K.S.K. Beveren Information & K.S.K. Beveren Links at HealthHaven.com

Beveren
Full name	Koninklijke Sportkring; Beveren
Nickname(s)	Little Anderlecht
Founded	July 1, 1934 (creation); September 6, 1935; (registration)
Ground	Freethiel Stadion, Beveren; (Capacity: 12,930)
Chairman	Dirk Verelst
Manager	Johan Boskamp
League	Belgian Second Division
2008-09	Belgian Second Division, 13th
Home colours	Away colours

Koninklijke Sportkring Beveren (English: Royal Sporting Club of Beveren) is a Belgian football club, from the town of Beveren in East Flanders. It is famous for its goalkeeping school that has produced such players as Jean-Marie Pfaff, Filip De Wilde, Geert De Vlieger, Erwin Lemmens and Tristan Peersman, all of whom have played in the Belgium national football team. Wilfried Van Moer, a midfielder who also went on to represent Belgium, started his career at Beveren.

[edit] History

A club named Standaard Club Beveren was founded in 1921 and it merged later with F.C. Amical (English: F.C. Friendly) but the club folded in 1931. Three years later the footballers of Standaard Club decided to found a new club, which they named S.K. Beveren-Waes. It became a member of the Belgian Football Association in 1935. Ten seasons after, the club changed its name to S.K. Beveren-Waas (Beveren is a town in the Waasland - Pays de Waes region). After 14 seasons in the Belgian Provincial leagues, Beveren-Waas reached the fourth national level in 1948, and the third division in 1951. In 1966, they reached the second division for the first time, and , led by future national manager Guy Thijs, were surprise winners of the league. Since then, it has been relegated from the top division three times(1972, 1990 and 1996), but on each occasion was re-promoted at the first attempt. The club changed its name again, to K.S.K. Beveren, in 1978, and under this name enjoyed their greatest successes, being surprise champions in 1979 and 1984. In 1979 they beat Inter Milan in the Cup Winners' Cup, eventually being eliminated by FC Barcelona in the semifinals. In 2006 they were threatened with loss of their professional licence and subsequent relegation to the third division, but eventually won an appeal to preserve their status. However, in 2007, the club ended last in the Jupiler League and was forced to go to the second division

[edit] Ivorian players

For several years, the Beveren squad consisted mostly of players from Ivory Coast - a policy often criticised in the Belgian media. The club's former manager, Jean-Marc Guillou founded the youth academy of ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan, and most of the Ivorian players have transferred from there, taking advantage of Belgium's relatively easy work permit regulations. Despite the critics, Beveren has delivered some great players their first experience in Europe. Gilles Yapi Yapo, Yaya Toure, Arthur Boka, Koffi Ndri Romaric, Gervinho and Emmanuel Eboué are examples, all having Champions League experience.

[edit] Arsenal FC controversy

Between 2001 and 2006 the club had a co-operation agreement with Arsenal Football Club. Several players were loaned between the teams and friendlies played. The agreement expired on 1 July 2006.

Subsequent to an investigation by BBC Television's Newsnight FIFA requested the English Football Association investigate the relationship between the two clubs.

In 2001 Belgian police concluded that a loan of over €1.5 million had been made by Arsenal F.C. to a company Goal which helped secure Beveren's financial position. Newsnight have alleged this may breach club ownership rules under FIFA regulations. The accusation is refuted by Arsenal who state that the payment was an interest free loan and has no effect on the administration of the club.^[1] The FA and FIFA cleared both clubs of any wrongdoing.^[2]

Several players have been loaned between the two clubs or had trials. However only Emmanuel Eboué and Igors Stepanovs completed permanent moves to the clubs in this time period, the former to Arsenal and the latter to Beveren.

[edit] Current squad

No.	Position	Player
3	DF	Kristof Lardenoit
4	MF	Sophiane Baghdad
5	DF	Yves Kabwe-Kazadi
6	DF	Jeffrey Rentmeister
7	MF	Steven Van Geneugden
10	MF	Chakir Lmaknafi
11	FW	Ousmane Traoré
14	DF	Jasper Vermeerbergen
15	DF	Wesley Vanbelle
16	FW	Sidy Ceesay
17	MF	Nathan D'Haemers
18	MF	Jordy Cathoir
20	MF	Gianni De Keersmaecker

No.	Position	Player
21	MF	Gertjan Martens
23	DF	Yannick Aerts
24	GK	Bram De Bruyn
25	FW	Zoran Kokot
26	DF	Pieter Collen
30	GK	Frédéric Ledent
99	FW	Luciano Olguin
	MF	Bob Cousin
	FW	Stijn De Wilde
	MF	Michaël Lacroix
	GK	Erwin Lemmens
	FW	Kristof Snelders
	FW	Pieter Vervaet

[edit] Notable former players

Belgium

Canada

Roberto Giacomi

Croatia

Krunoslav Jurčić

England

Ireland

Graham Stack

Ivory Coast

Israel

Moshe Sinai

Latvia

Igors Stepanovs

Lithuania

Tomas Danilevičius

Mali

Mama Dissa

Morocco

Khalid Fouhami

Netherlands

Nigeria

Chidi Nwanu

Poland

Slovenia

Sašo Udovič

Togo

Kuami Agboh

[edit] Noted managers

[edit] Honours

Belgian First Division:
- Winners (2): 1978-79, 1983-84
Belgian Second Division:
- Winners (4): 1966-67, 1972-73, 1990-91, 1996-97
Belgian Cup:
- Winners (2): 1977-78, 1982-83
- Runners-up (3): 1979-80, 1984-85, 2003-04
Belgian Supercup:
- Winners (1): 1984
- Runners-up (2): 1980, 1983
Goalkeeper Barry Boubacar (Ivory Coast) and defender/midfielder Kuami Agboh (Togo) have been called up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

[edit] European record

As of March 5, 2006:

Competition	APP	P	W	D	L	GF	GA
UEFA Champions League	2	6	2	2	2	11	8
Cup Winners' Cup	2	12	6	3	3	17	9
UEFA Cup	4	22	9	3	10	30	30
Intertoto Cup	1	4	1	1	2	6	8

[edit] References

[edit] External links

(Dutch) (French) (English) Official website
(English) UEFA page

[0] "Newsnight Investigation". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/5037494.stm.

[1] "Arsenal Statement". The FA. http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/NewsFromTheFA/Postings/2006/06/Arsenal_Beveren.htm.

[1]

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