Cercle Brugge K.S.V.

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Cercle Brugge KSV
Full nameCercle Brugge
Koninklijke Sportvereniging
Nickname(s)Groen en Zwart
(Green and Black), De Vereniging
Founded1899; 125 years ago (1899)
GroundJan Breydel Stadium
Capacity29,062
OwnerDmitry Rybolovlev
ManagerMiron Muslic
LeagueBelgian Pro League
2022–23Belgian Pro League, 6th of 18
WebsiteClub website
Current season

Cercle Brugge Koninklijke Sportvereniging (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsɛr(ə)klə ˈbrʏɣə ˈkoːnɪŋkləkə ˈspɔrtfəˌreːnəɣɪŋ]) is a Belgian professional football club based in Bruges. Cercle have played in the Belgian Pro League since the 2003–04 season, having previously spent several years in the Belgian Second Division following relegation in 1997. Their matricule number is 12. The club plays home games at the Jan Breydel Stadium, which they share with fierce rivals Club Brugge. Cercle Brugge won their first national title in 1911, and won two more titles (in 1927 and 1930) before the Second World War. The side also won the Belgian Cup in 1927 and in 1985, and have represented Belgium in European tournaments on several occasions.

History[edit]

Early years (1899–1919)[edit]

Cercle Brugge was founded on 9 April 1899 as Cercle Sportif Brugeois by former students of the Saint Francis Xavier Institute, colloquially known as De Frères (English: The Friars) in Bruges. Originally, the organisation focused on five sports: football, cricket, lawn tennis, running and cycling.

Cercle Brugge became a member of the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1900 and were awarded matricule number 12. The same year the club moved from their football field in Sint-Michiels, which was owned by De Frères, to a pitch in Sint-Andries, which offered better facilities and was closer to Bruges' main railway station in 't Zand square. Cercle achieved their first success in the 1902 Henri Fraeys Cup, defeating Olympique Iris Club Lillois (the predecessor of Lille OSC) and US Tourcoing. After winning another few friendly cups Cercle achieved their first big success, winning the national title in the 1910–11 season. Cercle ended a single point ahead of their main rivals FC Bruges, after their confrontation on the season's last matchday ended in a 1–1 draw.

Three years later Belgian football was devastated by World War I: Cercle lost two first-team players, Louis Baes and Joseph Evrard, and their stadium and facilities sustained heavy damage. Former player Alphonse Six also died.

Rebuilding (1919–1924)[edit]

Cercle resumed competitive football in 1919 with an almost completely new team. Louis Saeys was the only player to remain in the team from before the war. Expectations were low, but the club finished third in the league. In 1921 the club raised a monument in remembrance of those affiliated with Cercle who had died in WWI: the unveiling was marred by tragedy, when a biplane scheduled to fly over the stadium as a tribute crashed, killing its two passengers. The monument still exists and now stands in front of the Jan Breydel Stadium.

In 1923, Cercle extended their stadium facilities again, moving 100 metres from their old pitch to a newly built stadium. This ground, later named the Edgard De Smedt Stadium, became Cercle's home for more than 50 years.

Two national titles (1924–1930)[edit]

In 1924, the club changed its name from Cercle Sportif Brugeois to Royal Cercle Sportif Brugeois. The club embarked on a successful period, led by two key players: Belgian record international Florimond Vanhalme and player-coach Louis Saeys. Cercle led the league midway through the 1925–26 season, but player injuries led to poor results that saw them finish in fifth place. Several important players left Cercle after this season, leaving hopes low for the 1926–27 campaign, but the year saw Cercle achieve their second national championship on the penultimate matchday with a thrilling 5–6 win over Daring Bruxelles. The victory was overshadowed by two deaths at the club a few months earlier: Albert Van Coile, who had succumbed from injuries sustained in a match against US Tourcoing, and former chairman René de Peellaert, who died from pneumonia which he had caught during Van Coile's funeral.

In 1928, goalkeeper Robert Braet emerged as a new star at Cercle: the player, who had only switched from the outfield to goal after an illness, went on to spend his whole career at Cercle, later becoming chairman.

