LUXEMBOURG: FC Atert Bissen (1995-2017)

Terrain am Bousbierg, Bissen (formerly FC Atert Bissen)

Luxembourg, canton: Mersch

10 IV 2011 / FC Atert Bissen Scolaires - FC Minerva Lintgen Scolaires 1-4 / Scolaires, Division 4 Série 1

Timeline

• 1945 / At the end of the German occupation of Luxembourg, a new football club is founded in Bissen, a village in the heart of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The new FC Atert Bissen is in fact the fourth successive football club in the village, following FC Jeunesse Bissen (1917-1923), FC Red Star Bissen (1929-1934), and FC 42 (1942-1944). A first pitch is laid out for the new club on a pasture owned by Bitz Batty, situated at Am Brill. 
• 1946 / A new ground is inaugurated for FC Atert Bissen at Am Brill, on a pasture owned by Ms Ecker.
• ± 1961 / Moving away from Terrain Gérard Bitz at Am Brill, FC Atert Bissen settles on a newly laid-out pitch, Terrain Paafend, situated on a pasture owned by a local smallholder, Jos Wietor.
• 1995 / Moving away from Terrain Paafend, FC Atert Bissen settles on a newly laid-out pitch, Terrain Am Bousbierg, situated at Rouschter Strooss. The new ground is inaugurated in early August 1995 with a gala match between CS Grevenmacher and F91 Dudelange (3-1). Terrain Paafend remains in use for lower team football and training sessions. At that point in the club's history, FC Atert Bissen finds itself in Division 2, the fourth and second-lowest tier of Luxembourg's football pyramid.
• 1996 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 2, 4 points behind champions RM 86 Luxembourg, FC Atert Bissen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in second place behind FC The Belval Belvaux, but ahead of US Rambrouch and FC Jeunesse Biwer. As such, the club wins promotion to Division 1.
• 1997 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC Atert Bissen drops back into Division 1 after only one season, along with US Boevange-Attert and bottom club FC Claravallis Clervaux.
• 1999 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 2, FC Atert Bissen descends into Division 3 along with bottom club FC Alisontia Steinsel.
• 2000 / Runners-up in Division 3 Group 1, 12 points behind champions FC Sporting Steinfort, FC Atert Bissen wins promotion to Division 2 along with the aforementioned club as well as US Feulen, which had finished in third place.
• 2006 / Champions in Division 2 Group 1, 10 points ahead of US Berdorf-Consdorf, FC Atert Bissen wins promotion to Division 1.
• 2007 / Champions in Division 1 Group 1, 6 points ahead of runners-up FC Kehlen, FC Atert Bissen wins back-to-back promotions, acceding to Promotion d’Honneur, the second level of Luxembourg’s league pyramid, for the first time in club history.
• 2009 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur, FC Atert Bissen descends into Division 1 after two years, along with FC Flaxweiler-Beyren, Union Mertert-Wasserbillig, and bottom club FC Sporting Mertzig.
• 2012 / Runners-up in Division 1 Group 1, 1 point behind champions Alliance Äischdall Hobscheid-Eischen, FC Atert Bissen qualifies for a promotion-relegation play-off, in which the club draws the short straw against CS Oberkorn (1-0), thus missing out on a return to Promotion d’Honneur.
• 2013 / FC Atert Bissen reaches the quarterfinals of Luxembourg’s Cup for the first time, with the club being knocked out at that stage by FC Differdange 03 (2-0). Also in 2013, Bissen’s municipal authorities give the go-ahead sign for a projected new ground for the club at Klengbousbierg, a stone’s throw away from Terrain am Bousbierg.
• 2015 / FC Atert Bissen reaches the final of the Coupe FLF, the cup competition for clubs at the third to fifth tiers of the Grand-Duchy’s league pyramid, for the first time, however missing out on the silverware due to losing the encounter against FF Norden 02 Weiswampach-Hupperdange (3-1). Also in 2015, Bissen’s municipal authorities approve of the design for a clubhouse at the projected Stade Klengbousbierg by architect’s office Holweck Bingen.
• 2016 / Champions in Division 1 Group 1, 6 points ahead of closest rivals FC Alisontia Steinsel, FC Atert Bissen manages a return to Promotion d’Honneur after an absence of seven seasons.
• 2017 / Finishing in second-last place in Promotion d’Honneur, FC Atert Bissen drops back into Division 1 after one year only, along with FC Mondercange and bottom club FC Avenir Beggen. That same year, the second pitch of Stade Klengbousbierg, equipped with a synthetic surface, is handed over to FC Atert Bissen, allowing part of the club’s activities to move to the new ground. All the remaining teams following in the following months.
• 2018 / In January 2018, the clubhouse at Terrain Am Bousbierg is knocked down. As such, first team football moves to the 3G pitch at Stade Klengbousbierg. Meanwhile, the old ground has to make way for a new-to-be-built senior home.
• 2019 / First team football moves to the now ready-to-be-inaugurated new main pitch at Stade Klengbousbierg. 

Note - Part of the information in the above has been derived from a booklet published on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of FC Atert Bissen in 2020: (anon.), "75 Joer FC Atert Bissen 1945-2020", FC Atert Bissen: Bissen 2020. Thanks to the club for putting a copy of this booklet at my disposal.