefit from training compensation mechanisms. However, the partnership did not yield the expected results. Few players from the youth academy advanced to the professional first team, and the anticipated financial returns from development fees failed to materialise. As a result, the collaboration was discontinued on 1 July 2008, and the club reverted to its original name, Telstar.
In 2018–19, the club finished 14th but made another notable KNVB Cup run, reaching the round of 16 before a narrow 4–3 loss to Ajax.
After the 2024–25 season, Telstar finished seventh in the Eerste Divisie, earning a place in the promotion play-offs. In the first round, the club defeated ADO Den Haag 3–0 on aggregate to advance to the semi-finals, where they faced Den Bosch. After a 1–1 draw over two legs, Telstar secured a 2–1 aggregate victory with a 109th-minute goal in extra time from Danny Bakker. In the final, Telstar faced Willem II, which had finished 16th in the Eredivisie after winning the Eerste Divisie the previous season. Following a 2–2 draw in the first leg in Velsen, Telstar won the second leg 3–1 at the Koning Willem II Stadion, securing promotion to the Eredivisie for the first time since 1978.
Stadium
Telstar's home stadium is the 5,338 seater Sportpark Schoonenberg, named BUKO Stadion for sponsorship reasons. The stadium opened in 1948 and has undergone several renovations throughout the years. It is located in Velsen-Zuid, near the city of Haarlem, and is easily accessible by car and public transport.
Honours
- Eerste Divisie
- Promotion: 1963–64, 2024–25
Club names
- 1963–2001: Telstar
- 2001–2008: Stormvogels Telstar
- 2008–present: Telstar
Results
Below is a table with Telstar's domestic results since 1963.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"
! colspan=5 | Domestic Results since 1963
|-
! width="20%"|Domestic league
! width="20%"|League result
! width="20%"|Qualification to
! width="20%"|KNVB Cup season
! width="20%"|Cup result
|-
|2025–26 Eredivisie
|14th
| –
|2025–26
|semi-finals
|-
|2024–25 Eerste Divisie
|7th
|Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)
|2024–25
|second round
|-
|2023–24 Eerste Divisie
|17th
| –
|2023–24
|first round
|-
|2022–23 Eerste Divisie
|9th
| –
|2022–23
|second round
|-
|2021–22 Eerste Divisie
|19th
| –
|2021–22
|third round
|-
|2020–21 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|2020–21
|first round
|-
|2019–20 Eerste Divisie
|10th
| –
|2019–20
|second round
|-
|2018–19 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|2018–19
|first round
|-
|2017–18 Eerste Divisie
|6th
|promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion
|2017–18
|first round
|-
|2016–17 Eerste Divisie
|16th
| –
|2016–17
|second round
|-
|2015–16 Eerste Divisie
|12th
| –
|2015–16
|third round
|-
|2014–15 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|2014–15
|second round
|-
|2013–14 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|2013–14
|second round
|-
|2012–13 Eerste Divisie
|14th
| –
|2012–13
|third round
|-
|2011–12 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|2011–12
|second round
|-
|2010–11 Eerste Divisie
|14th
| –
|2010–11
|round of 16
|-
|2009–10 Eerste Divisie
|18th
| –
|2009–10
|second round
|-
|2008–09 Eerste Divisie
|17th
|promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion
|2008–09
|third round
|-
|2007–08 Eerste Divisie
|14th
| –
|2007–08
|second round
|-
|2006–07 Eerste Divisie
|10th
| –
|2006–07
|third round
|-
|2005–06 Eerste Divisie
|16th
| –
|2005–06
|first round
|-
|2004–05 Eerste Divisie
|7th
|promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion
|2004–05
|third round
|-
|2003–04 Eerste Divisie
|12th
| –
|2003–04
|third round
|-
|2002–03 Eerste Divisie
|12th
| –
|2002–03
