BELGIUM: RC Reppel (1968-2022)

Zandstraat, Reppel (formerly RC Reppel)

Belgium, province: Limburg

27 VII 2017 / RC Reppel - K Achel VV 0-1 / Belgian Limburg - Provincial Cup, district North Limburg

Timeline

• 1926 / Foundation of a first football club in Reppel, Reppelsche Voetbalvereeniging (VV). Joining Belgium's FA under matricule 778, the club competes in Limburg's Provincial League 4D, but folds after just one season. It is unclear where the pitch of Reppelsche VV was situated.
• 1943 / Refoundation of Reppelsche VV under a new matricule, 3935. 
• 1947 / Having competed in Limburg's regional and provincial divisions for four seasons, the phoenix club Reppelsche VV ceases all activities. The club's matricule is erased from the Belgian FA's official lists in 1949.
• 1968 / Foundation of a new football club in Reppel, called Racing Club (RC) Reppel. Most probably, the club played its football at Zandstraat from the outset. In the first three years of its existence, the club competes in regional recreational leagues.
• 1971 / RC Reppel joins Belgium's FA under matricule 8000. 
• 1974 / Apparently not having fielded a first team - possibly fielding a first team only in a recreational league - in the first three years after its affiliation to the Belgian FA, RC Reppel takes part in Limburg's Provincial League 4 for the first time. 
• 1978 / In only its fourth season in Provincial League 4, RC Reppel clinches the P4D title, thus acceding to Provincial League 3 for the first time. The adventure lasts for one season only, though, with relegation following in 1979.
• 1982 / RC Reppel finishes in first place in P4F, thus finding its way back to P3 after a three-year absence. 
• 1986 / Having competed in P3 for four seasons, RC Reppel accedes to P2 for the first time in club history - it is unclear if this promotion was obtained due to the club's second-place finish in P3D that year or after winning a play-off.
• 1996 / RC Reppel manages a second place in P2A, the best result in club history.
• 2003 / Finishing 16th and last in P2B, RC Reppel returns to P3 after an impressive 17-year spell at Provincial League 2 level.
• 2007 / Obtaining the title in P3C, Racing Reppel finds its way back to P2.
• 2018 / Finishing second in P2A, four points behind K Achel VV, RC Reppel equals its best season in club history (1995-96). Yet again, though, the club misses out on promotion to the highest provincial level due to a defeat at the hands of KFC Landen in the first play-off round.
• 2022 / RC Reppel folds, ceasing all activities. The main reason for the drastic decision, even more so in light of the club's good results on the pitch, is a lack of volunteers. In its last season, Racing manages to hold its own at P2 level relatively easily, finishing 11th. 

Note - Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-15 = match visit, July 2017 / pictures 16-27 = non-matchday (ruin) visit, February 2023.

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author