Name changes and mergers don't always have to be a bad thing for the history of a football club. In some cases the team comes out stronger than before. VV Baronie is living proof. This old club from Breda always remained in the shadow of NAC Breda, but they never really minded.
In 1899 already there was mentioning in local newspapers of games between Ginnekensche Voetbalvereeniging (GVV - sometimes mentioned as GVV Sparta) and NOAD Breda. Even Bredasche Football Club has been mentioned by occasion. We do have to wait until 1926 to have an official VV from Ginneken. NOAD on the other hand would merge in 1912 with Advendo and Combinatie to become the current NAC Breda. Only 14 years later the current VV Baronie was founded as Vitesse Ginneken. The same year they joined the local FA in Brabant, but the FA denied the name Vitesse. For a year there were internal discussions going on before finally, in 1927, VV Mastbosch was chosen as the club's name.
Only two years later, in 1929, a first merger already appeared. VV Mastbosch joined forces with the neighbouring Bredania-'t Zesde, and for the first time the name of Baronie showed up: the newborn club was known by the name RKVV Baronie. The results were great and it didn't take too long before the team would have a brand new and luxurious football stadium. What followed is a bit of a grey zone. The crisis in the 30s and the build up towards WWII didn't help the progress of the team. Once WWII really started the team underwent a second merger. In 1941 RKVV Baronie and De Nederlandsche Leeuw formed Baronie-DNL. The new team could start in the second division, which they won in 1942. Unfortunately, for some (unknown) reasons they weren't allowed to promote to first division.
After the war, the club was finally put in first division. But a year later, in 1948, they relegated. The name change to VV Baronie in 1949 gave the team new hope and they immediately promoted back to first division. They stayed there up until 1955, a big year in Dutch football as the professional leagues were started. One year later (again) they relegated to second division and this time they would stay there until the end of their professional existence.
In 1960 VV Baronie moved to their current ground, De Blauwe Kei. The years after the move, the amount of paying visitors fell back drastically as they weren't playing in their Ginneken anymore. In the professional world that means a thing or two and finally in 1971 the decision was taken to go back to the amateur leagues. The Dutch FA originally placed VV Baronie in third division, but that was revoked and changed into a place in second division.
Ever since, VV Baronie had a more or less healthy existence. In 1975 they won the second division and the team would play first division until 1980. The 80s became a sportive hell. In only two years time the club relegated twice and it would take until 1985 before they could finally promote back to second division. Since 1989 VV Baronie only played first division twice. All of the rest was played in the Hoofdklasse (just above first division, where they are right now). They won that Hoofdklasse six times and became the national champion in the amateur leagues twice. VV Baronie played the Topklasse for one year as well. Last year, in 2019, it seemed it was all over due to financial problems but these seem to have been solved. We truly hope VV Baronie can add a lot more successful years to their long list!