Concordia 23

Plaintext Concordia 23 is a Hattrick football club from The Netherlands, based in the Arnhem region. Established on May 28, 2023, the club competes in division VI.818, the sixth tier in the Netherlands.

Origins and name

The club was founded on May 16, 2023, by a group of anonymous football enthusiasts following the liquidation of VV Bermfluiter. The name derives from the Roman goddess Concordia, representing stability and harmony, which the founders chose to symbolize team unity and performance.

Stadium

Concordia 23 plays its home matches at The Pantheon III, a reference to the historic Roman temple. Initially constructed in May 2023 with a capacity of 12,000, the stadium has undergone three expansions to reach its current capacity of 58,000.

Managerial history

The club has been managed by Dutchman Colin Bevan (born 1986) since its inception. Bevan previously managed Fiesta del Giornalista (362939) from November 15, 2003, winning six titles over 29 seasons — most notably the season 18 division VI.103 title — before retiring in 2013 to focus on family life.

In 2023, Bevan returned to Hattrick to lead Concordia 23, citing a more balanced work-life rhythm and a long-term ambition to reach the Eredivisie. Characterized by fans and media as a stubborn, finance-oriented strategist, Bevan is known for his long-term planning and surprising player sales. Responding to criticism in January 2025, Bevan stated in an interview:

"I came here with a mission and that mission will be accomplished in time. 
May it be 5 years, 10 or even 15. If anyone doesn’t agree with my policy, 
I’m happy to let them take my jobs. But in the end, no one will."

Season-by-Season Results

Seasons 73–75: Foundation and Early Struggles

• Season 73: Taking over the final four games of the season, Concordia 23 finished third in division VI.642 (1W, 1D, 2L). Bevan immediately overhauled the squad, signing prospects such as Cino Falcicchio, Ciriaco Grunauer, Gabriel Radocaj, Filiberto Alume, Rikardo Vlaszak and Csanad Varga alongside experienced midfielders Erwan Charriere and Stephane Frechin.
• Season 74: The club's first full season yielded a 6th-place finish with 14 points, which Bevan attributed to offensive deficiencies and "growing pains."
• Season 75: Sustained attacking weaknesses led to four defeats in the opening five matches. Despite a late-season recovery, the team again finished 6th.

Seasons 76–78: Consolidation and Squad Rotation

• Season 76: Concordia transferred to division VI.682, finishing 5th with 20 points. Defender Rikardo Vlaszak was sold for a then-record fee of 856,000.
• Season 77: After moving to division VI.696, the club achieved a 3rd-place finish (34 points). Striker Rares Mot became assistant coach, while defenders Filiberto Alume and Gabrijel Radocaj were sold for record fees, the latter commanding 1.15M.
• Season 78: Emerging as title contenders, Concordia finished joint-second behind Pieperduin Resurrected. Key acquisitions included Polish striker Jerzy Niedzielan (1.45M) and power house Amilcar Becerra. Manuel Valente Avila was sold for 1.22M, and Niedzielan finished as club top scorer with 8 goals.

Seasons 79–81: Financial Investment and Heartbreak

• Season 79: Remaining in VI.696, Concordia finished second behind undefeated champions Vake bej te bange. Bevan heavily invested a total of 5.4M in Romanian striker András Vandlik (1.46M), Paraguayan goalkeeper Cecilio Pintos (2.3M), and Czech winger Vitezslav Pospisil (1.64M). Club legend Cino Falcicchio departed after six seasons.
• Season 80: The season was marred by a historic 0-9 home loss to eventual champions Abon dance. Despite a subsequent nine-game unbeaten run, the defeat led Bevan to offer his resignation, which the board declined.
• Season 81: Moving to division VI.707, Concordia won their first six matches. Despite a mid-season setback and high-profile transfer controversy involving Witold Gebusia, the club entered the final weeks as league leaders. However, a 3-2 away defeat to managerless WHE United on the final day relegated them to third place. Manager Bevan and striker Vandlik both described it as 'the worst day ever in Hattrick'.

Seasons 82–83: Tactical Controversy and Promotion

• Season 82: Entering division VI.818 as title favorites, Concordia signed striker Apollonas Alamanos for 2.01M. Midway through the campaign, Bevan publicly stated the squad was unready for promotion. His strategy aimed at winning the league title while intentionally avoiding promotion to division V. To achieve this, he deliberately fielded a weakened lineup in a planned 4-1 defeat against FC Schapezak in week 10. However, his calculation backfired when Concordia failed to win the final match of the season against Chielekes78, ultimately finishing second. This tactical gamble and subsequent failure triggered heavy fan protests. Following intensive board discussions, Bevan was retained under a strict mandate to secure the title the following season. He immediately reinvested in Domenico Braghini, Ararat Krpeyan, and Roel van Drongelen for a combined 2.7M.
• Season 83: Concordia secured its first silverware by winning the first 12 league matches, concluding the campaign with an historic 101-3 goal difference. The attacking trio of Vandlik (who scored three consecutive hat-tricks), Alamanos, and Van Drongelen dominated the league. Local media characterized the historic season as an "unprecedented goal galore," though critics noted that Concordia’s squad and wage budget were vastly overqualified for the tier. The team ultimately secured direct promotion to division V for the first time in club history.

Cup history

Concordia 23 has participated in the KNVB Beker 14 times, never progressing past the third round. The club similarly failed to make an impact or achieve a deep run in the lower-tier emerald and ruby consolation cups. In December 2025, Bevan dismissed cup competitions as being "for the happy few who are able to focus on the cup instead of the league," remarks that were widely criticized by rival managers.

Youth program

Jong Concordia is a three-star certified youth academy. It has produced several notable players, including Aard ten Cate (490033589), Mattijs Assink (488728910), Houssaïn Lwali (499060721), and Dinand Wierckx (480042816). In June 2026, academy product Evert Mertens (513312339) set a club record when he was transferred to Thai top flight club Erawan (139661) for 3.3M.

Honours

Competition	Titles	Seasons
Division VI	1	Season 83

Statistics

All-time top scorers

In official games as of July 1, 2026

Player	Goals
András Vandlik (Rou)	77
Jerzy Niedzielan (Pol)	46
Gyde Slijkhuis (Ned)	39
Ciriaco Grunauer (Sui)	32
Apollonas Alamanos (Gre)	29
Vítězslav Pospíšil (Cze)	25
Roel van Drongelen (Ned)	23

International players

The following players have represented their national team under-21 squads while playing for, or after developing at, Concordia 23:

• Artash Sourenyan – National team U-20 Hayastan (15 caps)
• Manouk Nazaryants – National team U-20 Hayastan (6 caps)