Sunday 18 February 2018

BELGIUM: Ven VV Maaseik (1981-2019)

Terrein 't Ven, Maaseik 't Ven (Ven VV Maaseik)

Belgium, province: Limburg

18 II 2018 / Ven VV Maaseik - K Eendracht Louwel 1-2 / Limburg, Provincial League 3B (= BE level 8)

Timeline
  • 1981 / Foundation of Ven Voetbalvereniging (VV) Maaseik, which joins Belgium's FA officially on February 18th, 1981, receiving matricule 8755. It is probable that the club was a continuation of a recreational football team, but no certainty on this matter is to be had.  In the 1981-82 season, Ven VV Maaseik, which almost certainly played its football at Terrein 't Ven from the outset, starts its life as a provincial league club in Limburg's Provincial League 4.
  • 1991 / Having played 10 seasons in P4, Ven VV wins the title in P4B, thus acceding to Provincial League 3 for the first time.
  • 1994 / Finishing in 2nd place in Provincial League 3D, Ven VV wins the promotion play-offs to accede to Provincial League 2 for the first time.
  • 1998 / Ven VV Maaseik manages an 8th place in Provincial League 2B, the best result in club history.
  • 2001 / Finishing last in P2A, Ven VV Maaseik drops back into P3 after seven uninterrupted years in Provincial League 2. The club never manages a return to this level - and, two years later, it is followed by a new relegation, as a result of which Ven VV finds itself in Provincial League 4, 12 seasons after having played at that level for the last time.
  • 2007 / Having played in P4 for 4 seasons, Ven VV Maaseik finds the way back up the league ladder by winning the title in P4B with an advantage of 6 points over Eendracht Louwel. The decisive points are picked up in a 1-2 away win at bottom club Standaard Bree. Ven's return to P3 does not last longer than one season, though, with relegation following in 2008.
  • 2013 / Ven VV Maaseik has a fine season in P4B, finishing in 2nd place - at 4 points from league winners SSD Opoeteren. In the ensuing play-offs, Ven defeats K Houthalen VV in R1 (4-1 on aggregate), only to be trashed by KMR Biesen in R2 (11-3 on aggregate). In the lucky loser round, the club suffers two more defeats - at the hands of SK Munsterbilzen and Sporting Aalst-Brustem -, thus missing out on promotion.
  • 2014 / Finishing as runner-up in P4B for the second year running, with K Boorsem Sport clinching the title this time, Ven VV Maaseik has a more successful play-off run, managing aggregate defeats over VK Penarol Engsbergen (3-1) and K Houthalen VV (4-1), resulting in a return to Provincial League 3 after a six-year absence. Yet again, though, there is little success for the club at the higher level, with a last place in P3B in 2015 resulting in the inevitable drop after just one season.
  • 2016 / Having an excellent season in P4B, with some comfortable wins (including a 17-0 away at Sporting Winterslag and a 10-2 wipe-out of KEFC Rotem at 't Ven), Ven VV Maaseik wins the league title after a closely-fought battle with K As VV
  • 2017 / Having an excellent first season in Provincial League 3B, Ven VV finishes in 4th place, but suffers a heavy defeat (1-6) at the hands of KFC Sparta Kolmont in R1 of the play-offs.
  • 2018 / In its last full season, Ven VV saves its skin in P3B with a 13th place. With the old presidency relinquishing their posts, the end of the club is looming large, but in the end a new owner is found, allowing the club to continue its existence - for the time being.
  • 2019 / In a disastrous season, with the club incurring several double-digit defeats and picking up just 4 points, Ven VV Maaseik plays its last match on February 10th, 2019, away at derby rivals SLW Maaseik, before withdrawing their first team and ceasing all activities forthwith - although the club's matricule is not erased until several months later. The club's veteran team continues life as Veteranen Ven Maaseik, but due to Terrein 't Ven no longer being available for footballing activities, this team has since played its football on the side pitches of K Neeroeteren FC's Stadion De Borg.
Note - Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-17 = match visit, February 2018 / pictures 18-20 = non-matchday (ruin) visit, April 2023.



















All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author

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