Cercle made a slow start to the 1929–30 season, entering the mid-season winter break in sixth place and seven points adrift of leaders Antwerp. Nonetheless, by the closing weekend of the season they had narrowed the gap to a single point; the final game saw them score a 4–1 victory at home to Lierse SK. The side then faced an anxious wait for the result of Antwerp against 10th placed Standard Liège, contemporary telecommunication facilities at grounds being poor. In the end, the news reached team captain Florimond Vanhalme that Antwerp had lost 3–5, meaning Cercle had won their third and (thus far) final title. Because of this title Cercle were invited to take part in the Coupe des Nations, which is regarded as the predecessor of the Champions League.

Decline (1930–1938)[edit]

Cercle could not maintain the results of their championship season, ending 7th in 1931. New title aspirations disappeared completely as Cercle continued to finish in the middle of the league over the next several seasons. The experienced players who had helped achieve the title retired or left the team, and the youngsters who replaced them could not match their talent. The downward spiral reached a low with relegation to the Belgian Second Division in 1936. Cercle took the opportunity to make sweeping changes, appointing a new coach and board. The changes proved successful, and Cercle won promotion back to the highest division after only two years.

World War II in Belgium (1939–1945)[edit]

The Second World War made a regular football competition impossible in 1939. Cercle therefore took part in regional championships, in which each team met another multiple times. Cercle, though, had comparatively little competition in its native West Flanders, and lost contact with the high standards maintained in the stronger Antwerp and Brussels regional championships.

A national contest resumed in 1941; Cercle finished the season last but one in the league. Usually this would have meant relegation, but the KBVB ruled that the circumstances of the war, which limited training opportunities and youth development, meant no team should be relegated.

Cercle were made to play one match behind closed doors during the 1943 season, after an incident during a game against Anderlecht. Supporters, furious with referee De Braeckel's decisions to annul two Cercle goals for unclear reasons and to award Anderlecht a goal that looked offside, chased De Braeckel from the stadium. Two Cercle fans proposed to the Cercle Brugge board that they give the referee a ride to the Bruges railway station; the board accepted, but the fans instead drove the referee toward Zedelgem, where they threw him from the car in the middle of nowhere.

Immediately after liberation in 1944, an unofficial championship was organised among the teams who had in 1939 made up the top division. Most teams, though, were unable to participate, and the Von Rundstedt Offensive spelled the end of the initiative. The end ranking of this competition has not even been archived by the Belgian football association.

Second decline and return (1945–1961)[edit]

Cercle could not avoid relegation in the first season after the war and, despite being favorites for promotion the following season, struggled to compete in the lower league, finishing their first season there in seventh place. The next four seasons brought more mediocre league positions, until in 1951 the KBVB revealed plans to create a new second division. Clubs in the current second tier were required to finish eighth to remain in the second level; Cercle ended in 15th place that season, leaving them even further away from the top flight.

Cercle remained in this third tier until 1956, when they won their league. They spent the next season once again battling relegation, this time with more success, though their second season back in the second tier went less well. The club secured only nine points in the season's first half, avoiding relegation only with a win under coach Louis Versyp in the season's last match. A few weeks later Versyp was replaced by the Frenchman Edmond Delfour. This replacement inaugurated a more successful new era at Cercle who, under Delfour's command, missed promotion only barely in 1960 and returned at last to the top flight in 1961.

Short resurrection (1961–1965)[edit]

Cercle had taken 15 years to return to the highest division, and remained there for only five more. They scarcely escaped relegation in their first season back at the top level, thanks only to a successful proposition by Antwerp that changed the way teams with equal points were ordered in the league. Until this season, where two teams had the same number of points the one with fewer defeats was ranked higher; under Antwerp's scheme, the team with the greater number of victories placed higher. Thanks to the changed rule Cercle finished ahead of Thor Waterschei, who would have placed above them under the previous rule. Ironically, Antwerp became victims of their own proposal: Standard obtained the second place, with Antwerp having equal points but fewer victories (but also fewer defeats).

Barren years and the five-year-plan (1965–1971)[edit]

This spell in the top division saw Cercle enjoy little success, and in 1965–66 they finished last behind Berchem. Worse, the team was accused of corruption by Lierse player Bogaerts, who said Cercle's vice-president Paul Lantsoght had engaged in bribery. The Belgian football association sentenced Cercle to relegation from the second division to the third. Lantsoght launched a lawsuit against the KBVB, which he won in June 1967, but the damage was done: Cercle remained in the third division, losing many of their players, and were not able to achieve promotion immediately.

