Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: K Heidebloem Wijshagen

Saturday, 12 August 2023

BELGIUM: K Heidebloem Wijshagen

Terrein Parklaan, Wijshagen (K Heidebloem Wijshagen)

Belgium, province: Limburg

12 VIII 2023 / K Heidebloem Wijshagen - KVV HO Molenbeersel 2-5 / Limburg, Provincial Cup - Region Maas-Hoge Kempen

Timeline

1965 / In the small village of Wijshagen in Belgian Limburg, gatherings are held at the local boys’ school at Martinlaan, where friendly matches are played between families and streets – while, later on, friendlies are played against recreational team from surrounding villages, such as Herenstraat (from Bree), Nelico, and a team of Peerder SV players.
1966 / At the request of Rik Housen, an aspiring player, as well as Jaak Haex, the local butcher, Wijshagen’s mayor Eduard Truyen gives permission for the foundation of a football club, with a start being made on the laying out of a pitch at Parklaan – on a plot of moorland, which gave the founders the idea to call the club Heidebloem (literally translated: ‘heath flower’). On the foundation meeting on April 12th, 1966, Jaak Haex is chosen as first chairman of Heidebloem Wijshagen, which acquires membership of Belgium’s Football Association under registration number 6894. On August 28th, 1966, Terrein Parklaan is inaugurated with a friendly match between HB Wijshagen and SK Gruitrode (0-8). For the 1966-67 season, the club enters a team in the reserves’ leagues.
1967 / Following an obligatory first year in the reserves’ leagues, Heidebloem Wijshagen’s first team, led by player-coach Jean Vandermeulen, is placed in Limburg’s Provincial League 3D for the 1967-68 season.
1972 / A training pitch is added to the set-up at Parklaan, while the basic wooden clubhouse is replaced with a successor in stone, with the inaugural ceremony being performed by the local priest, Fr Indekeu. On the occasion, a gala match is played between KSV Waterschei THOR and SK Bree, playing in National Divisions 2 and 4 respectively.
1979 / A first tangible success for Heidebloem Wijshagen, as the club’s first team, led by player-coach Fons Jacobs, wins the title in Provincial League 3A, thus acceding to Provincial League 2.
1980 / In the best season in club history, HB Wijshagen finishes in 7th place in Provincial League 2B. After the 1979-80 season, Fons Jacobs leaves the club.
1981 / Having managed 2 seasons in Provincial League 2, Heidebloem Wijshagen now finishes second-last in P2B, thus tumbling back into Provincial League 3. Also in 1981, after 15 years of loyal service, Jaak Haex has to give up the presidency due to illness.
1982 / A 3rd pitch is added to the park. Meanwhile, a set of changing rooms has been built into the clubhouse.
1986 / Coached by Fons Jacobs, who had returned to the club in the summer of 1985, HB Wijshagen wins the title in Provincial League 3D, thus returning to P2 after a 5-year absence.
1987 / Heidebloem Wijshagen finishes 15th in P2B, thus descending back into P3 after just one season. Fons Jacobs leaves the club.
1989 / Coached by Eddy Lemmens, HB Wijshagen finishes second-last in P3C, thus suffering relegation to Provincial League 4 for the first time.
1994 / Alfons Jacobs, who had returned to the club in 1992 to start his 3rd spell as trainer, helps Heidebloem Wijshagen winning the title in Provincial League 4A. The club returns to P3 after a 5-year absence.
1995 / The club finishes 15th in P3A, thus tumbling back into P4 after just one season. Fons Jacobs leaves the club for a last time.
2003 / Having finished in 5th place in P4A, HB Wijshagen, coached by Jo Winters, wins the promotion play-offs to accede to P3.
2007 / Coached by Erik Berben, Heidebloem Wijshagen finishes in 14th place in Provincial League 3B, thus suffering relegation to P4 along with K Opitter FC, SL Wurfeld, Verbroedering Waterloos-Neeroeteren, K Uikhoven VC, and KVC AA Rekem.
2010 / Finishing 5th in Provincial League 4A, Heidebloem Wijshagen – coached by Rigo Coekaerts – qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club defeats LS Leut in R1 (2-0 on aggregate), but is defeated after a penalty shoot-out by Amandina VC (0-0 aggr.). In a lucky loser round, however, the club clinches promotion via the backdoor by defeating Kortessemse VV emphatically (4-0).
2011 / The adventure in P3 lasts no longer than one season, as the club finishes 15th in P3B, suffering relegation along with K Eisden Sportief, K Lanklaarse VV, KVV Excelsior Ophoven-Geistingen, and KFC De Zwaluw Wiemismeer. Trainer Rigo Coekaerts leaves the club.
2015 / Finishing 5th in P4B with trainer Jurgen Wouters, HB Wijshagen qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it successively defeats Membruggen V&V (2-2 aggr. and penalty shoot-out) and FC Halveweg Zonhoven (3-2 aggr.) to win promotion to P3.
2016 / Three successive head coaches (Jurgen Wouters, Danny Fripon, and Erik Vossen) cannot avoid Heidebloem Wijshagen finishing in 14th place in P3B, thus descending back into P4 along with K Lanklaarse VV and K Neeroeteren FC. Also in 2016, the club celebrates its 50th anniversary, obtaining the royal epithet – thus officially becoming Koninklijke Heidebloem Wijshagen.

Note – The main source for the information given in the above is an article published in a local history magazine on the occasion of the club’s 50th anniversary: Heidi Evens, “Voetbalclub Heidebloem Wijshagen viert 50-jarig bestaan”, in: Reengenoten 48, December 2016 (pg. 34-41)