FC Charleroi 1-2 Gullegem
Promotion 4a
Stade du Fiestaux
23 March 2014
Trust me, you are going to have to stick with me while I explain all this.
Remember this and this? Well the Chairman of FC Charleroi decided to buy this club, which is in the 3rd division, renamed it Charleroi-Fleurus and moved it into Neuville, where FC Charleroi were playing, albeit the home of Olympic Charleroi who had gone bust. But Olympic reformed and so FC Charleroi, whilst sharing a chairman, could no longer share a ground (3 on one pitch....not even in Belgium).
So after a four year absence (via Tivoli in La Louviere and Neuville), the team with number 94 (although by a different name) returned to it's spiritual home. But with no budget, and very few supporters.
While Charleroi Fleurus struggle against relegation in 3b, and Olympic do ok in 4a (but do something to piss off the Belgian FA resulting in an enforced relegation to the provincial leagues for next year) FC's season has been little more than a disaster. 26 games, 1 win, 2 draws and a negative 121 goal difference. They have had double figures put on them 5 times this year. This is Hyde, and then some.
Now I am not normally one for setting out to watch a train wreck, but I'm not entirely sure this team is going to be around much more and, with them gone, I doubt this ground will have much future and this is my last chance this season to get there (I am, as you know, a busy man!). I say train wreck, because today's visitors is non other than FC Gullegem. Who you say? Well, unfortunately for Charleroi they were sat atop the league with 20 wins out of 25 matches. Oh, and a win coupled with anything other than a win for Sint-Eloois-Winkel will result in them winning the championship. Better take a pillow to hide behind, this could get scarey.
2-0 up after maybe 20 mins, everything was going to form. Then a penalty for the champions elect and their 100 or so fans (out of a crowd of about 105 and two dogs) could carry on with what they really wanted to do before this irritating game got in the way....drink. If I am honest, it was at this point that I turned to Miss NAC and proclaimed this to be game over, as, until now, the home goalie had been hopeless. Bang on cue he saved the kick (admittedly not a great one) then proceeded to make 4 or 5 other pretty decent saves.
Then with about 15 mins to go football yet again proved it is the most unpredictable of games as Charleroi scored, their first goal since 2 Feb and their 10th of the season. We then had 15 minutes of panic football as the home team sought an equaliser and the champions elect held on nervously.
Alas the fairy-tale was not to be. The final whistle came, and, with the President stood by the entrance gate, mobile to the ear, champagne and champions banner at his feet, the players huddled in the middle of the pitch awaiting news. Finally it came, Sint-Eloois had drawn and Gullegem were champions of Promotion 4a (cue jumping huddle, pictures with the banner, spraying of champagne and interviews with a very excited local pressman).
Or were they? Consulting my phone I noticed Sint-E were 12 points behind with 4 to play and with a much better goal difference (mainly on the back of a 12-0 home win against our hosts). Fortunately I am a battle hardened Belgian football watcher and know better than to accept normal footballing practice such as goal difference as the norm here. Sure enough, Gullegem could not be caught as the tie breaker is the often used (sarcasm) number of wins (they have 21 compared to St-E's 16). That said, congratulations are in order and they will no doubt head the table by a considerable margin when the final games have been played out.
We thought this an appropriate time to leave. A bizarre game, in a bizarre ground, that settled the championship in a bizarre manner. All very Belgian.
I don't know what the future will hold for either FC Charleroi, or the Stade du Fiestaux but all this will live long in the memory.
Update December 2014
As we have come this far, I thought it only fair to update you all on latest events. If I have got this right, Charleroi Fleurus sold their matricle number to Franc Borains who now play in the stadium in Boussu vacated by Boussu Dour Borinage who sold thier matricle and place in the second tier to Seraing United, who share their ground with FC Liege. So we have one team in Boussu, one in Neuville, one in La Louviere, one in Couillet, and still have the two in Seraing (FC Liege are the stable ones for once!). And the only town left without a football club after all this is Heppignies.