In 1967, Cercle appointed Urbain Braems as head coach. Braems designed an ambitious plan to restore Cercle to the top division within five years. During Braem's first season the club competed with Eendracht Aalst for promotion: they played one another two matches before the end of the season, tied on 41 points, but Aalst with the greater number of victories to their name. Cercle had to win the match to take the lead, and lost it 0–1: but Cercle's youth team coach, André Penninck, had noticed that the Aalst team delegate had made a mistake, switching the names of the substitutes, which meant that, according to the match paper, Aalst had ended the match playing illegally with two goalkeepers. Cercle lodged a complaint with the Belgian football association, who confirmed Aalst's 0–1 win, and also dismissed a first appeal. Cercle then made their second and final possible appeal, and on this instance ordered the football association to apply the rules. On 21 June 1968, Cercle received the news that the decision had been overturned, and they would be promoted to the second division. In July of the same year, Royal Cercle Sportif Brugeois changed their name to Cercle Brugge K.S.V.

Cercle were immediately able to play a role in the second division title contest, thanks to a successful transfer policy. After 20 matches Cercle led the league, only to finish the season fourth, four points behind champions AS Oostende. Next season, Cercle again finished four points behind the champions, KFC Diest. But in 1971, one year before the end of the five-year-plan, Cercle achieved their goal: they won promotion and were back at the top.

Settling at the top flight (1971–1996)[edit]

Jan Breydel Stadium.

Cercle tried immediately to avoid the relegation battle by fortifying their squad, signing Fernand Goyvaerts and Benny Nielsen. Early results saw them win points from both Anderlecht and Club Brugge, respectively champions and vice-champions that season, and they finished the season in fifth place, the first of a succession of secure midtable finishes. In 1975 the club left the Edgard De Smedt Stadium goodbye to move to the Olympia Stadium, which was later renamed the Jan Breydel Stadium during Euro 2000.

Between 1967 and 1977, Cercle had had only two coaches, Urbain Braems and Han Grijzenhout, but Grijzenhout left after a lucrative offer from SC Lokeren. Cercle appointed Lakis Petropoulos as new coach, but the appointment proved an uneasy one: language difficulties between the Greek coach and his players were compounded by player injuries, and the club was unexpectedly relegated. Han Grijzenhout was again appointed as coach to get Cercle back to the first division as soon as possible. After only one season, Cercle became champions, ending one point before SK Tongeren.

Again, Cercle enjoyed a comfortable period in the top division, climaxing with a Belgian Cup win in 1985. The final saw Cercle face SK Beveren; the score was 1–1 after 90 minutes, and 30 minutes' added time produced no further goals, so the match went to penalties. Beveren player Paul Lambrichts kicked the last penalty of the series against the crossbar, and Cercle celebrated. For the first time since 1930, Cercle qualified for an official European tournament. They drew Dynamo Dresden as opponents, winning the home match 3–2, but in Dresden Cercle lost 2–1, losing the confrontation on the away goals rule.

Cercle again reached the Belgian cup final in 1986, this time meeting city rivals Club Brugge. Cercle lost 0–3, with two questionable penalties scored by Jean-Pierre Papin. A next high point came in the recruitment of Yugoslav striker Josip Weber in 1988: despite a difficult start in Belgium, Weber proved to be Cercle's best post-war goal scorer, ranking as the team's top scorer from 1989 to 1994 (when he left for Anderlecht) successively. Weber was also national top scorer from 1992 until 1994. Another prominent player, Romanian record international Dorinel Munteanu, signed for Cercle in the 1990s.

In 1996, Cercle once more reached the national cup final, again facing Club Brugge: this time, Cercle lost 2–1. Nonetheless, Club's double victory meant Cercle still qualified for the UEFA Cup, in which they drew the Norwegian side SK Brann. Cercle won the home match 3–2, but lost 4–0 in Bergen. Cercle then lost some important players whom they failed to adequately replace, and were relegated, along with K.V. Mechelen, in 1997.

Second division (1997–2003)[edit]

Cercle aimed at an immediate return, but were thwarted early on. They finished their first season in 10th place, and gained only a single place increase in league position over each of the next four seasons. In 2002–03 the board chose a new chairman, former Standaard Boekhandel director Frans Schotte, and a new coach, former player Jerko Tipurić, who had also been coach in Cercle's 1996–97 relegation season. The new staff helped Cercle to achieve promotion once more in 2003.

Former player Stijn De Smet taking a corner kick.

