BELGIUM: RC Nieuwrode (± 1970-2011) / Racing Nieuwrode (2011-2014) / KDN United (B) (2014-)

Terrein Oep den Berg, Nieuwrode (B ground of KDN United, formerly RC Nieuwrode & Racing Nieuwrode)

Belgium, province: Flemish Brabant = Vlaams Brabant

March 2024 / no match visited

Timeline

• 1952 / Foundation of a football club in Nieuwrode, which takes on the name Racing Club (RC) Nieuwrode. The club’s first ground was probably situated at Veeliedenstraat, although no absolute certainty is to be had if this pitch had no predecessor(s). Acquiring membership of Belgium’s Football Association under registration number 5560, RC Nieuwrode starts its life in Brabant’s Provincial League 3.
• ± 1970 / Abandoning Terrein Veeliedenstraat, RC Nieuwrode settles at Terrein Oep den Berg, also situated at Veeliedenstraat, but some 600 metres down the road.
• 1973 / Champions in Brabant’s Provincial League 3D, RC Nieuwrode wins promotion to Provincial League 2 for the first time.
• 1978 / Having played in P2 for five seasons, RC Nieuwrode now drops back into P3 following a last place in P2B in the 1977-78 season.
• 1986 / Champions in P3D, RC Nieuwrode manages a return to P2.
• 1989 / In the best season in club history, RC Nieuwrode finishes in fourth place in P2B – repeating that exact result in the following season.
• 1995 / Finishing in last place in P2B, RC Nieuwrode descends back into P3 after nine seasons.
• 1997 / Finishing in last place in P3D, RC Nieuwrode descends into Provincial League 4 for the first time in club history. In the following years, the club alternates spells in P4 (1997-99 & 2001-03) and P3 (1999-2001 & 2003-05).
• 2005 / Finishing second-from-bottom in P3D, RC Nieuwrode drops back into Provincial League 4 along with bottom club Sportief Rotselaar.
• 2009 / Runners-up in P4H, 6 points behind champions Deurne SK, RC Nieuwrode accedes to Provincial League 3 directly, without having to dispute a round of play-offs.
• 2011 / Finishing bottom of the table in P3D, RC Nieuwrode descends into P4 along with KFC Hever and KVV Olympia Haacht-Wespelaar; following the 2010-11 season, however, RC Nieuwrode folds, ceasing all activities, following a bribery scandal which saw the club being forced into one year of inactivity at the behest of the Belgian Football Association. Instead of waiting for a year to resume activities, the decision is taken to form a successor club under the slightly adapted name Racing Nieuwrode. Acquiring membership of Belgium’s FA under registration number 9580, this club starts its life in Brabant’s Provincial League 4.
• 2013 / Runners-up in P4H, 1 point behind champions Sporting Molenbeek, Racing Nieuwrode wins promotion to Provincial League 3 directly, without having to go through the motions of a set of play-offs.
• 2014 / Finishing in joint-last position in P3D with KVC Kessel-Lo 2000, Racing Nieuwrode drops back into Provincial League 4 – but, following the 2013-14 season, the club concludes a merger with VK Kortrijk-Dutsel, forming KDN (Kortrijk-Dutsel-Nieuwrode) United under Kortrijk-Dutsel’s registration number 7758. First team football moves to Terrein Den Akker in Kortrijk-Dutsel, while Terrein Oep den Berg is retained 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