View source for Lierse S.K. (1906)

{{Short description|Association football club in Belgium}}
{{about|the defunct men's football team|the women's football team|Lierse SK (women)}}
{{distinguish|Lierse S.K. (2018)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}

{{Infobox football club
| clubname          = K. Lierse S.K.
| image             = [[File:Lierse-SK.png|120px|Lierse S.K.]]
| fullname          = Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring
| nickname          = ''De Pallieters''
| shortname         = Lierse
| founded           = {{start date and age|6 March 1906}}
| dissolved         = {{start date and age|9 May 2018}}
| ground            = [[Herman Vanderpoortenstadion]], [[Lier, Belgium|Lier]]
| capacity          = 14,538<ref>[http://www.lierse.com/nl/stadion/ Het Herman Vanderpoortenstadion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020135055/http://www.lierse.com/nl/stadion/ |date=20 October 2017 }} lierse.com (last check 30 March 2018)</ref>
| owner = Maged Samy
| manager           = 
| clothing          = 
| league            = [[Proximus League]]
| season            = {{plainlist|
*Final season
*[[2017–18 Belgian First Division B|2017–18]]}}
| position          = <br /> 4th of 8 (folded)
| pattern_la1          = _lierse1718h
| pattern_b1           = _lierse1718h
| pattern_ra1          = _lierse1718h
| leftarm1             = 000000
| body1                = 000000
| rightarm1            = FFFFFF
| shorts1              = 000000
| socks1               = FFFF22
| pattern_la2          = _lierse1718a
| pattern_b2           = _lierse1718a
| pattern_ra2          = _lierse1718a
| leftarm2             = 1364FB
| body2                = 1364FB
| rightarm2            = 1364FB
| shorts2              = 1364FB
| socks2               = FFFFFF
| website           = {{URL|http://www.lierse.com}}
}}

'''[[Koninklijke]] Lierse Sportkring''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈkoːnɪŋkləkə ˈliːrsə ˈspɔrtkrɪŋ}}), often simply known as '''Lierse''', was a Belgian professional [[association football|football]] club from the city of [[Lier, Belgium|Lier]] in the [[Antwerp (province)|Antwerp]] province. Lierse have won four championship titles and two [[Belgian Cup]]s. Lierse was one of the eight Belgian clubs to have played in the [[UEFA Champions League]] group stage, the others being [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]], [[Royal Antwerp|Antwerp]], [[Club Brugge KV|Club Brugge]], [[K.R.C. Genk|Genk]], [[Standard Liège]] ,[[Royale Union Saint-Gilloise|Union Saint-Gilloise]] and [[KAA Gent]].

The club was founded in 1906 and was initially promoted to the first division in [[1927–28 Belgian First Division|1927–28]]. Lierse was relatively successful in the first division until the end of [[World War II]], winning two titles and finishing only four times outside the top five. At the end of the [[1947–48 Belgian First Division|1947–48 season]], they were relegated to the [[Belgian Second Division|second division]]. Lierse enjoyed two more spells at the highest level, each time with a championship win (between [[1953–54 Belgian First Division|1953–54]] and [[1985–86 Belgian First Division|1985–86]] and between [[1988–89 Belgian First Division|1988–89]] and [[2006–07 Belgian First Division|2006–07]]). Lierse spent five more years in the first division between [[2010–11 Belgian Pro League|2010–11]] and [[2014–15 Belgian Pro League|2014–15]], but then played in the second division until it was dissolved.

Lierse played their home matches at the [[Herman Vanderpoortenstadion]] in Lier, which is also known as ''Het Lisp'', because the stadium is located in a neighbourhood named Lisp. Both the logo and home kit featured the club colours of yellow and black. The club was bought by [[Egyptians|Egyptian]] businessman Maged Samy, who also owns [[K.V. Turnhout|KV Turnhout]] and [[Wadi Degla FC|Wadi Degla]] in Egypt.

The most capped player at the club was [[Bernard Voorhoof]] with 61 caps for [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]], all when he was at Lierse. With 30 goals, he was the topscorer of the Belgium national football team together with [[Paul Van Himst]], until [[Romelu Lukaku]] (who played in Lierse's youth squads) surpassed this record.

