K.R.C. Mechelen is a Belgian association football club from Mechelen in the Antwerp province. It currently plays in the third division B. It is a long-time rival of KV Mechelen. The club's best position ever is a second place in the first division 1951–52. KRC Mechelen also reached the final of the Belgian Cup in 1954.
[edit] History
Founded in August 1904 as Racing Club de Malines, the club registered with the federation two years later on the 22 June 1906 and received the matricule n°24. The name of the club changed three times: first the suffix Société Royale was added (1929), then the name was translated into Dutch becoming Koninklijke Racing Club Mechelen (1937).
Racing Mechelen played its first season in the first division in 1910–11 and finished 8th of 12 teams. By this time, rival FC Malines, later called KV Mechelen, was playing in second division. The following season, Racing ended 11th just one point away from Beerschot and was relegated. Just before World War I, Racing finished second in their division while FC Malines was third (8 points away). Thus RC Malines were promoted, playing the following season in the first division, which was played in 1919–20. They ended in 6th place. Two years after that FC Malines was playing in the first division too. In 1929 and 1930 after having spent one year in the second division (1924), the club grabbed third place in the first division. A record it would beat in 1952 with a second place after a new sequence of two third places (1950 and 1951). In 1954 it qualified for the final game of the Belgian Cup. Afterwards, the club fell to the second division and has rarely played at a higher level in recent decades.
[edit] Stadium
The Oscar Vankesbeeckstadion is located only 1.5 kilometers far from Veolia Stadium Achter de Kazerne, to the North of the city centre of Mechelen. The stadium, located Oscar Vankesbeeckstraat, is named after Oscar Van Kesbeeck, a Flemish politician. With a capacity of 13,687, this is the largest stadium overvall in the third division.
[edit] Honours
- Belgian First Division:
- Runners-up (1): 1952
- Third place (4): 1929, 1930, 1950 and 1951
- Belgian Second Division:
- Winners (4): 1910, 1948, 1975, 1988
- Runners-up (5): 1914, 1925, 1939, 1946, 1985
- Third place (4): 1909, 1938, 1947, 1971
- Belgian Third Division:
- Winners (3): 1962, 1966, 1969
- Third place (2): 1997, 2000
- Belgian Cup:
[edit] Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
[edit] On loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
[edit] Notable players
[edit] External links
Frank Dietens
The Oscar Vankesbeeckstadion is located only 1.5 kilometers far from Veolia Stadium Achter de Kazerne, to the North of the city centre of Mechelen. The stadium, located Oscar Vankesbeeckstraat, is named after Oscar Van Kesbeeck, a Flemish politician. With a capacity of 13,687, this is the largest stadium overvall in the third division.
