K.S.K. Beveren

Beveren
Full name Koninklijke Sportkring
Beveren
Nickname(s) Little Anderlecht
Founded 1 July 1934 (creation)
6 September 1935
(registration)
Dissolved June 2010
Ground Freethiel Stadion, Beveren
Ground Capacity 12,930
2009–10 Belgian Second Division, 18th

Koninklijke Sportkring Beveren (English: Royal Sporting Club of Beveren) was a Belgian association football club from the town of Beveren in East Flanders. It was famous for its goalkeeping school that has produced such players as Jean-Marie Pfaff, Filip De Wilde, Geert De Vlieger, Erwin Lemmens and Tristan Peersman, all of whom have played for the Belgian national team. Wilfried Van Moer, a midfielder who also went on to represent Belgium, started his career at Beveren. The club dissolved in June 2010 to merge with KV Red Star Waasland, becoming KV Red Star Waasland-Beveren.

History

In 1921, a club named Standaard Club Beveren was founded in 1921 and it merged later with FC Amical (English: FC Friendly), but the club folded in 1931. Three years later, the footballers of Standaard Club decided to found a new club, which they named SK Beveren-Waes. It became a member of the Belgian Football Association in 1935. Ten seasons after, the club changed its name to SK Beveren-Waas (Beveren is a town in the Waasland – Pays de Waes region). After 14 seasons in the Belgian Provincial leagues, Beveren-Waas reached the fourth national level in 1948, and the third division in 1951.

In 1966, they reached the second division for the first time, and, led by future national manager Guy Thijs, were surprise winners of the league. Since then, it has been relegated from the top division three times(1972, 1990 and 1996), but on each occasion was re-promoted at the first attempt.

The club changed its name again, to KSK Beveren, in 1978, and under this name enjoyed their greatest successes, being surprise champions in 1979 and 1984. In 1979, they beat Internazionale in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, eventually being eliminated by Barcelona in the semi-finals with two 1–0 defeats. During this campaign, KSK Beveren had many players with only semi-professional status. TV reporters took pleasure to call those players by their jobs: the Fireman, the Docker, the Policeman and the Employee etc.

In 2006, they were threatened with the loss of their professional licence and subsequent relegation to the third division, but eventually won an appeal to preserve their status. In 2007, however, the club ended last in the Jupiler League and was forced to go to the second division.

In 2010, a few weeks before the end of the championship, the club announced that due to its financial situation it did not apply for a professional license, opting for automatic relegation to the third division for the 2010–11 season.

Arsenal controversy

Between 2001 and 2006, the club had a co-operation agreement with English Premier League club Arsenal. Several players were loaned between the teams and friendlies played. The agreement expired on 1 July 2006.

Subsequent to an investigation by BBC Television's Newsnight, FIFA requested the English Football Association investigate the relationship between the two clubs.

In 2001, Belgian police concluded that a loan of over €1.5 million had been made by Arsenal to the company Goal, which helped secure Beveren's financial position. Newsnight have alleged this may breach club ownership rules under FIFA regulations. The accusation is refuted by Arsenal, who state that the payment was an interest free loan and has no effect on the administration of the club.[1] The FA and FIFA cleared both clubs of any wrongdoing.[2]

Several players have been loaned between the two clubs or had trials. Only Emmanuel Eboué and Igors Stepanovs, however, completed permanent moves to the clubs in this time period, the former to Arsenal and the latter to Beveren.

Noted managers

Honours

European record

As of 5 March 2006:
Competition APP P W D L GF GA
UEFA Champions League 2 6 2 2 2 11 8
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 2 12 6 3 3 17 9
UEFA Cup 4 22 9 3 10 30 30
UEFA Intertoto Cup 1 4 1 1 2 6 8

References

  1. ↑ "Newsnight Investigation". BBC. 27 June 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "Arsenal Statement". The FA.

External links

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