Sint-Jannekestadion, Herentals (VC Herentals, formerly KFC Herentals & B ground of KFC Verbroedering Geel)
Belgium, province: Antwerp = Antwerpen
21 IV 2010 / VC Herentals - KFC De Kempen Tielen-Lichtaart 1-1 - Kempen wins penalty shoot-out / Antwerp, Provincial Cup semi 12 IV 2026 / VC Herentals - K Berg-Op FC Beerzel 0-1 / Antwerp, Provincial League 4F (= BE level 9)
Timeline
- ± 1906 / Foundation of a football club in Herentals, Herenthalssche or Herentalssche Sportkring (SK), later usually spelled as Herentalssche SK – and often abbreviated as HSK. With no minute details being available about this period, the foundation of the club must have taken place some time between 1906 and 1908. The founding fathers of the club are Eduard Van Swartenbroeck, Ferdinand Dam, Jan Thys, Jules Heylen, John Bout, and Hubert Peeters. The new club starts its existence on a pitch laid out at Zavelstraat, moving to various locations in the following decades: Sint-Jobsstraat, back to Zavelstraat, Wuytsbergen, and Molenvest (Boulevard).
- 1916 / A second football club sees the daylight in Herentals, with the name Netha FC Herentals being adopted. Whereas Herentalssche SK serves the town’s liberal, i.e. non-confessional, community, Netha recruits its membership from the Roman Catholic part of the population. Netha’s first chairman is Miel Van den Broeck, with the club settling on Terrein ‘t Zaat. In the following decade, frequent moves are made: from ‘t Zaat to De Vennen; to a groundshare with Herentalssche SK at Zavelstraat; to De Kluis; to Geelschesteenweg (modern-day Boerenkrijglaan).
- 1917 / Herentalssche SK joins a local league association, the so-called Kampioenschap van de Kempen.
- 1918 / Herentalssche SK wins the Kampioenschap van de Kempen title.
- 1919 / Herentalssche SK wins the Kampioenschap van de Kempen title for the second year in a row.
- 1920 / Herentalssche SK wins the Kampioenschap van de Kempen title for the third year in a row. Thereupon, the club decides to take the leap to the official Belgian FA (URBSFA / KBVB), being placed in Antwerp’s Regional League 2 (2e Gewestelijke; later renamed Regional League 3, 3e Gewestelijke) for the 1920-21 season.
- 1924 / Finishing in third place in Antwerp’s Regional League 3A, Herentalssche SK wins promotion to Provincial League 2 – the top division of the provincial league pyramid at that time.
- 1925 / Finishing in twelfth place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2, Herentalssche SK drops back into Regional League 3 after just one season.
- 1926 / Finishing in third place in Antwerp’s Regional League 3, Herentalssche SK manages an immediate return to Provincial League 2 via the promotion play-offs. That same year, Netha FC Herentals also joins the Belgian FA, being placed in Antwerp’s Regional League 3 for the 1926-27 season; moving away from Terrein Geelschesteenweg, Netha moves into the so-called Stadsveld, where a covered stand is constructed in one of the following years. In December 1926, the Belgian FA introduces a system of registration numbers, with Herentalssche SK being accorded number 97 and Netha number 408.
- 1928 / As Netha FC Herentals clinches the title in Antwerp’s Regional League 3A, the club wins promotion to Provincial League 2 – thus meeting Herentalssche SK on a league level for the first time. The first league encounter between the two clubs finishes in a rather clear-cut 11-0 win for HSK.
- 1931 / Champions in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2 with their Swiss coach Willy Tchopp, Herentalssche SK wins promotion to Promotion, the third and lowest level of the national league pyramid, for the first time. That same year, the club abandons its ground at Molenvest (Boulevard) to settle on a newly laid-out pitch at Sint-Waldetrudisstraat. The new facilities are inaugurated with two gala matches; the first between K Beerschot VAC and FC Turnhout and the second between HSK and Turnhoutse SK Hand-In-Hand, with both encounters finishing on a 2-1 scoreline.
- 1935 / Champions in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2, Netha FC Herentals wins promotion to Promotion – thus meeting Herentalssche SK again after four years without facing its town rivals on league level. The successful coach is Clement Hoydonckx.
- 1938 / Herentalssche SK finishes as runner-up in Promotion Group A, 2 points behind champions Wezel Sport FC.
- 1939 / Champions in Promotion Group D, 2 points ahead of closest rivals RCS Tongrois, Herentalssche SK wins promotion to Eerste Afdeling, the second-level of the Belgian league pyramid. Meanwhile, Netha FC Herentals finished in fifth place in the same division, the club’s best-ever performance. Due to the mobilisation of the Belgian armed forces in the summer of 1939, regular league football is suspended, as a result of which HSK has to wait to take its place in the antechamber of Belgian football. Eventually, it would take one more season following the German occupation of Belgium in the spring of 1940 for league football to resume its course in the summer of 1941.
