Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: FC Membruggen (1954-2006) / Membruggen V&V (2007-)

Terrein 'Op den Bonthof', Membruggen (Membruggen V&V, formerly FC Membruggen matr. 5729)

Belgium, province: Limburg

5 IV 2023 / Membruggen V&V - KVV Dilsen-Stokkem 0-3 / Limburg, Provincial League 3C (= BE level 8)

Timeline

1935 / Foundation of a first FC Membruggen, which joins Belgium's Football Association under matricule 2259. Starting its life in Limburg's Regional League 3 (3e Gewestelijke), the club plays its football at Terrein Op den Hofakker, alternatively referred to as Terrein Aan de Brikkenhoven due to its vicinity to the local brickyard.
1936 / In its first season, FC Membruggen finishes in third place in Regional League 3C and apparently wins promotion, as the club is placed in Regional League 2 the following season.
1937 / The pre-war FC Membruggen has its most successful season, finishing in fourth place in Regional League 2C.
1943 / Having played eight seasons of competitive football, of which all but one were spent in Limburg's Regional League 2, FC Membruggen is compelled to cease its activities due to Terrein Op den Hofakker being ravaged by tank manoeuvres carried out by German occupying forces.
1947 / After having been inactive for the previous four years, FC Membruggen is wound up, with matricule 2259 being erased from the Belgian FA's official lists. In the first years after the war, two recreational teams are formed in Membruggen, Ster - with a ground situated at Dorpsstraat - and Demerzonen, who play their football on a pitch at Broekstraat. Neither of these two teams seeks affiliation with any association, instead playing friendlies against other regional teams.
1954 / With Ster and Demerzonen joining forces, a new FC Membruggen is formed, which seeks affiliation with Belgium's FA, being duly accepted as new members under matricule 5729. With Terrein Op den Hofakker having been rendered unusable and the two recreational club's pitches being little more than makeshift affairs, a new ground is put in place, Terrein Op den Bonthof.
1955 / Not having fielded a first team in the 1954-55 season, FC Membruggen, starts its life in Provincial League 3C in 1955, finding itself in a respectable 7th place at the end of the year.
1967 / Winning the title in Provincial League 3C, FC Membruggen accedes to Provincial League 2 for the first - and only - time in club history.
1968 / FC Membruggen has its best season in club history, finishing in 13th place in P2C, thus narrowly avoiding the drop.
1970 / Having soldiered on in Provincial League 2 for three seasons, FC Membruggen finally suffers the inevitable relegation to P3 in 1970 after a 14th place finish in P2C.
1974 / Due to a 13th place in the final table in P3F, FC Membruggen sinks to Provincial League 4, the new bottom league in Limburg's provincial pyramid.
1977 / Winning the title in P4D, FC Membruggen finds its way back to Provincial League 3. In the following three decades, the club remains a modest force in Limburg's provincial divisions, alternating spells in P3 (1977-83, 1988-90, 1992-95, 2002-04) and P4 (1983-88, 1990-92, 1995-2002, 2004-06).
1986 / After six years with FC Membruggen, 14-year-old youth player Gert Claessens makes the step to K Victoria VV 's Herenelderen. Claessens goes on to have an impressive career as a professional league player with RFC Liège, KRC Genk (two spells), Club Brugge KV, Real Oviedo, SBV Vitesse, and K Lierse SK. In 1997-98, the midfielder wins four caps for Belgium's national side.
2006 / In part due to the fact that the club never received the correct percentage for Gert Claessens' subsequent transfers, FC Membruggen finds itself in grave financial difficulties, in the end seeing no other option but an insolvency. In the 2005-06 season, the last year in FC Membruggen's history, the club finishes in 13th place in Provincial League 4D.
2007 / Following the demise of FC Membruggen and one year of inactivity, a phoenix club sees the daylight, which is given the name Membruggen Voetbal & Verenigingsleven (V&V). Seeking affiliation with Belgium's FA, the new club is awarded with matricule 9502. Starting its life in Limburg's Provincial League 4A, the club's squad is reinforced by Gert Claessens, who just finished his career as a professional league player at K Lierse SK.
2014 / Finishing in fourth place in Provincial League 4D, Membruggen V&V qualifies for the play-offs for the first time, but is eliminated in R1 by K Houthalen VV (8-1 on aggregate). Also in the following two seasons, the club stumbles over the first hurdle in the promotion play-offs, with Heidebloem Wijshagen and SK Meldert successively proving the stronger side.
2017 / Having finished in 3rd place in Provincial League 4B, Membruggen V&V qualifies for the promotion play-offs for the fourth time in succession. Seeing off Velm VV (3-2 on aggregate) and Habo SK Borgloon (5-3 on aggregate), the club accedes to Provincial League 3 for the first time.
2020 / In the club's best season since its foundation, Membruggen V&V finishes in 2nd place in Provincial League 3C, trailing champions RDK Gravelo by six points - in a ranking based on 25 of 30 matches in the 2019-20 season which is cut short by the COVID lockdown.
2022 / Finishing in a respectable 6th place in P3A, Membruggen V&V qualifies for the promotion play-offs, but is eliminated in R1 by VK Gestel.
2023 / A projected merger with the near-bankrupt FC Herderen-Millen falls through at the last moment, as Membruggen V&V prefers to continue independently.

Note - Important parts of the information above were provided on my matchday visit by Etienne Bruninx, born in 1931, who served as FC Membruggen's chairman from 1958 to 1996.