Antoon Verlegh
Encyclopedia
Antoon VerleghAntoon Verlegh (ɐnˈtoːn vərˈlɛχ, born as Antonius Wilhelmus Verlegh on (29 March 1896 in Ginneken, died 12 March 1960 in Prinsenbeek
), commonly known as Rat Verlegh (ˈrɑt vərˈlɛχ), was a Dutch football
player who is best known for his association with NAC Breda
, whose Rat Verlegh Stadion
is named in his honour. Antoon Verlegh was a player, trainer, editor, secretary, member of the board, vice chairman and chairman of honour at NAC Breda . He also had several important positions at the KNVB
and he was considered to be one of the football icons in The Netherlands until the 1950s.
. At the age of 10 Verlegh founded the Ginnekensche Voetbal Vereniging (GVV). At this time Antoon Verlegh was nicknamed ‘De Rat’ (English: The Rat) because of his quick play and moves . In 1908 Verlegh joined NOAD. In 1912 NOAD and ADVENDO merged to form NAC Breda
, for whom Verlegh, at the age of 17, immediately began playing in the first team.
for the away match against Switzerland
in Basel
. Although Verlegh didn’t start in this match, he made his debut for the Dutch national side. He replaced Willem II player Harry Mommers in the 20th minute . On November 25, 1920, Verlegh played his second international match against Switzerland in Amsterdam
's Oude Stadion and scored two goals. In his third match against Germany
Verlegh scored an own goal in the 85th minute. The Netherlands lost this match with 2-3 . Verlegh played a total of 8 matches for the Dutch national squad, in which he scored 2 times. Although Verlegh would play a 9th match against Denmark, the Dutch national manager deemed him not fit to play. Verlegh was replaced by his NAC colleague Cor Kools
. After this replacement, Verlegh never played a match for the Dutch national squad .
In 1943 Verlegh became a member of the KNVB’s committee on youth football. In 1947 Verlegh was appointed as a member for the technical committee and the selection committee. The last committee’s purpose was to select the best Dutch players for the national team, in which Verlegh was appointed as chairman in 1950. After a conflict, Verlegh resigned from all his activities for the KNVB in 1953 .
. Because Verlegh didn’t feel well, he decided to leave by car to Breda. On March 13, NAC played a home match against SC Enschede, which Verlegh didn’t attend. After it appeared Verlegh didn’t reach home, he was reported missing. On March 14 Verlegh’s car and body were found in a small lake near Prinsenbeek
. Doctors assume Verlegh died of an heart attack when driving. On march 17, Verlegh was buried under huge interest by the Breda community, the NAC family and the KNVB
officials . Later, the KNVB board wrote in a letter to NAC Breda: ‘...He was an example to all of us. He had a vast knowledge of Dutch football. The KNVB cannot recall any Dutchman which equalises him in his football knowledge. Rat was in every way a great man...’ .
top club’s youth teams would play in . Although Antoon Verlegh had a huge impact to the club, his name seems to be forgotten by the majority of people during the seventies and the eighties.
In 1996 the new NAC stadium
was opened. The fanatic NAC fans immediately began naming the stadium the Rat Verlegh Stadion. As a gratitude to the work and the impact Antoon Verlegh had for NAC Breda, the fanatic NAC fans also dedicated a fanzine
to him; NAC Fanzine De Rat De Rat opened an internet site in December 1996 as NAC Fanzine De Rat ONLINE, in which NAC’s history, the magazines and information about Antoon Verlegh were published. This fanzine is still being published and is the oldest football fanzine in The Netherlands, with a circulation of 1000 pieces. Because of the fanzine’s popularity, most of the NAC fans began to name the new stadium the Rat Verlegh Stadion.
In 2004 Antoon Verlegh was named one of the most important persons in Dutch football history . As a remembrance of Antoon Verlegh’s positive impact on NAC Breda, the club named the stadium as Rat Verlegh Stadion
in 2006.
Prinsenbeek
Prinsenbeek is a village and a former municipality in the Dutch province North Brabant. The village is situated west of the motorway A16 and the TGV-line Amsterdam - Paris. Prinsenbeek is a part of the municipality Breda, and it has 11,419 inhabitants . There is a train station on the line...
), commonly known as Rat Verlegh (ˈrɑt vərˈlɛχ), was a Dutch football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who is best known for his association with NAC Breda
NAC Breda
NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...
, whose Rat Verlegh Stadion
Rat Verlegh Stadion
The Rat Verlegh Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Breda, The Netherlands. The stadium is the home of the association football club NAC Breda . It was formerly known as FUJIFILM Stadium and Mycom Stadium , named after two former NAC sponsors...
is named in his honour. Antoon Verlegh was a player, trainer, editor, secretary, member of the board, vice chairman and chairman of honour at NAC Breda . He also had several important positions at the KNVB
Royal Dutch Football Association
The Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
and he was considered to be one of the football icons in The Netherlands until the 1950s.
Club career
During his entire football career, Antoon Verlegh played for NAC Breda. He was involved in this football club from the day it was founded until his death in 1960.Early years
Rat Verlegh was born in het Ginneken, now a part of BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
. At the age of 10 Verlegh founded the Ginnekensche Voetbal Vereniging (GVV). At this time Antoon Verlegh was nicknamed ‘De Rat’ (English: The Rat) because of his quick play and moves . In 1908 Verlegh joined NOAD. In 1912 NOAD and ADVENDO merged to form NAC Breda
NAC Breda
NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...
