Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: Jong Male KVV

Terrein Maleveld II, Bruges = Brugge Male (Jong Male KVV)

Belgium, province: West Flanders = West-Vlaanderen

24 VII 2024 / Jong Male KVV - R Knokke FC Reserves 0-0 / Pre-season friendly

Timeline

± 1943 / The years preceding World War II saw the foundation of a first football club in the hamlet of Male – just east of Bruges – which is given the simple and straightforward name FC Male. This club played its football at Terrein Brieversweg (exact location: current house numbers 303, 305 & 307). FC Male was a member of the Vlaamsche Voetbalbond (VVB) – and must have folded in or around 1943, the time of the demise of this football association which became so heavily embroiled in collaboration with the German oppressors that many of the member clubs had left or folded previously.
± 1946 / At the instigation of the local assistant priest, Josef Dejaegher, youngsters in Male play recreational football after Sunday mass on a pasture at Maleveld (I), a location just to the east of the hamlet of Male – slightly to the north of modern-day Terrein Maleveld (II). Somewhat later, FC Male’s old pitch at Brieversweg is laid out anew, with Sunday activities moving to this location.
± 1955 / Abandoning Terrein Brieversweg, Male’s football enthusiasts move their activities to Terrein Den Ara (at the crossroads of Doornhutstraat & Maalse Steenweg).
1958 / Finally, after fifteen years without a football club in Male, the decision is taken to form a new club, Jong Male, which joins a recreational league, the so-called Katholieke Vlaamse Sportfederatie (KVS), with matches played on Sundays – and football matches being played at Terrein Den Ara. The founding fathers of Jong Male are Jozef Pillen and René Bonheure; Pillen, a staunch supporter of the Flemish movement (as well as someone who had been over-zealous in his support for the German occupiers during wartime), had also been one of the driving forces behind FC Male, which had folded in the war years.
± 1962 / Refoundation of FC Male, which joins the Brugse Liefhebbersverbond, a local recreational league association, which organises a competition with matches played on Saturday afternoons. FC Male plays its football at Terrein Maleveld (I).
± 1965 / Abandoning Terrein Den Ara, Jong Male settles at the newly laid out Terrein Maleveld (II) at the southern side of Brieversweg, a location to the east of the hamlet – with the centre-spot being located where the modern-day clubhouse can be found.
1973 / At the instigation of the club’s new secretary, former player Guido Vandille, Jong Male abandons the KVS, joining the official Belgian Football Association and being accepted as new member club under the slightly adapted name Jong Male Voetbalvereniging (VV) with registration number 7951. Chairman of the club at the time is Ruddy Rotsaert. Jong Male VV starts its life as a KBVB member in West Flanders’ Provincial League 4B.
1974 / After an existence of some twelve years, FC Male is absorbed into Jong Male VV.
1976 / Champions in West Flanders’ Provincial League 4B, Jong Male VV wins promotion to Provincial League 3.
1984 / After a spell of eight seasons in P3, Jong Male VV drops back into P4 following a fourteenth place finish in Provincial League 3B.
1985 / Champions in P4B, Jong Male VV manages a return to Provincial League 3, but the club holds out at this level for one year only, dropping back into the bottom division in 1986.
1987 / As a complete renovation of Terrein Maleveld (II) is undertaken, Jong Male VV groundshares with recreational club KV Rust-Roest Brugge at Terrein Zuidervaartje in Brugge-Sint-Kruis for the duration of the 1987-88 season.
1988 / Abandoning their place of exile, Terrein Zuidervaartje, Jong Male VV returns to a completely renovated Terrein Maleveld (II), with a clubhouse separating the two new pitches – with the westernmost of the two having been the main pitch from the outset. The inaugural ceremony of the new ground is performed by Bruges’ mayor Frank Van Acker in the summer of 1988.
1991 / Champions in P4B, Jong Male VV wins promotion to Provincial League 3. Yet again, though, the stay at this level is short-lived, with relegation following in 1992.
1993 / Finishing in third place in P4B, Jong Male VV goes on to win the play-offs, thus acceding to Provincial League 3.