- 1941 / In an effort heavily supported by local authorities, Herentalssche SK and Netha FC Herentals conclude a merger, resulting in the foundation of FC Herentals, which retains HSK’s registration number 97. With Jozef Van Hilst becoming the merger club’s first chairman, all activities move to HSK’s ground at Sint-Waldetrudisstraat. The covered stand of Netha’s ground, Terrein Stadsveld, is taken along and rebuilt on the chosen location. Following the title of HSK in Promotion two years previously, the new merger club starts its existence in Eerste Afdeling, the second tier of the Belgian league pyramid.
- 1945 / FC Herentals manages to sell Terrein Stadsveld, the former ground of Netha FC Herentals. The location coincides with modern-day Wipstraat.
- 1951 / As FC Herentals acquires the royal epithet, the club is officially renamed Koninklijke Football Club (KFC) Herentals.
- 1952 / Finishing in tenth place in Eerste Afdeling Group B, KFC Herentals is placed in the newly created National Division 3 (3e klasse) along with all other teams from the second half of the table, i.e. FC Turnhout, Helzold FC Zolder, AS Herstalienne SR, K Tongerse SV Cercle, RFC Sérésien, K Daring Club Leuven, and bottom club RFC Bressoux. The two groups of Eerste Afdeling are reshaped in a single-tiered National Division 2 (2e klasse).
- 1955 / Champions in National Division 3A, 4 points ahead of closest followers VV Patro Eisden, KFC Herentals wins promotion to National Division 2. The successful coach is Bernard Voorhoof.
- 1956 / Coached by John Van Alphen, who replaced Bernard Voorhoof in the course of the season, KFC Herentals finishes bottom of the table in National Division 2, thus descending into National Division 3 along with the club in second-last place, SRU Verviers.
- 1957 / KFC Herentals finishes as runner-up in National Division 3A, 4 points behind champions KFC Diest.
- 1958 / KFC Herentals finishes as runner-up in National Division 3B, 5 points behind champions RFC Sérésien.
- 1959 / KFC Herentals finishes as runner-up in National Division 3A, 4 points behind champions RRC Bruxelles.
- 1961 / Champions in National Division 3B, 4 points ahead of closest followers K Daring Club Leuven, KFC Herentals wins promotion to National Division 2. Centre-forward Jef Vanhoudt manages a baffling total of 42 league goals, an all-time club record. The successful coach is Georges Meuris.
- 1962 / In the best season in club history, KFC Herentals finishes in fourth place in National Division 2 behind R Berchem Sport, K Beeringen FC, and KFC Malinois.
- 1963 / KFC Herentals signs K Wezel Sport FC coach, 40-year-old Guy Thys, as its new trainer. Thys is a former professional league striker of K Beerschot VAC, Daring Club Bruxelles, R Standard de Liège, and Cercle Brugge KSV, who even won two caps for the Belgian national team in the early 1950s.
- 1964 / Following wins over UR Namur, Olse Merksem, and K Willebroekse SV, KFC Herentals reaches the semifinal of the Belgian Cup for the first and only time in club history. In this round, the club is eliminated by top flight team KFC Diest (1-0).
- 1966 / After three years at the helm of first team football at KFC Herentals, coach Guy Thys leaves the club to sign a contract with SK Beveren-Waes. Later on, he would also have spells as coach at R Union Saint-Gilloise and R Antwerp FC, eventually winning fame as manager of the Belgian national team, which he led for fifteen years (1976-89 & 1990-91), reaching the final of the 1980 European Championship and qualifying for the 1982, 1986, and 1990 editions of the World Cup (notably reaching the semifinal in 1986) as well as the 1984 European Championship. Guy Thys would pass away in 2003 at the age of 80.
- 1969 / Coached by Bert De Cleyn, KFC Herentals finishes in second-last place in National Division 2, thus descending into National Division 3 after eight seasons.
- 1970 / KFC Herentals finishes in third-last place in National Division 3B, only avoiding the drop by finishing 1 point ahead of RRFC Montegnée.
- 1971 / KFC Herentals finishes in third-last place in National Division 3A, with an equal number of points as VC Westerlo and with an inferior goal difference – but with seven wins as opposed to six wins by Westerlo, as a result of which the latter descends into D4 rather than Herentals.
- 1976 / Coached by former player Willy Van Snick, KFC Herentals finishes bottom of the table in National Division 3B, thus being retrograded into National Division 4 for the first time, along with the club in second-last place, LC Bastogne.
