Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: KACV Brasschaat (±1951-±1959) / KACV Brasschaat (B) (±1959-1977) / KFC Brasschaat (B) (1977-2015, 2020-2023) / KFC Brasschaat (2015-2020, 2023-)

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

BELGIUM: KACV Brasschaat (±1951-±1959) / KACV Brasschaat (B) (±1959-1977) / KFC Brasschaat (B) (1977-2015, 2020-2023) / KFC Brasschaat (2015-2020, 2023-)

Gemeentepark 't Boshuisje "Stadion Frans Van Bergen", Brasschaat (KFC Brasschaat - B ground, formerly KFC Brasschaat's A ground)

Belgium, province: Antwerp

13 I 2016 / KFC Brasschaat - SC City Pirates Antwerpen 2-3 / Friendly

Timeline

1911 / Foundation of a first football club in Brasschaat, Sint-Mariaburg Athletic Club (AC). The club joins the Belgian Football Association that same year.
1913 / Sint-Mariaburg AC takes part in the second edition of the Belgian Cup.
1926 / Upon the introduction of the matricule register, Sint-Mariaburg AC receives matricule 228.
1929 / Sint-Mariaburg AC merges with village rivals Amical Athletic Club (AC) - also founded shortly before World War I - becoming Athletic Club Amical Club (ACAC) Sint-Mariaburg.
1937 / Becoming a Société Royale, ACAC Sint-Mariaburg adapts its name to become Koninklijke Athletic Club Amical Club (KACAC) Sint-Mariaburg.
1941 / KACAC Sint-Mariaburg changes its name to become Koninklijke Ahtletic Klub Verbroedering (KAKV) Sinte-Mariaburg.
1945 / KAKV Sinte-Mariaburg changes its name to become Koninklijke Amical Club en Verbroedering (KACV) Brasschaat.
1950 / For the first time in the history of the club and its two predecessors, KACV Brasschaat accedes to Antwerp's Provincial League 2, the highest provincial level at the time.
±1951 / KACV Brasschaat moves away from its Terrein Torenhof (at Bredabaan), settling down in Brasschaat's Gemeentepark at a pitch commonly known as 'Boshuisje'.
1952 / Upon the introduction of Provincial League 1, KACV Brasschaat is placed at this level - in the following four years, the club descends to Provincial League 2 twice (1953, 1955) only to return to P1 the following season (1954, 1956).
1957 / Winning the title in Provincial League 1, KACV Brasschaat manages its second promotion in as many seasons - and acceding to National Division 4 for the first time in its history. In the first two seasons of the club at national level, it narrowly misses out on promotion, finishing third on both occasions.
±1959 / KACV Brasschaat moves its first team football to the newly built Louis De Winterstadion, a multifunctional ground with a gravel track surrounding the pitch. The stadium, named after Brasschaat's town clerk and driving force behind the building project, is situated in the same communal park as 't Boshuisje, with just several dozens of yards separating both grounds. Terrein 't Boshuisje remains in use for lower team football and training sessions.
1977 / The club changes its name to become Koninklijke Football Club (KFC) Brasschaat.
2015 / Following a conflict with Brasschaat's municipal authorities, KFC Brasschaat refrains from further use of Louis De Winterstadion, henceforth playing its first team football as well as lower team matches at Gemeentepark 't Boshuisje.
2016 / Winning the title in Provincial League 2A, KFC Brasschaat manages a return to Antwerp's Provincial League 1 for the first time in 25 years; however, the stay at that level does not last longer than one unsuccessful season. Also in 2016, Gemeentepark 't Boshuisje is renamed Stadion Frans Van Bergen in honour of KFC Brasschaat's club icon Frans Van Bergen, who joined the club at age 13 in 1946 and has continued being involved with KACV & KFC Brasschaat as a volunteer even since.
2020 / KFC Brasschaat moves its first team football back to Louis De Winterstadion, although the flagship team regularly switches to 't Boshuisje (meanwhile renamed Stadion Frans Van Bergen) - especially for cup matches.
2023 / With renovation works getting underway at the Louis De Winterstadion, KFC Brasschaat moves its first team football to Stadion Frans Van Bergen.
2024 / Finishing in fourteenth place in Provincial League 2A, KFC Brasschaat descends into Provincial League 3 along with KFC Katelijne and bottom club Willebroekse SV.

Note 1: Thanks to Frans Van Bergen for providing me with part of the information given above.

Note 2: Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-4 = non-matchday visit, July 2022 / pictures 5-13 = match visit, January 2016.