|round of 16
|-
|2001–02 Eerste Divisie
|9th
| –
|2001–02
|quarter-finals
|-
|2000–01 Eerste Divisie
|7th
|promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion
|2000–01
|group stage
|-
|1999–2000 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|1999–2000
|second round
|-
|1998–99 Eerste Divisie
|18th
| –
|1998–99
|group stage
|-
|1997–98 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|1997–98
|round of 16
|-
|1996–97 Eerste Divisie
|16th
| –
|1996–97
|second round
|-
|1995–96 Eerste Divisie
|9th
| –
|1995–96
|second round
|-
|1994–95 Eerste Divisie
|11th
| –
|1994–95
|second round
|-
|1993–94 Eerste Divisie
|5th
|promotion/relegation play-off: no promotion
|1993–94
|round of 16
|-
|1992–93 Eerste Divisie
|18th
| –
|1992–93
|third round
|-
|1991–92 Eerste Divisie
|7th
| –
|1991–92
|style="background: #CD7F32" |semi-finals
|-
|1990–91 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|1990–91
|second round
|-
|1989–90 Eerste Divisie
|18th
| –
|1989–90
|second round
|-
|1988–89 Eerste Divisie
|14th
| –
|1988–89
|round of 16
|-
|1987–88 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|1987–88
|first round
|-
|1986–87 Eerste Divisie
|19th
| –
|1986–87
|first round
|-
|1985–86 Eerste Divisie
|6th
| –
|1985–86
|round of 16
|-
|1984–85 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|1984–85
|first round
|-
|1983–84 Eerste Divisie
|5th
| –
|1983–84
|first round
|-
|1982–83 Eerste Divisie
|15th
| –
|1982–83
|second round
|-
|1981–82 Eerste Divisie
|4th
| – (losing in promotion group)
|1981–82
|second round
|-
|1980–81 Eerste Divisie
|11th
| –
|1980–81
|second round
|-
|1979–80 Eerste Divisie
|13th
| –
|1979–80
|second round
|-
|1978–79 Eerste Divisie
|10th
| – (losing in promotion group)
|1978–79
|first round
|-
|1977–78 Eredivisie
|style="background: pink" |18th
|Eerste Divisie (relegation)
|1977–78
|second round
|-
|1976–77 Eredivisie
|14th
| –
|1976–77
|round of 16
|-
|1975–76 Eredivisie
|9th
| –
|1975–76
|round of 16
|-
|1974–75 Eredivisie
|7th
| –
|1974–75
|round of 16
|-
|1973–74 Eredivisie
|6th
| –
|1973–74
|round of 16
|-
|1972–73 Eredivisie
|12th
| –
|1972–73
|second round
|-
|1971–72 Eredivisie
|11th
| –
|1971–72
|first round
|-
|1970–71 Eredivisie
|11th
| –
|1970–71
|first round
|-
|1969–70 Eredivisie
|14th
| –
|1969–70
|round of 16
|-
|1968–69 Eredivisie
|14th
| –
|1968–69
|first round
|-
|1967–68 Eredivisie
|11th
| –
|1967–68
|round of 16
|-
|1966–67 Eredivisie
|16th
| –
|1966–67
|round of 16
|-
|1965–66 Eredivisie
|13th
| –
|1965–66
|quarter-finals
|-
|1964–65 Eredivisie
|10th
| –
|1964–65
|second round
|-
|1963–64 Eerste Divisie
|style="background: silver" |2nd
|Eredivisie (promotion)
|1963–64
|second round
|-
|}
Players
First-team squad
Retired numbers
<big>22</big>: Luciano van den Berg, defender (2004–2005)—posthumous honour.
Former players
National team players
The following players were called up to represent their national teams in international football and received caps during their tenure with SC Telstar:
- Afghanistan
- Hossein Zamani (2021)
- Cape Verde
- Elso Brito (2017–2019)
- Central African Republic
- Peter Guinari (2024)
- Curaçao
- Tyrick Bodak (2024–present)
- Guyana
- Terell Ondaan (2013; 2018–2019)
- Indonesia
- Stefano Lilipaly (2015–2017)
- Shayne Pattynama (2019-2021)
- Luxembourg
- Gerson Rodrigues (2017)
- Netherlands
- Piet Kraak (1939–1954)
- Piet van der Kuil (1947–1955; 1964–1966)
- Niek Michel (1933–1944; 1947)
- Netherlands (continued)
- Kees Oldenburg (192?–19??)
- Gerrit Visser (1924–1925)
- Ab de Vries (1931–1933; 1933–1951)
- Suriname
- Jayden Turfkruier (2024–present)
- Roscello Vlijter (2019–2022)
- Players in bold actively play for SC Telstar and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with SC Telstar.