- 1977 / Champions in National Division 4C, 6 points ahead of closest rivals FC Heist Sportief, KFC Herentals manages an immediate return to National Division 3. The successful coach is Willy Van Snick.
- 1980 / KFC Herentals finishes as runner-up in National Division 3A, 4 points behind champions KSV Oudenaarde.
- 1985 / KFC Herentals finishes in third-last place in National Division 3B, only avoiding the drop by virtue of finishing 1 point ahead of KVV Looi Sport.
- 1986 / Coached by former player Willy Heylen, KFC Herentals finishes bottom of the table in National Division 3B, thus dropping back into National Division 4 alongside the club in second-last place, K Bilzerse VV. Also in 1986, the club has to leave its historic ground at Sint-Waldetrudisstraat, which had been in use continuously since 1931. Having to make way for a supermarket (at the crossroads with Noorderwijksebaan), the ground is knocked down later that same year. The last match to be played at Sint-Waldetrudisstraat sees KFC Herentals suffer a 3-0 defeat at the hands of KFC Turnhout on April 12th, 1986 (att. 1,000). Given that the club’s new Sint-Jannekestadion, just south of the bridge across the Albertkanaal, has not been constructed yet, KFC Herentals concludes a groundsharing agreement with KVV OG Vorselaar, playing its home matches at that club’s ground, Stadion ‘t Zand, for the following two seasons.
- 1987 / KFC Herentals finishes as runner-up in National Division 4B, 5 points behind champions FC Heist Sportief.
- 1988 / Coached by Jos Weyts, KFC Herentals finishes in third-last place in National Division 4C, just 1 point short of Zonhoven VV and safety. The club’s fate is sealed following a 2-1 away defeat at R Stade Waremmien FC. As such, the club descends into Antwerp’s Provincial League 1 for the first time, with the other drop-outs being K Helzold FC Zolder and bottom club R Oreye Union. Also in 1988, after two years of exile at Stadion ‘t Zand in Vorselaar, KFC Herentals moves back to Herentals – playing its cup matches in August 1988 at the ground of RWD (Rood Wit Dames) Herentals (location unknown) to move into the newly finished Sint-Jannekestadion for the start of the 1988-89 league season. On the new location, the club has a total of five pitches at its disposal. The main pitch sports a covered grand stand as well as terracing on all other three sides.
- 1989 / Champions in Antwerp’s Provincial League 1, 4 points ahead of closest rivals R Cappellen FC, KFC Herentals manages an immediate return to National Division 4. Moreover, the club also clinches Antwerp’s Provincial Cup, defeating K Retie SK in the final. The successful coach is Tony De Busser.
- 1991 / KFC Herentals signs 34-year-old Yugoslavian (Bosnian) midfielder Goran Miljanović. The former FK Sloboda Tuzla and Yugoslavian international (4 caps between 1983 and 1988) star joins the club from K Lierse SK.
- 1993 / Champions in National Division 4C, 8 points ahead of closest followers KFC Tielen, KFC Herentals wins promotion to National Division 3.
- 1994 / Finishing in fourth place in National Division 3B, KFC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by R Cappellen FC (1-1 & penalty shoot-out). Following the 1993-94 season, star player Goran Miljanović hangs up his boots at the age of 37.
- 1996 / Runner-up in National Division 3B, 11 points behind runaway champions R Tilleur FC de Liège, KFC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club edges past Racing Jet Wavre in R1 (1-0), only to suffer elimination in R2 against R Union Saint-Gilloise (1-2).
- 1998 / Champions in National Division 3B, 2 points ahead of closest rivals RCS Visétois, KFC Herentals wins promotion to National Division 2, heralding the club’s return to the antechamber of Belgian football after an absence of 29 years.
- 1999 / In its last season as an independent club, KFC Herentals finishes in a respectable eleventh place in National Division 2. Marred by financial difficulties, the club allows itself to be absorbed into KFC Verbroedering Geel following the 1998-99 season. The Sint-Jannekestadion sees very little activity in the following season, with only one of the youth academy teams of KFC Verbroedering Geel using it as its home base.
- 2000 / As KFC Verbroedering Geel leaves the Sint-Jannekestadion altogether, a new football club is founded to take its place; Voetbalclub (VC) Herentals, which successfully applies for membership of the Belgian FA, receiving registration number 9364. The new club, presided over by main sponsor Danny Pollet, starts its existence at the bottom of the league ladder, Antwerp’s Provincial League 4. For the 2000-01 season, the club signs former KFC Herentals star player Goran Miljanović as its head coach; Miljanović joins the club from FC Netegalm.