1994 / Finishing in third place in P3B, Jong Male VV goes on to win the play-offs, thus managing a second promotion in a row and acceding to Provincial League 2 for the first time in club history. The following season, the club finishes in a respectable seventh place in P2A.
1999 / Finishing in fourteenth place in P2A, Jong Male VV descends into Provincial League 3 after five seasons.
2005 / Coached by Adrien Christiaens, Jong Male VV finishes runners-up in West Flanders’ Provincial League 3B, 6 points behind champions K White Star Oudenburg. The club goes on to win the play-offs, thus acceding to P2 after an absence of six years.
2006 / Managing a respectable sixth place in Provincial League 2A, albeit 26 points behind champions KSK Steenbrugge, Jong Male VV – still coached by Adrien Christiaens – succeeds in winning a round of play-offs, thus earning its second promotion in a row and acceding to West Flanders’ Provincial League 1 for the first time in club history.
2007 / Finishing last in its first season in Provincial League 1, Jong Male VV drops back into P2 after just one season, along with KEG Gistel and KVC Deerlijk Sport.
2008 / Runners-up in P2A, 12 points behind champions KSV Bredene, Jong Male fails to win the play-offs, thus missing out on a return to the top provincial division.
2012 / Bottom of the table in P2A, Jong Male VV drops back into Provincial League 3 along with KVCSV Oostkamp, FC Union Zandvoorde, and KFC Veldegem.
2013 / Bottom of the table in P3B, Jong Male VV suffers its second relegation in a row, thus finding itself in Provincial League 4 for the first time in twenty years.
2015 / Finishing in fourth place in P4B, Jong Male VV qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Defeating Zeehaven Zeebrugge in R1 (2-1 aggr.), the club is eliminated in the final by FC Lichtervelde (2-2 aggr., on away goals) – but due to extra promotion places being available, the club manages a return to Provincial League 3 through the backdoor.
2017 / Finishing in fourth place in P4B, Jong Male VV qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by KFC Veldegem (4-1 aggr.).
2019 / The main pitch of Terrein Maleveld (II) is equipped with a synthetic surface.
2022 / Runners-up in P3B, 2 points behind champions VV Koekelare, Jong Male VV qualifies for the promotion play-offs. Defeating KDC Ruddervoorde in R1 (7-1 aggr.), the club draws the home tie of the final against RFC Lissewege (3-3) – with the second match never being played due to extra promotion places being available and both clubs thus earning a ticket to Provincial League 2.
2023 / Finishing in fourth place in P2B, Jong Male VV qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by VV Koekelare (3-2).
2024 / Having been leader of the pack in West Flanders’ Provincial League 2A virtually all season, Jong Male VV throws away the title in the last match of the season, drawing its home game against Daring Brugge VV (5-5, with Daring scoring the equaliser in the 99th minute), while the last remaining rival club, K Woudsport Houthulst, manages a comprehensive 5-0 defeat of KFC Heist – as a result of which Houthulst walks away with the title with a 1 point advantage. In the ensuing round of play-offs, Jong Male VV edges past KSV Diksmuide in R1 (1-1 & penalty shoot-out), but is defeated by KFC Marke in the semi-final (4-2) – but, due to extra promotion places being available, not only the two play-off finalists (KFC Marke & Club Roeselare) accede to Provincial League 1, but the best losing semi-finalist as well (this being Jong Male VV, who had picked up 1 more point in the regular season than the club eliminated by Club Roeselare, KSK Beveren-Leie). The year 2024 not only marks Jong Male’s return to Provincial League 1 after an absence of 17 years, but also sees the club acquiring the royal epithet, thus officially becoming Jong Male Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging (KVV).

Note – Important parts of the information provided above were derived from an excellent article about the club's history by Jong Male’s long-time volunteer and chairman Guido Vandille. Thanks also to Mr. Vandille for taking the time to answer some additional questions on my part on my visit to the club in July 2024.