Constant Vanden Stock Stadium

Last updated
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium
Stade Constant Vanden Stock (French)
Constant Vanden Stockstadion (Dutch)
Lotto Park, Astrid Park
Stade Constant Vanden Stock.jpg
Interior of the stadium
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium
Former namesEmile Versé Stadium
Location Anderlecht, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
Coordinates 50°50′3″N4°17′54″E / 50.83417°N 4.29833°E / 50.83417; 4.29833
Operator R.S.C. Anderlecht
Capacity 22,500 [1] [2]
Field size105 x 68 m
Surface Desso GrassMaster [3]
Construction
Broke ground1917
Opened1917
Renovated1983
Tenants
R.S.C. Anderlecht

The Constant Vanden Stock Stadium (French : Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Dutch : Constant Vanden Stockstadion), also known as the Lotto Park for sponsorship reasons, [4] is a football stadium in the municipality of Anderlecht in Brussels, Belgium. It is home to R.S.C. Anderlecht. It also hosted the UEFA Euro 1972 semi-final between Hungary and the Soviet Union, as well as several games of the Belgium national football team.

Contents

History

Early history

In 1917, R.S.C. Anderlecht installed, on the border of the Meir Park (later renamed Astrid Park), a new stadium with only one wooden stand. It was originally called the Émile Versé Stadium (French: Stade Émile Versé, Dutch: Émile Verséstadion), after the industrialist Émile Versé, a generous patron of the club. Later, concrete stands were set up.

On September 20, 1980, 38,349 viewers attended a game against Standard Liège at the Versé Stadium, the largest number of spectators to attend a match at the stadium ever.

Between 1983 and 1991, the stadium was completely rebuilt and renamed the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium (French: Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Dutch: Constant Vanden Stockstadion), after the club's then-chairman, Constant Vanden Stock.

In 1992, Anderlecht won the International Olympic Committee award for architecture in sport. The cost of the renovation works amounted to 1.5 billion Belgian francs. The club received no government support but financed the renovation works with the proceeds from lodges and business seats. [5]

21st century

Anderlecht home game in 2024 Anderlecht-Sint Truiden-Feb 2024-1.jpg
Anderlecht home game in 2024

In the summer of 2012, R.S.C. Anderlecht carried out work to bring the stadium up to UEFA standards. Its capacity was thus decreased to 21,500 seats [1] but it offers more comfort, more security, as well as new VIP areas and a brand new press room. All seats in the stadium are now equipped with a backrest. The aisles have been widened by 40 cm (16 in) for safety reasons, rail seats for safe standing were fitted on the terracing behind each goal, while stand 1 is now equipped with 651 outdoor VIP seats. [6] During European competitions, the stadium is all-seated, which decreases its capacity even more.

In 2010, the son of Constant Vanden Stock, Roger, announced together with RSC Anderlecht's manager Herman Van Holsbeeck that the club was going to build a third ring above the two existing ones [7] in order to increase the stadium's capacity to accommodate 30,000 spectators. The plans were put on hold when in 2014, Anderlecht agreed to become anchor tenant of the planned 60,000+ new national stadium in Brussels.

After Anderlecht withdrew from the project, the plans for an expansion of its own stadion were eventually also shelved in 2022, due to financial and political reasons. [8]

In 2019, the stadium was officially rebranded as the Lotto Park, for sponsorship reasons. [4]

Location and features

The stadium is located at 2, Avenue Théo Verbeeck/Théo Verbeecklaan, near Saint-Guidon/Sint-Guido metro station. Rival supporters must stop at Aumale metro station for UEFA Champions League matches due to security measures. The stadium hosts a former one-star restaurant (Le Saint-Guidon) and a cafeteria, as well as the official club fanshop and ticketing booths.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royale Union Saint-Gilloise</span> Belgian professional football club

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, commonly referred to as Union Saint-Gilloise and abbreviated to Union SG, USG or Union, is a Belgian professional football club originally located in the municipality of Saint-Gilles, in Brussels, although since the 1920s, it has been based at the Joseph Marien Stadium in the neighbouring municipality of Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrid Park</span> Park in Anderlecht, Belgium

