Royal Antwerp F.C.

Royal Antwerp FC
Full name Royal Antwerp Football Club
Nickname(s) The Great Old
Founded 1880
Ground Bosuilstadion
Antwerp, Belgium
(Capacity: 16,649)
Chairman Gunther Hofmans
League Belgian Second Division
2011–12 Belgian Second Division, 6th
Home colours
Away colours

Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.

Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation numbers were introduced in 1926.[1]

Contents

History

In 1900, most of the players left the club for the new neighbouring club of Beerschot AC, and this was the start of a long rivalry between both clubs. Antwerp have won 4 Belgian league titles so far, as well as 2 Belgian Cups. Antwerp FC is also the latest Belgian team to have played a European cup final, the 1993 European Cup Winners' Cup Final. They lost 3–1 to Parma FC at Wembley Stadium. They have been playing in the Belgian Second Division since 2004–05. They play their home matches at the Bosuilstadion since 1923.[2] Antwerp colours are red and white.

Royal Antwerp have a long-term partnership with the English giants Manchester United, often taking their young players on loan so that their development can be aided with first team football, and young players who require European work-permits can benefit from Belgium's more relaxed laws.[3] An example is Dong Fangzhuo, who was unable to play for Manchester United immediately due to work permit problems and was loaned to allow him to gain first team experience. Despite being one of Belgium's best-supported clubs, Antwerp have floundered in the second tier of the league for several years and are perennial under-achievers.

Honours

National

Belgian First Division

Champions (4): 1928–29, 1930–31, 1943–44, 1956–57

Belgian Second Division

Champions (1): 1999–2000

Belgian Cup

Champions (2): 1954–55, 1991–92

International

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

Runners-up (1): 1992–93

Players

Current squad

As of 21 September 2011[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Kevin Wauthy
2 DF Thomas Phibel
3 DF Romeo Van Dessel (on loan from Mechelen)
4 MF Andrei Ionescu
6 DF Karel De Smet
7 MF Wouter Smeets
8 MF Benjamin Lambot
10 FW Kevin Oris
14 DF Zinho Chergui
15 FW Tosin Dosunmu
17 DF Denis Viane
20 MF Guy Dufour
No. Position Player
21 GK Théo Defourny (on loan from Olympique Lyon)
22 MF Christophe Meyers
27 MF Franky Pelgrims
29 DF Wesley Pollemans
30 MF Jordi Nijs
31 GK Jeroen Hofmans
43 DF Marvin Peersman
99 FW Oumar Diouck
GK Sten Vandenbossche
DF Lee Colin
DF Gianni Leemans
DF George Blay
MF Prince Bobby

Notable former players

This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.

MUFC loan partnership

This list of former players acquired on-loan via Manchester United's partnership with Royal Antwerp FC.

References

External links