SC Cambuur head coach Henk de Jong has blasted the decision to declare the Dutch league void, branding it the "biggest scandal" in the country's sporting history.
The season was ended with immediate effect on Friday, with no promotion or relegation to or from the Eredivisie.
Ajax, who led the top flight on goal difference, were denied the title, while Alan Pardew's ADO Den Haag escaped relegation despite sitting seven points from safety near the bottom of the table.
Fortuna Sittard and RKC Waalwijk were also left counting their lucky stars after escaping the drop, but Cambuur suffered the opposite fate.
Perched 11 points clear at the top of the second tier with nine to play, and seemingly on course for a return to the Eredivisie after a four-year absence, their promotion was snatched away.
"This feels like the biggest scandal in the history of Dutch sports," De Jong was quoted as saying by NOS.
"I always intend to see the best in people and their decision-making, but this is unworthy of the sport.
"We had UEFA on our side, the clubs were on our side and we were 11 points ahead, so I don't know what happened. UEFA asked for fair decisions, but this isn't one.
"The Eerste Division is negated and destroyed by this. I think it's a shame for Dutch football."
Cambuur general manager Ard de Graaf refused to rule out legal action after what he described as an "injustice".
De Graaf said: "We will investigate our options. I just don't get it. Why didn't they follow the rules on both tiers?
"This is a major blow for us. The difference between playing in the first or the second tier is huge. The first tier gets way more money and we are working on a new stadium and building our plans around it. Now this is being taken away from us and that feels like an injustice."
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