On 9 May 2018, the team announced that it requested bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2018/05/09/lierse-is-failliet-stamnummer-30-verdwijnt-game-over-1-3194363/|title=Lierse is failliet, stamnummer 30 verdwijnt: "Game over"|date=9 May 2018|website=sporza.be|access-date=23 January 2020|archive-date=7 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107085636/https://sporza.be/nl/2018/05/09/lierse-is-failliet-stamnummer-30-verdwijnt-game-over-1-3194363/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="lierse.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.lierse.com/nl/news/k-lierse-sk-cvba-heeft-het-faillissement-aangevraagd|title=K. Lierse S.K. CVBA heeft het faillissement aangevraagd – Lierse SK|website=www.lierse.com|access-date=9 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621144000/http://www.lierse.com/nl/news/k-lierse-sk-cvba-heeft-het-faillissement-aangevraagd|archive-date=21 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the bankruptcy of the team, negotiations started with Lyra and Oosterzonen. Eventually two teams with the name Lierse were formed: [[K Lyra-Lierse Berlaar|K. Lyra-Lierse]] and [[K.F.C. Oosterzonen Oosterwijk|K. Lierse Kempenzonen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2018/06/01/oosterzonen-en-lierse-hebben-akkoord-over-stadion--lierse-kempen/|title=Oosterzonen heeft akkoord over stadion Lierse: Lierse Kempenzonen komt eraan|date=1 June 2018|access-date=1 June 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143344/https://sporza.be/nl/2018/06/01/oosterzonen-en-lierse-hebben-akkoord-over-stadion--lierse-kempen/|url-status=live}}</ref> K. Lierse Kempenzonen currently plays with the old Lierse S.K. logo at the Herman Vanderpoortenstadion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hln.be/sport/voetbal/belgisch-voetbal/kempenzonen-kopen-logo-oude-lierse~aa273578/|title=Privacy settings|website=www.hln.be|access-date=8 June 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141857/https://www.hln.be/sport/voetbal/belgisch-voetbal/kempenzonen-kopen-logo-oude-lierse~aa273578/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== History ==
<!---- ORIGINAL TEXT BEFORE CLEANUP

{{Cleanup|section|date=July 2009}}
In 1904 Gustaaf van den Roye proposed to start up a football club following the example of Antwerp. Easier said than done, as there was immediately opposition from the farmers of Kloosterheide (a rural area of Lier). The Earl, owner of the land proposed as the site for the club, invited Gust van den Roye to his home, to hear more details of his plans. Gust went to the Earl with a heavy heart, fearing for the future of his football plans, but was pleasantly surprised at the outcome; The Earl promised not only to allow the further use of his land, but also to arrange the necessary accommodation and... became honorary president of the club. On 5 March 1906, the first meeting was held in the premises of the Lierse Turnkring (Gymnastics club). However this didn't produce the required outcome, and the following day, a new meeting was held in 'De Roskum' in Lier.
Lierse was born and the first board was established:
Gerard Quaeyhaegens as chairman
Gust van den Roye as secretary
Georges Peeters as Treasurer
Emiel Vervloet, Paul and Jules Remouchamps, Bernard De Meyer, Arthur Haverals and Gustaaf Houtmortels were the board members. The very first match was against soldiers from the local barracks. The players in the first Lierse team were:
Paul and Jules Remouchamps, Gust and Armand van den Roye, Jules Geuens, Arthur Haverals, Gustaaf Houtmortels, Jean de Meulenaer, Bernard de Meyer, J.Nozy, Alberic Verstappe and Gustave Thomas.
The result was not recorded. In the 1907–08 season, To begin with Lierse played on a pitch in Kloosterheide, a rural area of Lier.
In 1912 the 'yellow-blacks' moved to the 'Molekens', and on 30 August 1925, Lierse moved to their current home, the Herman Vanderpoorten stadium.
Lierse were knocking on the door of the first division. Two years later Lierse were promoted.
In 1932 Lierse were champions for the first time. They were champions again in 1942, during the Second World War.
After 21 years in the first division, Lierse were relegated for the first time in 1948, but were promoted again five years later.
In 1960, K.Lierse S.K won their third championship title, and distinguished themselves at European level.
In 1969, Lierse won the Belgian Cup for the first time.
21 September 1971 is a day that Lierse supporters will never forget.
Two weeks earlier, Lierse had lost 0–2 at home to the far superior Leeds United in the first round of the UEFA Cup.
Nobody expected that Lierse would win in Leeds, but 90 minutes later the scoreboard read that Lierse had improbably won 0–4, and Leeds, the Cup holders were knocked out.
In 1986 Lierse were again relegated, but were promoted back to the top division in 1988.
Keeping up with the elite clubs in Belgium had now become the top priority.
Rich clubs such as Anderlecht and Club Bruges reigned supreme in the Belgian League.
In 1997 something happened which nobody thought possible. Lierse became league champions again.
The hotly tipped favourites, Club Bruges, were surprisingly beaten to the title by Lierse.
Two years later in 1999, Lierse won the Belgian Cup again.
N.B Lierse have actually been Belgian champions five times, but their title in 1940–41 is not officially recognised after the league was suspended in 1939–40 after the outbreak of World War II.
A pity because between 1930–45, Lierse along with the other top teams in Belgium at the time; Union, Daring, Beerschot and Antwerp, only finished once outside the top 5.<ref>[http://www.lierse.be/en/history A brief history of K.Lierse S.K.] on www.Lierse.be</ref>

