BELGIUM: VV Wippelgem Sport (1947-2013) / DKW Evergem (B) (2013-2020) / Evergem 2020 (B) (2020-)

Terrein Drogenbroodstraat, Wippelgem (Evergem 2020 - B ground, formerly VV Wippelgem Sport / B ground of DKW Evergem)

Belgium, province: East Flanders = Oost-Vlaanderen

11 II 2024 / Evergem 2020 Reserves - SK Lochristi Reserves / East Flanders, Sunday Reserves' League C

Timeline

• 1947 / Foundation of a football club in Wippelgem, which takes on the name Voetbalvereniging (VV) Wippelgem Sport, acquiring membership of Belgium’s Football Association under registration number 4740. The club starts its life in East Flanders’ Provincial League 3. It is unclear if, yet probable that, the club started its life at Terrein Drogenbroodstraat.
• 1955 / Conquering the title in East Flanders’ Provincial League 3A, VV Wippelgem Sport wins promotion to Provincial League 2.
• 1965 / Having managed ten seasons in P2, VV Wippelgem Sport finishes second-last in P2A, resulting in relegation to Provincial League 3.
• 1969 / Finishing in ninth place in P3A, VV Wippelgem Sport is placed in the newly created East Flanders’ Provincial League 4 for the new season.
• 1972 / Champions in P4A, VV Wippelgem Sport finds its way back to Provincial League 3.
• 1980 / Winning the title in Provincial League 3A, VV Wippelgem Sport manages a return to P2; the stay at that level is short-lived, though, with relegation following immediately in 1981.
• 1985 / Second-last in the final ranking of East Flanders’ Provincial League 3A, VV Wippelgem Sport descends into the abyss of Provincial League 4.
• 1987 / Champions in P4B, VV Wippelgem Sport wins promotion to Provincial League 3.
• 1988 / Conquering the title in P3A, VV Wippelgem Sport accedes to P2 for the third time in club history.
• 1992 / In the best season in club history, VV Wippelgem Sport finishes in fourth place in East Flanders’ Provincial League 2A.
• 1994 / Second-last in P2C, VV Wippelgem Sport drops back into Provincial League 3 after six years.
• 1996 / Second-last in P3A, VV Wippelgem Sport finds itself in P4 for the first time in eleven years. In the following years, the club alternates spells in P4 (1996-98, 2009-13) and P3 (1998-2001, 2002-09), with two promotions being won via the play-offs in 1998 and 2002. 
• 2012 / Tying for first place in the final ranking of P4A with KFC Eendracht Belzele, VV Wippelgem Sport, coached by Patrick Van den Hende, plays the Belzele side in a one-match tie-break, losing the encounter 3-2 (A.E.T.). In the subsequent promotion play-offs, Wippelgem is eliminated in R1 by Daring Maria-Aalter (1-1 and penalty shoot-out).
• 2013 / Finishing in fourth place in P4A, VV Wippelgem Sport qualifies for the promotion play-offs. After defeating Oranje Zonen Bovegem in R1 (2-1), the club is eliminated in R2 by Yellow Blue Beveren (1-2). Following the 2012-13 season, VV Wippelgem Sport FC concludes a merger with FC Doornzele-Kerkbrugge, becoming Doornzele-Kerkbrugge-Wippelgem (DKW) Evergem, retaining Wippelgem’s registration number 4740; FC Doornzele-Kerkbrugge’s number 5783 is erased from the Belgian FA’s official lists. From now on, first team football is played at Kerkbrugge’s ground at Jacques Paryslaan, with Wippelgem’s Terrein Drogenbroodstraat being retained for lower team football and training sessions. Terrein Groenstraat at Doornzele is given up and taken over by a charity foundation, Buitenspel. The new merger club starts its life in East Flanders’ Provincial League 3A.
• 2019 / Finishing in third place in P3A, 6 points behind champions and derby rivals KFC Evergem-Center, DKW Evergem gains promotion to P2 based on the number of points obtained – and without a round of play-offs.
• 2020 / In the 2019-20 season, cut short by the COVID lockdown in March 2020, DKW Evergem finds itself in second-last place in P2A after 25 of 30 matches played; as such, the club is retrograded to P3 along with bottom club VV Sparta Ursel. Following this season, DKW Evergem concludes a merger with Ertvelde United, becoming Evergem 2020 – and retaining DKW Evergem’s registration number 4740. First team football moves to Ertvelde United’s Arteveldestadion, while Wippelgem’s Terrein Drogenbroodstraat is retained for lower team football and training sessions. Terrein Jacques Paryslaan in Kerkbrugge is given up and taken over by KFC Evergem-Center as training ground – and probably given up and taken over by a padel club in 2021 or 2022.

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