John van den Brom

Date of birth: 4 October 1966
Nationality: Dutch
Playing career: Vitesse (twice), AFC Ajax, Istanbulspor AŞ, De Graafschap
Coaching career: AGOVV Apeldoorn, ADO Den Haag, Vitesse, RSC Anderlecht

• Signed his first professional contract with Vitesse in 1986, spending seven seasons with the Arnhem side and scoring 80 goals. The midfielder, who won two Netherlands caps, earned a move to Ajax and was part of the squad that lifted the 1995 UEFA Champions League, although he played no part in the final.

• Tried his luck in Turkey at İstanbulspor in 1995/96 but lasted one season before returning for five more years with Vitesse, hanging up his boots in 2003 after a short spell at De Graafschap.

• Returned to Ajax as second-team coach, becoming head of youth development in 2005. Took the reins at second-tier AGOVV two years later and guided the club to the promotion play-offs in his final season.

• Earned a promotion of his own in 2010, being named Den Haag coach, and he duly took the club into Europe for the first time in 23 years. In June 2011 Vitesse convinced Van den Brom to make a heart-warming return and he rewarded their faith by leading the club into the UEFA Europa League via the end-of-season play-offs.

• Left for Anderlecht in May 2012, making an immediate impression by winning the Belgian Super Cup and masterminding Anderlecht's return to the UEFA Champions League group stage after a six-season hiatus. Things got even better when he ended his first season in Brussels holding the league championship trophy.