- 2002 / Runner-up in Antwerp’s Provincial League 4C, 2 points behind derby rivals KSKS Herentals, VC Herentals accedes to Provincial League 3 due to extra promotion places being available. The successful coach is Marc Lenaerts.
- 2003 / Runaway champions in Antwerp’s Provincial League 3C, 15 points ahead of closest followers K Zandhovense SK, VC Herentals wins promotion to Provincial League 2.
- 2005 / Coached by Sus Van Orshaegen, who replaced Jos Heylen in the course of the season, VC Herentals finishes in second-last place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2B, thus dropping back into Provincial League 3 along with K Berg & Dal VV and bottom club KSKS Herentals.
- 2006 / Champions in Antwerp’s Provincial League 3C, 6 points ahead of closest rivals SV Grasheide, VC Herentals manages an immediate return to Provincial League 2.
- 2008 / Finishing in fourth place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2B, VC Herentals goes on to clinch promotion to Provincial League 1 via the play-offs. That same year, former KFC Herentals player Goran Miljanović passes away at the untimely age of 51.
- 2010 / Finishing in second-last place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 1, VC Herentals drops back into Provincial League 2 alongside FC Berlaar-Heikant and bottom club K Tubantia Borgerhout VK.
- 2011 / Finishing in third place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2B, with an equal number of points as K Verbroedering Balen, VC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by KFC Poppel (5-4 aggr.).
- 2012 / Runner-up in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2B, 1 point behind champions KSK Retie Branddonk, VC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club eliminates K Kontich FC in R1 (7-3 aggr.), going on to have the better of KVV OG Vorselaar in the final (5-3 aggr.). As such, the club manages a return to Provincial League 1 after an absence of two years.
- 2014 / Runner-up in Antwerp’s Provincial League 1, 10 points behind runaway champions KFCO Beerschot-Wilrijk, VC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Successively seeing off KSK Retie Branddonk (6-2 aggr.) and KSV Schriek (5-3 aggr.), the club wins promotion to National Division 4 for the first time – thus heralding a return of national league football to Herentals after an absence of fifteen years.
- 2015 / Finishing bottom of the table in National Division 4C, VC Herentals drops back into Provincial League 1 after just one season, along with KFC Witgoor Sport and KSK Bree.
- 2017 / Finishing in third place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 1, VC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out K Lyra TSV (3-2 aggr.) to qualify for the Interprovincial play-offs. Being drawn in a group with Eendracht Elene-Grotenberge, K Bilzerse Waltwilder VV, VV Westkapelle, and HO Veltem, the club manages wins over Elene (0-2), Bilzerse (1-0), and Veltem (2-1), only suffering defeat against Westkapelle (1-0). As such, the club finishes in second place in the group behind Bilzerse, sufficient to win promotion to VFV Amateur Division 3, the new fifth and lowest tier of the national league pyramid.
- 2018 / Finishing in second-last place in VFV Amateur Division 3, VC Herentals proves unable to cope with the national level yet again, dropping back into Provincial League 1 after one season only, alongside KFC Diest, ERC Hoeilaart, and bottom club KOVC Sterrebeek.
- 2020 / In the 2019-20 season, cut short due to the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, VC Herentals finds itself in thirteenth place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 1. On that basis, the club is retrograded to Provincial League 2, along with SK ’s Gravenwezel-Schilde, RVC Hoboken, and bottom club KSAV Sint-Dimpna Geel.
- 2023 / Finishing bottom of the table in Antwerp’s Provincial League 2B, VC Herentals descends into Provincial League 3 alongside K Wuustwezel FC and RFC Zwaneven.
- 2024 / Finishing in third-last place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 3C, VC Herentals suffers back-to-back relegations, descending into Provincial League 4 along with KSK Oosthoven and KSV Oud-Turnhout.
- 2025 / Finishing in third place in Antwerp’s Provincial League 4F, VC Herentals qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club does not have to compete in R1 due to its adversary, KFC Schoten SK, choosing not to contest the match (5-0 FF); however, in R2, Nielse SV proves too strong (2-0).
Note 1 – Essential parts of information given above has been derived from a book published on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the merger between Herentalssche SK and Netha FC Herentals: Jos Flamand ‘KFC Herentals. 50 jaar fusie 1941-1991’, ed. vzw KFC Herentals: Herentals 1991. Many thanks to the board of VC Herentals for putting a copy of this priceless book at my disposal.
Note 2 – Below, a compilation of photos of three different visits: pictures 1-2, 4, 7, 10, 13-28, 30-34, 38 & 41 = match visit, April 2026 / pictures 3, 5-6, 8-9 & 40 = non-matchday visit, March 2026 / pictures 11-12, 29 & 35-37 = match visit, April 2010.
All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author
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