BELGIUM: R Excelsior Virton (B) (19??-) / FC Bleid (1986-1996)

Stade Abbé Leduc "Terrain du Congo", Virton (R Excelsior Virton - B ground, formerly FC Bleid)

Belgium, province: Luxembourg

August 2022 / no match visited.

Timeline

• The 'Lieu-dit' situated between Virton and Saint-Mard where this ground was later constructed has been known as 'Le Congo' for several decades in Virton. The reason behind this lies in the fact that the location used to be occupied by a train locomotive repair site. The workers who walked back home into Virton after a day's work at the site were easily recognisable due to their clothes, faces, and hands being black with oil. As a joke, Virton's residents would say to one another that those workers came from 'Congo', the biggest of Belgium's African colonies at the time. 
• It is as yet unknown when the Terrain du Congo was inaugurated as R Excelsior Virton's youth academy and training ground. It might have been in the 1960s or 1970s, but we cannot be sure (in case you can shed light on this matter, please contact me!). Since its construction, the ground has always served as a backup facility besides Virton's regular stadium, Stade Yvan Georges. 
• 1986 / Foundation of FC Bleid (matricule 9026). Bleid, a village some four miles to the east of Virton. As the club did not dispose of their own ground, the decision was taken upon to play home matches at Le Congo.
• 1996 / FC Bleid finally moved into their newly built ground in Bleid-proper at Rue Sous la Digue. The ground was renamed Stade Jacques Ndoumbe in 2005.
• 2009 / Following the passing of Abbé Jean Leduc, a local clergyman who was a passionate supporter of R Excelsior Virton, the academy ground was named after him. 

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