Settling in the top flight again (2003–2015)[edit]

The 2003–4 season saw newly signed players Harold Meyssen and Nordin Jbari proving instrumental in avoiding relegation, and the Cercle board chose not to extend Tipurić's contract. Harm Van Veldhoven was chosen to replace him, and oversaw three decent but unspectacular seasons for Cercle, brightened by the emergence of the talented Stijn De Smet and Tom De Sutter. When Van Veldhoven was announced as new coach of G. Beerschot, Cercle chose former Anderlecht player and assistant manager Glen De Boeck as his successor. In his debut year, De Boeck surprised with successful attacking and attractive football. Cercle ended the season fourth in the top division, their best post-war ranking. The 2009–10 season saw them ending as runners-up in the Belgian Cup final, which was enough to qualify for the Europa League. Shortly afterwards, manager Glen De Boeck surprisingly signed a contract with Germinal Beerschot, only one month after having signed a new 4-year-deal with Cercle Brugge. De Boeck declared to the press that he only had some questions about his lawn mower for Beerschot president Herman Kesters, but had finally ended up signing for the Antwerp side.[1] Cercle Brugge appointed AA Gent reserves coach Bob Peeters as their new manager. It will be Peeters' first experience in the Pro League. This season also brought Cercle's first European attendance in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, where they defeated TPS from Finland and reached the third qualifying round were they stranded against Anorthosis Famagusta F.C. In November 2012 Peeters was fired for poor results. Despite attracting star player Eiður Guðjohnsen, he failed to get Cercle away from that last place and was replaced by Foeke Booy. The team still struggled to avoid relegation. After the bad results they sacked Foeke Booy and the new trainer was Lorenzo Staelens. Lorenzo Staelens would be replaced by Arnar Vidarsson in their last season in first division. A few months later Vidarsson would also be replaced by Dennis Van Wijk, Cercle eventually lost Play-Off III to SK Lierse and relegate to second division.

Second division, financial difficulties and take-over by Russian Oligarch (2015–present)[edit]

The first season in the second division, Cercle ended 5th out of 17. The next season (2016–17), the competition was renamed to 1B and contained 8 teams. Manager Vincent Euvrard was sacked after a disappointing start and was replaced by José Riga. Cercle ended 7th in the competition and had to play a relegation poule with Tubize, Oud-Heverlee Leuven and Lommel United to secure their place in 1B. Lommel United ended last in the play-downs.[2] During the season it was obvious that Cercle could not compete with other teams any more due to their financial status and the fact that many of the other teams had foreign investors. Cercle also began to search for an investor. On 15 February 2017 Cercle found in Dmitry Rybolovlev a partner to continue their existence in the future.[3] Dimitri Rybolovlev is now the majority shareholder and owner of Cercle. On 10 March 2018, Cercle became champion in the Proximus League, the Belgian second division after winning against Beerschot 3–2 on aggregate. The winning goal – a penalty kick, was scored by Irvin Cardona, a loaned player from Monaco, in the last minute of the game and thus the season.[4]

Honours[edit]

Domestic[edit]

International[edit]

  • Tournoi Pascal[5]
    • Winners (1): 1914
    • Runners-up (1): 1924

European cup history[edit]

As of July 2010
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1985–86 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1 East Germany Dynamo Dresden 3–2 1–2 4–4
1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1 Norway SK Brann 3–2 0–4 3–6
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2Q Finland Turun Palloseura 0–1 2–1 2–2
3Q Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta 1–0 1–3 2–3

Current squad[edit]

As of 24 January 2024[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Brazil BRA Warleson
3 MF Lithuania LTU Edgaras Utkus
4 DF Norway NOR Jesper Daland
5 DF Serbia SRB Boris Popović
6 FW France FRA Félix Lemaréchal (on loan from Monaco)
7 FW France FRA Malamine Efekele (on loan from Monaco)
8 MF Brazil BRA Erick (on loan from Fluminense)
9 FW Togo TOG Kévin Denkey
10 FW Brazil BRA Felipe Augusto
11 MF Ecuador ECU Alan Minda
17 MF Ghana GHA Abu Francis
18 DF Belgium BEL Senna Miangué
19 FW Belgium BEL Kazeem Olaigbe
20 DF Portugal POR Flávio Nazinho (on loan from Sporting)
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 GK Belgium BEL Maxime Delanghe
22 MF Portugal POR Leonardo Lopes
27 MF Belgium BEL Nils De Wilde
28 MF Belgium BEL Hannes Van der Bruggen
29 DF France FRA Louis Torres
32 FW France FRA Romaric Etonde (on loan from Monaco)
34 FW Belgium BEL Thibo Somers
41 DF Belgium BEL Hugo Siquet (on loan from Freiburg)
66 DF Belgium BEL Christiaan Ravych
77 DF France FRA Jordan Semedo (on loan from Monaco)
89 GK Belgium BEL Sébastien Bruzzese
99 FW Burkina Faso BFA Abdoul Ouattara
MF Belgium BEL Noah De Ridder

