1980–81 Eerste Divisie

Eerste Divisie
Season	1980–81
Champions	HFC Haarlem
Promoted	HFC Haarlem; De Graafschap;
Goals scored	977
Average goals/game	2.85
	← 1979–80 1981–82 →

The Dutch Eerste Divisie in the 1980–81 season was contested by 19 teams. HFC Haarlem won the championship.

New entrants

Relegated from the 1979–80 Eredivisie

League standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or qualification
1	HFC Haarlem	36	24	6	6	78	25	+53	54	Promoted to Eredivisie.
2	sc Heerenveen	36	18	10	8	68	41	+27	46	Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions.
3	FC Volendam	36	17	12	7	68	49	+19	46
4	Fortuna Sittard	36	18	7	11	65	50	+15	43
5	DS '79	36	17	8	11	64	49	+15	42	Qualified for Promotion play-off as Period champions.
6	FC Den Bosch	36	17	8	11	46	41	+5	42
7	De Graafschap	36	15	11	10	55	43	+12	41
8	Vitesse Arnhem	36	14	10	12	55	58	−3	38
9	SC Cambuur	36	13	10	13	46	38	+8	36
10	FC Eindhoven	36	12	12	12	47	44	+3	36
11	Telstar	36	12	11	13	43	56	−13	35
12	Helmond Sport	36	11	12	13	45	45	0	34
13	VVV-Venlo	36	14	5	17	68	74	−6	33
14	SVV	36	10	13	13	35	47	−12	33
15	SC Veendam	36	11	9	16	53	65	−12	31
16	FC Amsterdam	36	9	11	16	45	62	−17	29
17	SC Amersfoort	36	7	9	20	30	59	−29	23
18	FC Vlaardingen	36	6	10	20	31	59	−28	22	Withdrew owing to bankruptcy.
19	SC Heracles	36	7	6	23	35	72	−37	20

Source: rsssf.com

Promotion competition

In the promotion competition, four period winners (the best teams during each of the four quarters of the regular competition) played for promotion to the eredivisie.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
1	De Graafschap	6	3	2	1	8	5	+3	8	Promoted to Eredivisie.
2	sc Heerenveen	6	2	3	1	9	7	+2	7
3	FC Den Bosch	6	2	2	2	10	9	+1	6
4	DS '79	6	1	1	4	9	15	−6	3