Riemer van der Velde is the former chairman of Dutch football club SC Heerenveen. He was in charge of the club for 23 years before resigning on 1 October 2006.

At the time Van der Velde became chairman of SC Heerenveen in 1983 the club had lots of debts and was an anonymous club in the Eerste Divisie

Eerste Divisie

The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...

. He realized to get rid of the debts before appointing Foppe de Haan

Foppe de Haan

Foppe de Haan OON is a Dutch football coach. He is known for his long association with Frisian club SC Heerenveen. De Haan is currently manager of the Tuvalu national football team.-Career:...

 as the club's manager, who was at the time coaching amateur side FC Steenwijk.

Van der Velde and De Haan became a close duo from 1985 to 2004, although De Haan was replaced as a manager in 1988 and was given another job at the club. In the upcoming seasons a few other managers were not able to improve Heerenveen's football potential until Fritz Korbach

Fritz Korbach

Fritz Korbach was a German professional football player and manager, active primarily in the Netherlands, where he died in 2011....

, who previously managed FC Wageningen

FC Wageningen

FC Wageningen was a Dutch football club which was founded on August 27, 1911. The club played its matches in the Wageningse Berg stadium ....

, PEC Zwolle

FC Zwolle

FC Zwolle is a Dutch football club based in Zwolle, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie, the country's second level of professional club football. The club was founded in 1990 after the bankruptcy of PEC. They have played in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football, for a total of...

, FC Volendam

FC Volendam

Football Club Volendam is a Dutch football club based in Volendam, North Holland, Edam-Volendam. Founded on June 1, 1977, as a result of a split up with RKSV . It currently plays in the Eerste Divisie, holding home games at Kras Stadion, with a 6,260-seat capacity.-History:Football Club Volendam...

 and FC Twente

FC Twente

FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...

 towards the Eredivisie

Eredivisie

The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....

 also managed Heerenveen to the highest level of Dutch football. After Heerenveen relegated the following season and were not able to promote again immediately Korbach was fired and De Haan got his former job as a manager back.

Heerenveen then reached the final of the KNVB Cup

KNVB Cup

The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...

 (losing 6-2 to Ajax

Ajax Amsterdam

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...

) and promoted back to the Eredivisie. Since then Heerenveen played continuously at the highest level and even became one of the most important teams. The club qualified for several European tournaments, inclusive the UEFA Champions League

UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

. De Haan resigned in 2004 to become manager of the Netherlands national under-21 football team

Netherlands national under-21 football team

The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....

 and was replaced by Gertjan Verbeek

Gertjan Verbeek

Gertjan Verbeek is a former footballer and current manager of AZ.-Coaching career:After retiring from his playing career in 1994, Verbeek stayed with SC Heerenveen as an assistant-coach. He left for Heracles Almelo in 2001, and after a successful stint there was hired as the successor to Foppe de...

.

As of August 2006 Van der Velde started his 23rd season as Heerenveen's chairman and he was along with his wife Annie named in the Order of Orange-Nassau

Order of Orange-Nassau

The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...

 on 29 September, just one day after Heerenveen qualified for the UEFA Cup

UEFA Cup

The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 groups stage and just two days before resigning as Heerenveen's chairman during the match versus PSV Eindhoven on 1 October.

Van der Velde was succeeded by Koos Formsma

Koos Formsma

Koos Formsma is a Dutch businessman and former chairman of Dutch football club SC Heerenveen. A former field hockey player from HC Bloemendaal, Formsma became the club's chairman on 1 October 2006 after Riemer van der Velde resigned his 23 year spell at the team...