Other players under contract[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK France FRA Thomas Didillon

Out on loan[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
FW Germany GER Emilio Kehrer (at Deinze until 30 June 2024)

Player history[edit]

Note: Please consider that the flags of each club's player not only indicate one's citizenship (jus soli principle), but a nationality as well (jus sanguinis principle).

Most appearances for Cercle Brugge[edit]

As of matches played 11 June 2011 and according to www.cerclemuseum.be

No. Name Career Appearances Goals
1 Belgium Jules Verriest 1965–81 492 8
2 Belgium Denis Viane 1997–2011 385 2
3 Belgium Geert Broeckaert 1978–91 376 19
4 Belgium Arthur Ruysschaert 1925–44 372 108
5 Belgium Roger Claeys 1941–57 362 48
6 Belgium Jackie De Caluwé 1951–66 354 32
7 Belgium Robert Braet 1928–48 352 0
8 Belgium Rudy Poorteman 1979–91 347 7
9 Netherlands Wim Kooiman 1980–88 / 1994–98 339 25
Netherlands Bram van Kerkhof 1974–85 339 14

Most goals for Cercle Brugge[edit]

As of matches played 11 June 2011 and according to www.cerclemuseum.be

No. Name Career Appearances Goals
1 Belgium Marcel Pertry 1943–55 280 140
2 Belgium Josip Weber 1988–94 204 136
3 Belgium Dirk Beheydt 1975–84 295 115
4 Belgium Michel Vanderbauwhede 1920–32 231 109
5 Belgium Arthur Ruysschaert 1925–44 372 108
6 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu 1953–66 227 104
7 Belgium Louis Saeys 1903–27 305 103
8 Belgium Gérard Devos 1921–30 178 100
9 Belgium Alphonse Six 1907–12 89 93
10 Belgium André Saeys 1928–35 / 1941–42 172 55
Belgium Eric Buyse 1959–70 265 55

Top league goalscorers per season[edit]

According to www.cerclemuseum.be. Names in italic means that only partial match history for the season could be retrieved.