But watch this space.....
Remember this and this? Well the Chairman of FC Charleroi decided to buy this club, which is in the 3rd division, renamed it Charleroi-Fleurus and moved it into Neuville, where FC Charleroi were playing, albeit the home of Olympic Charleroi who had gone bust. But Olympic reformed and so FC Charleroi, whilst sharing a chairman, could no longer share a ground (3 on one pitch....not even in Belgium).
So after a four year absence (via Tivoli in La Louviere and Neuville), the team with number 94 (although by a different name) returned to it's spiritual home. But with no budget, and very few supporters.
While Charleroi Fleurus struggle against relegation in 3b, and Olympic do ok in 4a (but do something to piss off the Belgian FA resulting in an enforced relegation to the provincial leagues for next year) FC's season has been little more than a disaster. 26 games, 1 win, 2 draws and a negative 121 goal difference. They have had double figures put on them 5 times this year. This is Hyde, and then some.
Now I am not normally one for setting out to watch a train wreck, but I'm not entirely sure this team is going to be around much more and, with them gone, I doubt this ground will have much future and this is my last chance this season to get there (I am, as you know, a busy man!). I say train wreck, because today's visitors is non other than FC Gullegem. Who you say? Well, unfortunately for Charleroi they were sat atop the league with 20 wins out of 25 matches. Oh, and a win coupled with anything other than a win for Sint-Eloois-Winkel will result in them winning the championship. Better take a pillow to hide behind, this could get scarey.
2-0 up after maybe 20 mins, everything was going to form. Then a penalty for the champions elect and their 100 or so fans (out of a crowd of about 105 and two dogs) could carry on with what they really wanted to do before this irritating game got in the way....drink. If I am honest, it was at this point that I turned to Miss NAC and proclaimed this to be game over, as, until now, the home goalie had been hopeless. Bang on cue he saved the kick (admittedly not a great one) then proceeded to make 4 or 5 other pretty decent saves.
Then with about 15 mins to go football yet again proved it is the most unpredictable of games as Charleroi scored, their first goal since 2 Feb and their 10th of the season. We then had 15 minutes of panic football as the home team sought an equaliser and the champions elect held on nervously.
Alas the fairy-tale was not to be. The final whistle came, and, with the President stood by the entrance gate, mobile to the ear, champagne and champions banner at his feet, the players huddled in the middle of the pitch awaiting news. Finally it came, Sint-Eloois had drawn and Gullegem were champions of Promotion 4a (cue jumping huddle, pictures with the banner, spraying of champagne and interviews with a very excited local pressman).
Or were they? Consulting my phone I noticed Sint-E were 12 points behind with 4 to play and with a much better goal difference (mainly on the back of a 12-0 home win against our hosts). Fortunately I am a battle hardened Belgian football watcher and know better than to accept normal footballing practice such as goal difference as the norm here. Sure enough, Gullegem could not be caught as the tie breaker is the often used (sarcasm) number of wins (they have 21 compared to St-E's 16). That said, congratulations are in order and they will no doubt head the table by a considerable margin when the final games have been played out.
We thought this an appropriate time to leave. A bizarre game, in a bizarre ground, that settled the championship in a bizarre manner. All very Belgian.
I don't know what the future will hold for either FC Charleroi, or the Stade du Fiestaux but all this will live long in the memory.
Update December 2014
As we have come this far, I thought it only fair to update you all on latest events. If I have got this right, Charleroi Fleurus sold their matricle number to Franc Borains who now play in the stadium in Boussu vacated by Boussu Dour Borinage who sold thier matricle and place in the second tier to Seraing United, who share their ground with FC Liege. So we have one team in Boussu, one in Neuville, one in La Louviere, one in Couillet, and still have the two in Seraing (FC Liege are the stable ones for once!). And the only town left without a football club after all this is Heppignies.
But watch this space.....