GROUND // Armand Melisstadion - KFC Dessel Sport

While we were in the neighbourhood visiting Witgoor Sport Dessel, we took the liberty to give their rivals a visit as well. Not that far away KFC Dessel Sport is playing in their fairly new Armand Melis stadium. For years and years they have played in the Belgian second division, but due to the recent new FA structure they are now playing in the top amateur league, unofficially third division.

Eight years before Witgoor Sport Dessel started activities KFC Dessel Sport was created. All the way back in 1925 with an initial name Desschel Sport Football Club. There was already football in Dessel since WWI (as Alberta), but it took until 1925 to officially create this team.

In the beginning they would only compete in the Kempen divisions. Only in 1929 they would start competing in the Belgian leagues. In 1932 they would reach the second highest regional league and up until 1967 the team would go up and down very regularly between the top regional league and the second regional league. In 1967 they first appeared in the national divisions, fourth division at that time. It wouldn't take long before they went up a league again. In 1970 they promoted to third division where they would stay for 14 years. In 1984 they would have to go back to fourth division for 11 years. In 1995 they won the fourth division and in 1997 they also won the third division, giving them the right to go to second division for the very first time ever. Constant as they are, they would stay there for 10 consecutive years, relegating back to third division in 2007. In 2012 they won third division again and up until 2016 they played in second division. Due to the new structure Dessel Sport is now playing in the top amateur league.

Dessel Sport has had quite a lot of famous players in the past. A couple of examples are Patrick Goots, Bart Goor, Georges Leekens, Stein Huysegems and Kevin Vandenbergh. Former KV Mechelen player and coach Kamiel Van Damme was a coach in Dessel in the late 70s.

Their current Armand Melis stadium was built in 2009 to replace their old Lorze stadium, only a couple of 100 meters away. It's about as big as their previous stadium. Shame to see the Lorze stadium has already been torn down to make way for a housing project. We believe it's safe to say their current ground is a typical modern one with the necessary modern areas but also a nice touch of standing areas and terracing as it should be.