BELGIUM: KFC Heusden Sport (1958-2024) / KFV Hedes (B) (2024-)

Terrein Steenakkerstraat, Heusden O-Vl. (KFC Heusden Sport)

Belgium, province: East Flanders = Oost-Vlaanderen

15 X 2023 / KFC Heusden Sport - KVV Cercle Melle 2-0 / East Flanders, Provincial League 3C (= BE level 8)

Timeline

• 1927 / Foundation of FC Heusden Sport in the village of Heusden, near Ghent. The founders are the Van Tieghem brothers, two students. Instead of applying for membership of the official Belgian Football Association, FC Heusden Sport joins the so-called Katholiek Vlaamsch Sportverbond (KVS), an association of Roman-Catholic clubs playing in a league of their own. The club probably starts its life on a pitch situated at Steenstraat.
• 1934 / Having played in the ranks of KVS for seven years, FC Heusden Sport changes affiliation and joins the official Belgian FA (KBVB), obtaining registration number 2173 upon being accepted as a new member club. The club is placed in East Flanders’ Regional League 2 (2e Gewestelijke).
• 1945 / Having suffered relegation from Regional League 2 the previous season, FC Heusden Sport now clinches the title in Regional League 3A, thus finding its way back to Regional League 2 immediately. The spell at this level lasts for three years, with relegation following in 1948.
• 1946 / Finishing in joint-first place in Regional League 2B with FC Sparta Sint-Koleta Gent, FC Heusden Sport has to play for the title against the Ghent side in a tie-break match, in which Sparta Gent walks away as winners – thus depriving Heusden of the opportunity to prove its mettle in Provincial League 2, the highest regional division at that time.
• 1952 / In January 1952, FC Heusden Sport obtains the royal epithet, thus adapting its name to become Koninklijke Football Club (KFC) Heusden Sport. In the 1951-52 season, the club wins the title in East Flanders’ Provincial League 3G, thus acceding to Provincial League 2.
• 1958 / Having previously played its home matches at Terrein Steenstraat and Terrein De Kouter successively, KFC Heusden Sport now moves into Terrein Steenakkerstraat.
• 1963 / In the best season in club history, KFC Heusden Sport finishes runners-up in East Flanders’ Provincial League 2A, thus narrowly missing out on promotion to the top level of the provincial league ladder.
• 1967 / Finishing 14th in Provincial League 2A, KFC Heusden Sport drops back into Provincial League 3.
• 1975 / Finishing 15th in Provincial League 3D, KFC Heusden Sport finds itself in Provincial League 4 for the first time in club history.
• 1977 / Winning the title in Provincial League 4B, KFC Heusden Sport manages a return to P3 after two years. The club holds out at this level for four years, with relegation into P4 eventually following in 1981.
• 1985 / Winning the title in Provincial League 4B, KFC Heusden Sport manages a return to P3 after four years. The club holds out at this level for six years, with relegation into P4 following in 1991.
• 1993 / Winning the title in Provincial League 4C, KFC Heusden Sport manages a return to P3 after two years.
• 2001 / Winning the title in Provincial League 3E, KFC Heusden Sport returns to Provincial League 2 after an absence of 34 years. The stay at this level does not last long, though, with relegation duly following after just one season, in 2002. In the following decade, the club is a stable P3 side.
• 2013 / Winning the title in Provincial League 3B, KFC Heusden Sport manages a return to P2. Once again, though, the stay at this level is short, with relegation following immediately in 2014.
• 2015 / Finishing second-last in East Flanders’ Provincial League 3B, KFC Heusden Sport has to play a tie-break match to assure itself of a prolonged stay at this level – which it manages successfully with an emphatic 7-0 away win at VJ Baardegem.
• 2024 / Runners-up in East Flanders' Provincial League 3C, 6 points behind champions KVVE Massemen, KFC Heusden Sport qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which it is eliminated in R1 by KSV Eendracht Bazel (2-1). Following the 2023-24 season, KFC Heusden Sport concludes a merger with FC Destelbergen, resulting in the foundation of Koninklijke Familiale Vereniging (KFV) Hedes (Hedes being an artificial acronym of Heusden-Destelbergen), with Heusden's registration number 2173 being retained. Henceforth, first team football is played at Destelbergen's Terrein Bergenmeers, while Terrein Steenakkerstraat in Heusden remains in use for lower team football and training sessions.

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