National team players by Confederation
Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former SC Telstar players represented Internationally
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Total national team players by confederation
|-
! scope="row" | Confederation
! scope="col" | Total
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | (Nation) Association
|-
| AFC
| 2
| Afghanistan (1), Indonesia (1)
|-
| CAF
| 2
| Cape Verde (1), Central African Republic (1)
|-
| CONCACAF
| 4
| Suriname (2), Curaçao (1), Guyana (1)
|-
| CONMEBOL
| 0
|
|-
| OFC
| 0
|
|-
| UEFA
| 7
| Netherlands (6), Luxembourg (1)
|}
Players in international tournaments
The following is a list of Telstar players who have competed in international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. To date, no Telstar players have participated in the UEFA European Championship, Copa América, Africa Cup of Nations, AFC Asian Cup, or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for the club.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
|- style="text-align: center"
!Cup
!Players
|-
|align="left"| 1938 FIFA World Cup|| Niek Michel
|-
|align="left"| 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup|| Terell Ondaan
|-
|align="left"| 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup|| Tyrick Bodak<br /> Jayden Turfkruier
|-
|}
Coaching staff
{| class="wikitable"
! scope="col" | Position
! scope="col" | Staff
|-
| Head Coach
| Anthony Correia
|-
| Assistant Coach
| Rory Roubos<br /> Gertjan Tamerus<br /> Robbert Michielsen
|-
| Goalkeeping Coach
| Rick van der Mast
|-
| Medical Staff
| First-Team Doctor:<br /> Ron Peters<br /> Pim Graafland<br />First-Team Physiotherapists:<br /> Rens Teeuwen<br /> Paul de Vlugt<br /> Bob Kooning<br />Physio Assistant:<br /> Clement Uittenbogaard
|-
| Equipment Manager
| Dirk van der Lugt
|-
| Performance Coaches
| Niels Bunink<br /> Pieter van Roode
|-
| Video Analyst
| Pieter van der Slikke
|-
| Team Manager
| Jordi van Ewijk
|}
Historic facts
All-time leading goalscorers
{| class="wikitable"
| Pos.
| Name
| Birth
| Nationality
| Goals
|-
| 1
| Glynor Plet
| 30 January 1987
|
| 90
|-
| 2
| Sander Oostrom
| 14 July 1967
|
| 87
|-
| 3
| Melvin Holwijn
| 2 January 1980
|
| 60
|-
| 4
| Ronald Hoop
| 4 April 1967
|
| 52
|-
| 5
| Cees van Kooten
| 20 August 1948
|
| 45
|-
| 6
| Rini van Roon
| 24 January 1961
|
| 43
|-
| rowspan=2|7
| Co Stout
| 7 September 1948
|
| 41
|-
| Ron de Roode
| 20 March 1965
|
| 41
|-
| 9
| Dick Bond
| 27 December 1943
|
| 38
|-
| 10
| Jan Bruin
| 30 September 1969
|
| 37
|}
Most appearances
{| class="wikitable"
| Pos.
| Name
| Birth
| Nationality
| Appearances
|-
| 1
| Frank Korpershoek
| 29 October 1984
|
| 386
|-
| 2
| Fred Bischot
| 23 July 1948
|
| 372
|-
| 3
| Frans van Essen
| 19 February 1948
|
| 360
|-
| 4
| Anthony Correia
| 2 May 1982
|
| 356
|-
| 5
| Paul van der Meeren
| 6 July 1944
|
| 339
|-
| 6
| Fred André
| 31 May 1941
|
| 321
|-
| 7
| Sander Oostrom
| 14 July 1967
|
| 320
|-
| 8
| Koos Kuut
| 2 January 1958
|
| 310
|-
| 9
| Richard van Heulen
| 13 October 1981
|
| 294
|-
| 10
| René Panhuis
| 26 August 1964
|
| 282
|-
|}
Managerial history
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Telstar managers since 1963
|-
| 1999–2001 || scope="row" | Simon Kistemaker || ||
|-
| 2001–2002 || scope="row" | Toon Beijer || ||
|-
| 2002–2005 || scope="row" | Jan Poortvliet || ||
|-
| 2005–2008 || scope="row" | Luc Nijholt || ||
|-
| 2008–2010 || scope="row" | Edward Metgod || ||
|-
| 2010–2012 || scope="row" | Jan Poortvliet || ||
|-
| 2012–2014 || scope="row" | Marcel Keizer || ||
|-
| 2014–2017 || scope="row" | Michel Vonk || ||
|-
| 2017–2019 || scope="row" | Mike Snoei || ||
|-
| 2019–2022 || scope="row" | Andries Jonker || ||
|-
| 2022–2024 || scope="row" | Mike Snoei || ||
|-
| 2024 || scope="row" | Ulrich Landvreugd || ||
|-
| 2024–2026 || scope="row" | Anthony Correia || ||
|-
| 2026– || scope="row" | Henk Brugge || ||
|}