---->
[[File:Lierse oprichting ploeg 1906.png|thumb|left|160px|Lierse SK in 1906: Founders and first players]]

=== The early years ===
In 1904, Gustaaf Van Den Roye learned about the game of football in [[Antwerp]] and got fascinated about it. He bought an authentic ball to play the game in his hometown of [[Lier, Belgium|Lier]]. The first games were played on a terrain owned by the local [[graf]] Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde. Local farmers were not pleased and the police had to intervene, who prohibited any further games. The graf was informed of what happened and he asked Van Den Roye to come and see him. When Van Den Roye told the Graf about his intent to start an actual football club and pointed out the difficulties he was faced with, The Graf promised him a terrain which could serve as a football ground.

On 6 March 1906, during a meeting in a local pub called ''De Roskam'' a football club was founded, named ''Liersche Sportkring''.  Lierse was born and a first board was established: Gerard Quaeyhaegens as chairman, Gust van den Roye as secretary and Georges Peeters as Treasurer. Graf Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde agreed to become honorary chairman.

Two years after its foundation, in September 1908, Lierse became a member of the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]], where it started playing in the lowest tier of Belgian Football. In 1913 the club made its first impact in Belgian football, when it became the first club ever out a regional league to reach the quarter-finals of the [[Belgian Cup]].  The club climbed through the ranks of Belgian football.  In 1922, after winning a national play-off round Lierse gained promotion to the national levels of Belgian Football, which they would never leave until present.
{{clear}}

=== 1927–1948: First spell at the highest level ===
Five years after reaching the national levels, in 1927, Lierse became champions in ''division 1'' the second tier of Belgian football, with a 2 points advantage over [[RSC Anderlecht]]. In doing so, Lierse succeeded promotion to the highest level for the first time in its history. This first spell in the top tier proved to be very successful immediately as Lierse became champions for the first time in 1932. In the 12 seasons that followed they finished only 1 time outside the top 5, becoming runner up in 1935 and 1939, and winning the championship again in 1941 (unofficial due to World War II) and 1942.

One of the major factors of the success of the club in this period was [[Bernard Voorhoof]], who scored 350 goals in 529 matches for the club. He was voted "Lierse player of the century" when the club celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006. Until now Voorhoof is also still the topscorer of the [[Belgium national football team]] with 30 goals in 61 matches and he is one of the four players worldwide to have competed in all 3 [[FIFA World Cup]]s before World War II.

The second World War had its impact on the club though.  2 players of the club, national goalkeeper Frans Christiaens and Frans Vervoort died during allied bombardments on a factory in German-occupied [[Mortsel]]. Also Jules Van Craen, topscorer of the Belgian League in the 1943 season died during the war. In the season 1944–45 Lierse, together with three other clubs from the Antwerp area, did not compete in the league, due to the German bombardments on the [[Port of Antwerp]]. These facts, combined with some of the older players retiring caused the club to decline until they finished bottom of the league in 1948. After 21 years at the highest level, Lierse were relegated for the first time in its history.