Season Player
1900–01 Belgium Edmond Verbruggen
1901–02 Belgium Jérôme De Caluwé
1902–03 Belgium Jérôme De Caluwé
Belgium Joseph De Wulf
Belgium Edmond Verbruggen
Belgium Gustaaf Wardenier
1903–04 Belgium Joseph De Roo
1904–05 Russian Empire Vahram Kevorkian
1905–06 Belgium Louis Saeys
1906–07 Belgium Louis Saeys
1907–08 Belgium Louis Saeys
1908–09 Belgium Michel Nollet
1909–10 Belgium Alphonse Six
1910–11 Belgium Alphonse Six
1911–12 Belgium Alphonse Six
1912–13 Belgium Louis Saeys
1913–14 Belgium Frans Lowyck
1914–18 No competition organised
due to World War I
1918–19 Belgium Louis Baes
1919–20 Belgium Germain Alleyn
1920–21 Belgium Frans Lowyck
1921–22 Belgium Gérard Devos
1922–23 Belgium Gérard Devos
Belgium Célestin Nollet
1923–24 Belgium Michel Vanderbauwhede
1924–25 Belgium Gérard Devos
1925–26 Belgium Gérard Devos
1926–27 Belgium Gérard Devos
1927–28 Belgium Gérard Devos
1928–29 Belgium Gérard Devos
1929–30 Belgium Michel Vanderbauwhede
1930–31 Belgium Roger Proot
1931–32 Belgium Alphonse Decorte
1932–33 Belgium Alphonse Decorte
Belgium Roger Proot
1933–34 Belgium Arthur Ruysschaert
1934–35 Belgium Maurice Blieck
Belgium Arthur Ruysschaert
Belgium Willy Van Loo
1935–36 Belgium Maurice Blieck
1936–37 Belgium Johan Vandenabeele
1937–38 Belgium Albert Naert
1938–39 Belgium André De Schepper
1939–41 No competition organised
due to World War II
Season Player
1941–42 Belgium Georges Crampe
1942–43 Belgium Albert De Kimpe
1943–44 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1944–45 No competition organised
due to World War II
1945–46 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1946–47 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1947–48 Belgium Edmond Verté
1948–49 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1949–50 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1950–51 Belgium Marcel Pertry
1951–52 Belgium Georges Debbaut
1952–53 Belgium Pierre Roggeman
1953–54 Belgium Jozef Vandercruyssen
1954–55 Belgium Guy Thys
1955–56 Belgium François Loos
1956–57 Belgium François Loos
Belgium Guy Thys
1957–58 Belgium André Perot
1958–59 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu
1959–60 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu
1960–61 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu
1961–62 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu
1962–63 Belgium Eric Daels
1963–64 Belgium Eric Daels
1964–65 Belgium Gilbert Bailliu
1965–66 Belgium Eric Buyse
1966–67 Belgium Roger Blieck
Belgium Eric Buyse
1967–68 Belgium Roger Blieck
1968–69 Brazil Geo Carvalho
1969–70 Belgium Willy Van Acker
1970–71 Belgium Raf Lapeire
1971–72 Denmark Benny Nielsen
1972–73 Belgium Raf Lapeire
1973–74 Belgium Franky Vanhaecke
1974–75 Belgium Franky Vanhaecke
1975–76 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1976–77 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1977–78 Netherlands Gerrie Kleton
1978–79 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1979–80 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1980–81 Belgium Jan Simoen
Season Player
1981–82 Denmark Søren Skov
1982–83 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1983–84 Belgium Bernard Verheecke
1984–85 Belgium Paul Sanders
1985–86 Australia Edi Krncevic
1986–87 Belgium Patrick Ipermans
Belgium Didier Wittebole
1987–88 Zambia Kalusha Bwalya
1988–89 Belgium Josip Weber
1989–90 Belgium Josip Weber
1990–91 Belgium Josip Weber
1991–92 Belgium Josip Weber
1992–93 Belgium Josip Weber
1993–94 Belgium Josip Weber
1994–95 Belgium Christophe Lauwers
1995–96 Belgium Christophe Lauwers
1996–97 Hungary Gábor Torma
1997–98 Poland Zbigniew Świętek
1998–99 Poland Ernest Konon
1999–00 Brazil Fabio Giuntini
2000–01 Belgium Giovanni Dekeyser
2001–02 France Stéphane Narayaninnaiken
2002–03 Denmark Ole Budtz
2003–04 Belgium Nordin Jbari
2004–05 Belgium Dieter Dekelver
2005–06 Belgium Dieter Dekelver
2006–07 Serbia Darko Pivaljević
2007–08 Belgium Stijn De Smet
Belgium Tom De Sutter
Ukraine Oleh Yashchuk
2008–09 Ukraine Oleh Yashchuk
2009–10 Republic of Ireland Dominic Foley
2010–11 Brazil Reynaldo
2011–12 AngolaRudy
2012–13 Norway Mushaga Bakenga
2013–14 Democratic Republic of the Congo Junior Kabananga
2014–15 Democratic Republic of the Congo Junior Kabananga
2015–16 Guinea Lonsana Doumbouya
2016–17 Armenia Ivan Yagan
2017–18 France Xavier Mercier
2018–19 Belgium Gianni Bruno
2019–20 France Kévin Hoggas
Belgium Stef Peeters
2020–21 Canada Iké Ugbo

Pop Poll d'Echte[edit]

This prize is awarded by the club's supporters, in an election held by d'Echte, a Cercle Brugge supporters' association. The election is held in two rounds. At the last home game before the winter break, and at the last home game of the season, supporters can receive a paper and vote for three players. The player with most votes after the second round wins the Pop Poll. The main criteria taken into account are performances on the pitch and the players' love for the team.

