After just one year of stay in Eredivisie De Graafschap immediately return to Erste Divisie. They ended the regular season in penultimate position with just 29 points in 34 games. Involved in the promotion/relegation playoffs they first eliminated Cambuur, but were later defeated by Sparta Rotterdam in the decisive match.
Surely it was not a positive season as the numbers also say, second worst attack of the league (38 goals scored) and third worst defense (75 goals conceded). In addition, along with NAC Breda, were the team that has suffered the greatest number of defeats (21), one of them a humiliating 8-0 with Ajax.
They remained constantly in the very last positions and the important loans of the winter transfer market, like Matusiwa, Bahoui and Benschop, have not yielded the expected results.
The best sector was by far the midfield, Matusiwa, Vet and El Jebli, guaranteed a good quality, the latter was also the team's top scorer with 10 goals. The problem was that the substitutes were not up to par. They also paid dearly for the absence, due to a rare disease, in the last month of Van de Pavert, certainly their best defender. Forwards Serrarens, Narsingh and Burgzorg have all been too discontinuous, failing to make the hoped-for contribution.
It will be very difficult to return immediately to Eredivisie, much will depend on the transfer market, especially if they will be able to keep their best players.