=== 1953–2018 ===
In 1953, Lierse secured promotion to the highest level once again.

In 1960, K. Lierse S.K won their third championship title, and distinguished themselves at European level.

In 1969, Lierse won the Belgian Cup for the first time.

21 September 1971, is considered an important day for Lierse. Two weeks earlier, Lierse had lost 0–2 at home to the far superior [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]] in the first round of the [[1971–72 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]]. Nobody expected that Lierse would win in Leeds, but Lierse had an improbably 0–4 win, and Leeds, the Cup holders, were knocked out.

In 1986, Lierse were again relegated, but in 1988, they were promoted back to the top division. Keeping up with the elite clubs in Belgium had now become the top priority. Rich clubs such as Anderlecht and Club Bruges reigned supreme in the Belgian League.

1991–1994: Telefusion Belgium sponsored Lierse in these years.

In 1997, Lierse became league champions again, to a large amount of people's surprise. The hotly tipped favourites, Club Bruges, were surprisingly beaten to the title by Lierse.

Two years later (1999), Lierse won the Belgian Cup again.

In May 2018, owner Maged Samy and David Nakhid failed to agree on terms for a possible acquisition, making the future of the club uncertain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20180507_03501163/b-over-en-uit-voor-lierse-overname-komt-niet-rond-stamnummer-verdwijnt-b|title=Drama voor Lierse: overname mislukt, club krijgt geen uitstel van het BAS: "Fans waardig afscheid geven"|work=GVA|date=7 May 2018|access-date=7 May 2018|archive-date=7 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507222419/https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20180507_03501163/b-over-en-uit-voor-lierse-overname-komt-niet-rond-stamnummer-verdwijnt-b|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="lierse.com"/>

==Coaching staff==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
! Nationality
|-
| Manager
| David Colpaert
| {{flag|BEL|name=BEL}}
|-
| Assistant coach
| [[Nico Van Kerckhoven]]
| {{flag|BEL|name=BEL}}
|-
| Assistant coach
| [[Will Still]]
| {{flag|ENG|name=ENG}}
|-
| Goalkeeping coach
| [[Patrick Nys]]
| {{flag|BEL|name=BEL}}
|-
|}

=== Managers ===
{| class="wikitable centre"
!scope=col colspan=3 align=center|Lierse S.K. coaching history from 1930 to present
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)}} [[Jules Turnauer|Gyula "Jules" Turnauer]] (1930–36)
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Bill Berry (footballer born 1904)|Bill Berry]] (1 July 1946&nbsp;– 30 June 1948)
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Keith Spurgeon]] (1970)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Frans de Munck]] (1971)
*{{flagicon|Hungarian People's Republic}} [[János Bédl]] (1 July 1972&nbsp;– 30 June 1973)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Hans Croon]] (1974–75)
*{{flagicon|Hungarian People's Republic}} [[János Bédl]] (1 July 1975&nbsp;– 30 June 1977)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Gustaaf Vandenbergh]] (1977–79)
*{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Ernst Künnecke]] (1979–81)
*{{flagicon|Hungary}} [[János Bédl]] (1 July 1981&nbsp;– 30 June 1982)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Hans Croon]] (1982–83)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Johan Boskamp]] (1984–87)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Walter Meeuws]] (1 July 1987&nbsp;– 1 March 1988)
*{{flagicon|Yugoslavia}} [[Dimitri Davidović]] (1 July 1988&nbsp;– 30 June 1989)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Barry Hulshoff]] (1989–91)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Herman Helleputte]] (1991–94)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Eric Gerets]] (1 July 1994&nbsp;– 30 June 1997)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Jos Daerden]] (1 July 1997&nbsp;– 1 July 1998)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Walter Meeuws]] (1 July 1998&nbsp;– 30 June 2001)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Regi Van Acker]] (2001–02)
|
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Emilio Ferrera]] (1 July 2002&nbsp;– 18 May 2004)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Paul Put]] (1 July 2004&nbsp;– 2 November 2005)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Eric Van Meir|Eric van Meir]] ''(interim)'' (Nov 2005)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[René Trost]] (7 November 2005&nbsp;– 13 November 2006)
*{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Kjetil Rekdal]] (22 November 2006&nbsp;– 25 June 2007)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Herman Helleputte]] (1 July 2007&nbsp;– 18 February 2010)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Aime Anthuenis]] (21 February 2010&nbsp;– 19 September 2010)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Eric Van Meir]] (19 September 2010&nbsp;– 3 January 2011)
*{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Trond Sollied]] (3 January 2011&nbsp;– 30 June 2011)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Chris Janssens]] (1 July 2011&nbsp;– 12 November 2012)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Herman Vermeulen]] ''(interim)'' (1 November 2012&nbsp;– 12 November 2012)
*{{flagicon|Egypt}} [[Hany Ramzy]] (Nov 2012–13)
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Stanley Menzo]] (1 July 2013&nbsp;– 31 August 2014)
*{{flagicon|Slovenia}} [[Slaviša Stojanovič]] (5 September 2014&nbsp;– 28 January 2015)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Herman Helleputte]] (28 January 2015&nbsp;– 30 January 2015)
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Olivier Guillou]] (30 January 2015&nbsp;– 31 May 2015)
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Younes Zerdouk]] (10 June 2015&nbsp;– 14 September 2015)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Eric Van Meir]] (Sept 2015&nbsp;– 15 March 2017)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Frederik Vanderbiest]] (16 March 2017&nbsp;– Okt 6, 2017)
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Will Still]] together with David Colpaert (Okt 7, 2017&nbsp;– current)
|}

