Extreme Football Tourism: BELGIUM: VK Holsbeek (B) (1990-1991) / VK Holsbeek (1991-)

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

BELGIUM: VK Holsbeek (B) (1990-1991) / VK Holsbeek (1991-)

Terrein aan de Verhaegenstraat, Holsbeek (VK Holsbeek, formerly B ground of VK Holsbeek)

Belgium, province: Flemish Brabant = Vlaams Brabant

28 VII 2026 / VK Holsbeek - SMS Lubbeek 4-0 / Pre-season friendly

Timeline

± 1970 / Foundation of a football club in Holsbeek, a village halfway between Louvain and Aerschot in the Belgian Province of Brabant (nowadays in Flemish Brabant). The new club takes on the name Voetbalklub (VK) Milkano Holsbeek – Milkano being a reference to the fact that the main sponsor of the venture, Alfons ‘Fons’ Tuyls, is not only the owner of the café at Kortrijksebaan which serves as clubhouse, but also the local milkman. A pitch is laid out at Meesberg, but the club sticks to playing friendly matches in the first stages of its existence.
1972 / After about two years of playing friendlies, VK Milkano Holsbeek applies for membership of the Belgian Football Association (URBSFA / KBVB), being accepted with registration number 7783. That same year, the club moves from the pasture at Meesberg to a proper football pitch situated at Bergestraat, referred to locally as Terrein Bergeveld. A board is put together, with Achille Persoons taking on the role of chairman, and Fons Tuyls becoming treasurer. Duly settled at its new ground, VK Milkano Holsbeek starts its life as a competitive club in Brabant’s Provincial League 4.
1983 / A second pitch is added to the set-up at Terrein Bergeveld for lower team football and training sessions.
1984 / Runner-up in Brabant’s Provincial League 4G, VK Milkano Holsbeek wins promotion to Provincial League 3 for the first time.
1987 / Finishing in second-last place in Brabant’s Provincial League 3A, VK Milkano Holsbeek drops back into Provincial League 4 after three years.
1989 / Clinching the title in Brabant’s Provincial League 4G without suffering a defeat all season, VK Milkano Holsbeek manages a return to Provincial League 3. That same year, however, the club finds itself in trouble, as it is given notice to vacate the two pitches at Bergestraat as soon as possible. Another plot of land on the fringes of the village is found at Verhaegenstraat, where works get underway on laying out two pitches.
1990 / Although a clubhouse at Verhaegenstraat has not been erected yet, the bulk of lower team football and training sessions moves to the new location already. Moreover, also in 1989, the name of the club is shortened, no longer being VK Milkano Holsbeek, but simply VK Holsbeek.
1991 / In the summer of 1991, more specifically on August 23rd, the new clubhouse at Verhaegenstraat is inaugurated by the mayor of Holsbeek, René Van Goidsenhoven. From now on, all activities of the club take place at the new location, with Terrein Bergeveld being abandoned.
1994 / Finishing in second-last place in Brabant’s Provincial League 3D, VK Holsbeek drops back into Provincial League 4.
1999 / Champions in Brabant’s Provincial League 4G, VK Holsbeek wins promotion to Provincial League 3.
2006 / VK Holsbeek finishes as runner-up in Brabant’s Provincial League 3D, 6 points behind champions K Everbeur Sport.
2009 / Finishing in second-last place in Brabant’s Provincial League 3D, VK Holsbeek drops back into Provincial League 4 after ten years, alongside bottom side KAC Betekom B.
2010 / Runner-up in Brabant’s Provincial League 4H, 5 points behind champions SC Aarschot, VK Holsbeek qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes in third place in a group behind VK Borchtlombeek and KSV Drieslinter, but ahead of FC Limelette, with one win (3-0 over Limelette), one draw (1-1 against Drieslinter), and one defeat (2-1 against Borchtlombeek); in retrospect, however, the play-off was superfluous, as all four sides win promotion to Provincial League 3 due to extra promotion places being available.
2016 / Runner-up in Brabant’s Provincial League 3A, 6 points behind champions Wolfsdonk Sport, VK Holsbeek gains promotion to Provincial League 2 for the first time due to extra promotion places being available.
2019 / The main pitch of Terrein aan de Verhaegenstraat is laid out anew with a synthetic surface.
2024 / Finishing in fifth place in Brabant’s VFV Provincial League 2B, VK Holsbeek qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by SK Nossegem (3-2).
2026 / Finishing in third place in Brabant’s VFV Provincial League 2B, VK Holsbeek qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club eliminates VC Bertem-Leefdaal in R1 (1-3), going on to defeat KCS Machelen in R2 (2-0) – and KVK Wemmel in the final round (1-0), which in retrospect was superfluous, as both finalists gain promotion to Provincial League 1. In the case of VK Holsbeek, it is the first time that the club manages to accede to the top tier of the provincial pyramid.

Note – The last photo in the series below shows the old ground of VK (Milkano) Holsbeek, Terrein Bergeveld, where the club was home between 1972 and 1991.