Frans Heesen Stadium is the multifunctional stadium of TOP Oss, in Oss. The nickname of the stadium is Het Osse Kuipje .
The stadium consists of three stands, one stand is missing behind one of the goals. This side is the side of a secondary school. The stadium has undergone several metamorphoses over the years. This makes it a multifunctional complex that includes a swimming pool, fitness center, indoor sports hall, restaurant and hotel, business club and 9 skyboxes.
Under the grandstand on the narrow side there is also the fan home of “Dikke Piet”. In addition, this grandstand houses the clubhouse of the amateur division of TOP Oss ( SV TOP ), which was completed in 2016.
During regular competitive matches there are about 2000 fans in the stands. As there are no fences between the pitch and the stands, the stadium has a cozy atmosphere where spectators can get very close to the pitch.
History
The TOP, founded in 1928, first had its own sports park in 1930, in the Molenstraat. In 1946, the club moved to the Heescheweg. Since then, the TOP plays on the same field. At that time, it was still located on the so-called ‘Heescheweg’. Due to the municipal reorganization of the area, the address was later changed to ‘Mondriaanlaan’ and is now located on the ‘Nelson Mandelaboulevard’.
The more successful the club was in sports, the more the public interest grew. Later on, the main field was gradually extended with standing stands. For example, during its first professional venture in the 1950s, the TOP attracted an average of more than 5000 spectators.
Before the first major renovation, the club had a covered main stand and covered standing stands on the long sides. In the late 1990s, a renovation project was launched to replace first the main stand and then 2 other stands. At that time, the stadium was known as TOP Oss Stadion and Heesen Yachts Stadion.
Since August 1, 2011, it has been named after Frans Heesen, the founder of the former main sponsor Heesen Yachts , as a tribute to Heesen Yachts who, at his request, no longer wanted to link his name to the TOP Oss Stadion. TOP believes that it owes a lot to Heesen Yachts. A good reason to name the stadium after Frans Heesen.
Since 2010, a new renovation concept is underway under the name “Talent Campus Oss”. This was completed in 2016. As a result, a school was built in place of the missing grandstand. In addition, the main building and the surrounding sports park were extensively renovated. The club now has a modern, future-proof stadium with, among other things, several skyboxes, sports facilities and a restaurant. Stand C has also been extensively renovated, so that it not only houses the TOP Oss fan clubhouse, but also the canteen of the amateur section. The exterior of the C stand is made up of large windows, which allow a view of the other grounds from the SV TOP canteen.
The natural grass in the stadium was replaced by artificial turf at this time. This way, a field that is easy to maintain and playable even in bad weather was created.