Season Winner
1972–73 Denmark Morten Olsen
1973–74 Denmark Morten Olsen
1974–75 Denmark Morten Olsen
1975–76 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1976–77 Belgium Dirk Beheydt
1977–78 Belgium Jules Verriest
1978–79 Belgium Jules Verriest
1979–80 Netherlands Kees Krijgh
1980–81 Belgium Filip Schepens
1981–82 Belgium Alex Querter1
1982–83 Belgium Paul Sanders
1983–84 Netherlands Leen Barth
1984–85 Belgium Geert Broeckaert
1985–86 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Bojović
Season Winner
1986–87 Zambia Kalusha Bwalya
1987–88 Zambia Kalusha Bwalya
1988–89 Belgium Geert Broeckaert
1989–90 Belgium Geert Broeckaert
1990–91 Croatia Josip Weber
1991–92 Croatia Josip Weber
1992–93 Croatia Josip Weber
1993–94 Romania Dorinel Munteanu
1994–95 Belgium Yves Feys
1995–96 Belgium Yves Feys
1996–97 Belgium Yves Feys
1997–98 Ghana Isaac Asare
1998–99 Belgium Philippe Piedfort
1999–00 Sierra Leone Mohamed Kanu
Season Winner
2000–01 Belgium Giovanni Dekeyser
2001–02 Belgium Bram Vandenbussche
2002–03 Sierra Leone Mohamed Kanu
2003–04 Belgium Ricky Begeyn
2004–05 Belgium Denis Viane
2005–06 Serbia Darko Pivaljević
2006–07 Togo Christophe Grondin
2007–08 Belgium Tom De Sutter
2008–09 Ukraine Oleh Yashchuk
2009–10 Ukraine Oleh Yashchuk
2010–11 Belgium Bernt Evens
2011–12 Belgium Lukas Van Eenoo
2012–13 Belgium Bernt Evens
2013–14 Belgium Kristof D'Haene
Season Winner
2014–15 Belgium Olivier Werner
2015–16 Belgium Mathieu Maertens
2016–17 Armenia Ivan Yagan
2017–18 France Xavier Mercier
2018–19 France Paul Nardi
2019–20 Belgium Thibo Somers
2020–21 Belgium Charles Vanhoutte

1 Alex Querter never received the award, because of his move to city rivals Club Brugge the same season. The organisers of the award concluded that Querter's decision failed to satisfy the criterion of "love for the team".

Coaching staff[edit]

Position Name Nationality
Manager Miron Muslic Bosnia and Herzegovina
Assistant manager Jimmy De Wulf Belgium
First-Team coach Radhi Jaïdi Tunisia
Goalkeeping coach Stefan Toonen[7] Netherlands
Physical coach Eddie Lattimore England
Head of Analysis Stuart Metcalf England
Sporting Director Paul Mitchell England
Reserves coach Jimmy De Wulf Belgium
Reserves coach Wouter Artz Netherlands

Former head coaches[edit]

Notes:

  1. Ruysschaert replaced the suspended Versyp for a few months.

Chairmen history[edit]

Date Name
1899–05 Belgium Leon De Meester
1905–07 Belgium Raoul Daufresne de la Chevalerie
1907–09 Belgium Leon De Meester
1909–11 Belgium Albéric de Formanoir de la Cazerie
1911–25 Belgium René de Peellaert
1927–37 Belgium Paul Dautricourt
1937–50 Belgium Edgard De Smedt
Date Name
1950–53 Belgium Yves Dautricourt
1953–67 Belgium Pierre Vandamme
1967–70 Belgium Robert Braet
1970–02 Belgium Paul Ducheyne
2002–11 Belgium Frans Schotte
2012–2015 Belgium Paul Vanhaecke
2015–2020 Belgium Frans Schotte
2020– Belgium Vincent Goemaere

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Schotte over vertrek De Boeck: "Degoutant"" (in Dutch). Sport/Voetbalmagazine.be. 26 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  2. ^ "1B (play-downs)". sporza.
  3. ^ "Cercle Brugge komt in handen van AS Monaco".
  4. ^ "Cercle Brugge promoveert weer naar hoogste voetbalafdeling". 10 March 2018.
  5. ^ "International Tournaments (Paris) 1904-1935". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Teams – A-kern – Selectie – Saison 2022-2023 Cercle Brugge KSV". Cercle Brugge KSV. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  7. ^ Jaison, Anson. "Stefan Toonen has been appointed as the new goalkeeping coach of Jupiler Pro League (Belgian top tier) club Cercle Brugge K.S.V."

Further reading[edit]

  • Roland Podevijn, Cercle Brugge 1899–1989, K.S.V. Cercle Brugge, 1989

External links[edit]