Willem van der Ark

Willem van der Ark
Personal information
Full name	Willem van der Ark
Date of birth	13 November 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth	Groningen, Netherlands
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1970–1984	GVAV Rapiditas
Senior career*
Years	Team
1984–1987	Cambuur
1988	Willem II
1989–1991	Aberdeen
1991–1992	FC Utrecht
1993	FC Den Haag
1993–1994	FC Utrecht
1994–1996	Cambuur
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Willem van der Ark (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪləɱ vɑn dər ˈɑr(ə)k]; born 13 November 1963 in Groningen) is a former Dutch football (soccer) striker, who played for Aberdeen in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He was one of a series of Dutch players signed for the Scottish side during this time^[1] and Van der Ark was bought as a striker and noted for his height (6 foot, 5 inches).

Club career

Van der Ark came through the GVAV Rapiditas youth system and joined Cambuur in 1984. He proved to be an immedatie success alongside fellow striker Bram Rontberg and was sold to Willem II for 250,000 guilders in 1988.^[2] He then moved abroad to Scottish side Aberdeen after only half a season in Tilburg.

During his time at Aberdeen he made 77 appearances (38 of them as substitute), scoring 17 goals and securing 2 winners medals – the 1989/90 Skol Cup and 1989/90 Scottish Cup. He played alongside compatriots Theo Snelders, Hans Gillhaus and Peter van de Ven at the club.^[3]

He later played for FC Utrecht and FC Den Haag. He left Utrecht to return to Cambuur in summer 1994.^[4]

Retirement

Van der Ark now works as a real estate agent in Leeuwarden.^[5]

Career statistics

^[6]

Club	Seasons	League			Scottish Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
Club	Seasons	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aberdeen	1988-89	Scottish Premier Division	8	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	9	2
	1989-90		27	7	3	3	3	1	2	0	35	11
	1990-91		11	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	4
	1991-92		18	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	22	0
	Total		64	13	4	3	5	1	4	0	77	17

References

^ Schotse clubs in de rij voor Nederlanders - NRC (in Dutch)
^ Cambuur 50 jaar: Willem van der Ark (Bio) - Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch)
^ Aberdeen, rijk en Hollands verleden - NOS (in Dutch)
^ FC Utrecht koopt Peter Hofstede en verkoopt Van der Ark - Trouw (in Dutch)
^ Medwerkers - Makelaardij Hoekstra(in Dutch)
^ "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.

External links

Profile
Dutch league stats - VI

[1] Schotse clubs in de rij voor Nederlanders - NRC (in Dutch)

[2] Cambuur 50 jaar: Willem van der Ark (Bio) - Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch)

[3] Aberdeen, rijk en Hollands verleden - NOS (in Dutch)

[4] FC Utrecht koopt Peter Hofstede en verkoopt Van der Ark - Trouw (in Dutch)

[5] Medwerkers - Makelaardij Hoekstra(in Dutch)

[6] "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.

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