== Honours ==

===League===
*'''[[Belgian First Division A|Belgian First Division]]'''
**'''Champions:''' [[1931–32 Belgian First Division|1931–32]], [[1941–42 Belgian First Division|1941–42]], [[1959–60 Belgian First Division|1959–60]], [[1996–97 Belgian First Division|1996–97]]
**Runners-up: [[1934–35 Belgian First Division|1934–35]], [[1938–39 Belgian First Division|1938–39]]
*'''[[Belgian Second Division]]'''
**'''Winners:''' 1926–27, 2009–10
**Runners-up (5): 1924–25, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53, 2008–09
*'''[[Belgian Second Division final round]]'''
**'''Winners:''' 1974, 1988, 2006

===Cups===
*'''[[Belgian Cup]]'''
**'''Winners:''' 1968–69, 1998–99
**Runners-up: 1975–76
*'''[[Belgian Super Cup]]'''
**'''Winners:''' [[1997 Belgian Super Cup|1997]], [[1999 Belgian Super Cup|1999]]

== European record ==
{{Updated|2019}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Competition
! Appearances
! Matches played
! Won
! Drawn
! Lost
! Goals for
! Goals against
|-
| [[UEFA Champions League]]
| 2
| 10
| 1
| 1
| 8
| 6
| 19
|-
| [[Cup Winners' Cup]]
| 2
| 6
| 3
| 0
| 3
| 12
| 12
|-
| [[UEFA Cup]]
| 5
| 18
| 5
| 3
| 10
| 28
| 28
|-
| [[Intertoto Cup]]
| 2
| 12
| 6
| 0
| 6
| 21
| 16
|}

== Stadium ==
[[File:Outside view stadium Lierse.jpg|thumb|Stadium Lierse anno 2018]]
Since 1925 Lierse played in the [[Herman Vanderpoortenstadion]] often referred to as Lisp. The latter is the location of the stadium in the residential area Lisp. The stadium has a capacity of 14,538.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lierse.com/nl/stadion/|title=Stadion – Lierse SK|website=www.lierse.com|access-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020135055/http://www.lierse.com/nl/stadion/|archive-date=20 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Official|http://www.lierse.be}} {{in lang|nl|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051022091303/http://www.uefa.com/footballEurope/Club=8404/domestic.html Lierse S.K.] on [[UEFA]].com {{in lang|en}} (archived)

{{Belgian Pro League}}

[[Category:Lierse S.K. (1906)| ]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1906]]
[[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 2018]]
[[Category:Defunct football clubs in Belgium]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in Belgium]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Belgium with royal patronage]]
[[Category:2018 disestablishments in Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League clubs]]
[[Category:Lier, Belgium]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Antwerp Province]]