Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: Rode Ster Corsica

Terrein Zilverberklaan, Beerzel Corsica (Rode Ster Corsica)

Belgium, province: Antwerp = Antwerpen

11 XI 2023 / Rode Ster Corsica - FC Valvecke 1-2 / Liefhebbersvoetballiga (LVL) Division 1

Timeline

1972 / Foundation of a recreational football club in Beerzel, which takes on the name FC Garage Wuyts. The club, which settles on a pitch at Molenstraat in Beerzel, is founded by Clement Wuyts, whose brother Jan is the owner of the vehicle servicing garage which gave its name to the club. FC Garage Wuyts does not join any league but only plays irregular friendlies against other recreational teams.
1974 / Abandoning Terrein Molenstraat, Clement Wuyts moves his club to a newly laid-out pitch at Zilverberklaan in the hamlet of Corsica to the north of Beerzel. The club name is adapted to become Rode Ster Corsica – a playful allusion to Yugoslavian club Red Star Belgrade (FK Crvena Zvezda). Also in 1974, the club joins the so-called Liefhebbersvoetballiga (LVL), a league of recreational clubs in the southern half of the Province of Antwerp.
1975 / Rode Ster Corsica wins the title in LVL’s bottom division.
1976 / Rode Ster Corsica wins its second LVL title in a row.
1994 / Upon the death of the (private) owner of Terrein Zilverberklaan, Putte’s municipal authorities take the decision to purchase the ground for the benefit of Rode Ster Corsica.
1996 / Relinquishing the chairmanship of the club after 24 years, Clement Wuyts is succeeded in this capacity by Roger Heylen.
± 2004 / After the departure of Halder United, previous groundsharer at Terrein Zilverberklaan, Rode Ster Corsica are joined at their ground by SK De Rotonde.
2012 / Having decided to end his career as a professional league footballer, 35-year-old Jef Delen – former player of K Berg-Op FC Beerzel, KFC Tielen, KV Mechelen, KFC Verbroedering Geel, and KVC Westerlo – joins Rode Ster Corsica.
± 2020 / After some seventeen years at Terrein Zilverberklaan, SK De Rotonde folds, ceasing all activities – with some of the remaining players joining Rode Ster Corsica.
± 2021 / After an absence of some twenty years, Halder United returns to Terrein Zilverberklaan as groundsharers of Rode Ster Corsica.
2022 / The club’s 50th anniversary celebrations are overshadowed by the sudden passing of chairman Roger Heylen. His successor (ad interim) is Filip Mariën. Also in 2022, Rode Ster Corsica won promotion to LVL’s top division – marking a successful ascent from the lowest LVL division to the highest in six years. Still in 2022, Jef Delen, aged 45, hangs up his boots after ten years with Rode Ster Corsica.