, for whom Verlegh, at the age of 17, immediately began playing in the first team.
Senior career
As an attacking midfielder, Verlegh was for 19 years one of the important players in NAC’s first squad. Amongst The Netherlands he was considered to be a technical gifted player and an opinion maker in Dutch football. He was also known for his progressive views in football. Antoon Verlegh won the Eerste Klasse Zuid’s championship (English: Southern Premier League) six times and won the Dutch national title with NAC in 1921. On April 26, 1925 Antoon Verlegh sustained a serious injury, that would leave him out for almost seven months. After recovery, he was able to play on until his retirement on October 11, 1931 in the match MVV - NAC (1-3). In the 19 years Verlegh played for NAC, he played 295 matches, scoring 125 times.International career
In 1920 Verlegh received an invitation for the Dutch national sideNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
for the away match against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Although Verlegh didn’t start in this match, he made his debut for the Dutch national side. He replaced Willem II player Harry Mommers in the 20th minute . On November 25, 1920, Verlegh played his second international match against Switzerland in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
's Oude Stadion and scored two goals. In his third match against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
Verlegh scored an own goal in the 85th minute. The Netherlands lost this match with 2-3 . Verlegh played a total of 8 matches for the Dutch national squad, in which he scored 2 times. Although Verlegh would play a 9th match against Denmark, the Dutch national manager deemed him not fit to play. Verlegh was replaced by his NAC colleague Cor Kools
Cor Kools
Cornelis Wilhelmus "Cor" Kools was a Dutch football player and manager who played his entire career for NAC Breda. Kools played 16 international matches for The Netherlands, scoring three times, and participated in the 1928 Summer Olympics. Kools is also a member of honour of NAC Breda...
. After this replacement, Verlegh never played a match for the Dutch national squad .
Managerial career
After his active football career, Antoon Verlegh fulfilled several roles within NAC. Verlegh was a manager, member of the selection committee (responsible for selecting the best NAC players for a match), he was the secretary, a member of the board and vice chairman . Verlegh was also an editor for the match magazine ‘De Klok’ and in the thirties he was appointed as a mental coach. For his positive impact on the club, NAC honoured him as chairman of honour at NAC Breda in 1951.In 1943 Verlegh became a member of the KNVB’s committee on youth football. In 1947 Verlegh was appointed as a member for the technical committee and the selection committee. The last committee’s purpose was to select the best Dutch players for the national team, in which Verlegh was appointed as chairman in 1950. After a conflict, Verlegh resigned from all his activities for the KNVB in 1953 .
Death
On March 12, 1960 Antoon Verlegh visited friends in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. Because Verlegh didn’t feel well, he decided to leave by car to Breda. On March 13, NAC played a home match against SC Enschede, which Verlegh didn’t attend. After it appeared Verlegh didn’t reach home, he was reported missing. On March 14 Verlegh’s car and body were found in a small lake near Prinsenbeek
Prinsenbeek
Prinsenbeek is a village and a former municipality in the Dutch province North Brabant. The village is situated west of the motorway A16 and the TGV-line Amsterdam - Paris. Prinsenbeek is a part of the municipality Breda, and it has 11,419 inhabitants . There is a train station on the line...
. Doctors assume Verlegh died of an heart attack when driving. On march 17, Verlegh was buried under huge interest by the Breda community, the NAC family and the KNVB
Royal Dutch Football Association
The Royal Dutch Football Association is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues , the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch national football team. It is based in the municipality of Zeist.The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889...
officials . Later, the KNVB board wrote in a letter to NAC Breda: ‘...He was an example to all of us. He had a vast knowledge of Dutch football. The KNVB cannot recall any Dutchman which equalises him in his football knowledge. Rat was in every way a great man...’ .
Post death
Two years after Antoon Verlegh’s death, NAC celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1962. During this anniversary, NAC Breda announced it would name its training pitches as ‘Rat Verlegh fields’ and that NAC would organize the Rat Verlegh Tournament each year, in which Dutch and BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
top club’s youth teams would play in . Although Antoon Verlegh had a huge impact to the club, his name seems to be forgotten by the majority of people during the seventies and the eighties.
In 1996 the new NAC stadium
Rat Verlegh Stadion
The Rat Verlegh Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Breda, The Netherlands. The stadium is the home of the association football club NAC Breda . It was formerly known as FUJIFILM Stadium and Mycom Stadium , named after two former NAC sponsors...
was opened. The fanatic NAC fans immediately began naming the stadium the Rat Verlegh Stadion. As a gratitude to the work and the impact Antoon Verlegh had for NAC Breda, the fanatic NAC fans also dedicated a fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
to him; NAC Fanzine De Rat De Rat opened an internet site in December 1996 as NAC Fanzine De Rat ONLINE, in which NAC’s history, the magazines and information about Antoon Verlegh were published. This fanzine is still being published and is the oldest football fanzine in The Netherlands, with a circulation of 1000 pieces. Because of the fanzine’s popularity, most of the NAC fans began to name the new stadium the Rat Verlegh Stadion.
In 2004 Antoon Verlegh was named one of the most important persons in Dutch football history . As a remembrance of Antoon Verlegh’s positive impact on NAC Breda, the club named the stadium as Rat Verlegh Stadion
Rat Verlegh Stadion
The Rat Verlegh Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Breda, The Netherlands. The stadium is the home of the association football club NAC Breda . It was formerly known as FUJIFILM Stadium and Mycom Stadium , named after two former NAC sponsors...
in 2006.