Astrid Park is an urban public park in the municipality of Anderlecht in Brussels, Belgium. The park was inaugurated on 13 August 1911 and was named the Parc du Meir/Meirpark until 1935, when the mayor of Anderlecht decided to change its name in memory of Queen Astrid, the first wife of King Leopold III, who died in a car crash that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Van Himst</span> Belgian football manager and former player

Paul Guillaume van Himst is a Belgian former football player and a football manager who played as a forward, most notably for R.S.C. Anderlecht. Regarded as Anderlecht's ultimate club icon, Van Himst holds the record of four Belgian Golden Shoe awards and was named best "Belgian footballer of the twentieth century".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constant Vanden Stock</span> Belgian footballer and president

Constant Vanden Stock was a Belgian football player, trainer, football manager and entrepreneur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972–73 European Cup</span> 18th season of the UEFA club football tournament

The 1972–73 season of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the third consecutive time by Ajax in the final against Juventus at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The win by Ajax resulted in the fourth consecutive championship by a Dutch team. Since Ajax had won the cup for a third time, they got to keep the full size copy of the cup. Because the reigning European champions were also champions of their own league, and neither Albania nor Northern Ireland sent their champions, the number of participating clubs dropped from 33 to 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985–86 European Cup</span> 31st season of the UEFA club football tournament

The 1985–86 European Cup was the 31st season of UEFA's premier club football tournament, the European Cup. The European Champion Clubs' Cup was won by Steaua București on penalties in the final against Barcelona. Steaua București became the first Eastern Bloc side to win the tournament. The final was decided mainly by goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam, who saved all four of Barcelona's penalties to secure the cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986–87 European Cup</span> 32nd season of the UEFA club football tournament

The 1986–87 season was the 32nd season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football competition. The tournament was won by Porto, who came from behind in the final against Bayern Munich to give a Portuguese club its first title since 1962.

The 1990–91 UEFA Cup was the 20th season of the UEFA Cup, the secondary club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The final was played over two legs at San Siro, Milan, Italy, and at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. The competition was won by Internazionale, who defeated fellow Italian team Roma by an aggregate result of 2–1 to claim their first UEFA Cup title.

The 1989–90 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup was won for the only time by Sampdoria in the final against Anderlecht, 2–0 at Nya Ullevi in Gothenburg, on 9 May 1990. They went on to win 1990–91 Serie A, also being runners-up in the 1991–92 European Cup and in the 1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup. English clubs were still banned from Europe following the Heysel Stadium disaster, meaning Liverpool missed out on a place, but would have a representative again the following season.

The 1983–84 UEFA Cup was the 13th season of the UEFA Cup, the third-tier club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The final was played over two legs at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels, Belgium, and at White Hart Lane, London, England. Tottenham Hotspur of England defeated title holders Anderlecht of Belgium, on penalties, after the final finished 2–2 on aggregate, to win the competition for the second time.

The 2006–07 UEFA Champions League group stage matches took place between 12 September and 6 December 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Group 5</span>

Group 5 of the UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying tournament was played as four team group consisting of Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint-Guidon metro station</span> Metro station in Brussels, Belgium

Saint-Guidon (French) or Sint Guido (Dutch) is a Brussels Metro station on the western branch of line 5. It is located in the municipality of Anderlecht, in the western part of Brussels, Belgium. The station received its name from the aboveground Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido, itself named after Saint Guy, the patron saint of Anderlecht.

Theophilus Verbeeck was a former football player and chairman, best known as chairman of Belgian club R.S.C. Anderlecht (1911–1951).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.S.C. Anderlecht</span> Belgian professional football club

Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA, is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht, Brussels Capital-Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian First Division A and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions, with five trophies, as well as in the Belgian domestic league, with 34 championship wins. They have also won nine Belgian Cups and hold the record for most consecutive Belgian championship titles, winning five between the 1963–64 and 1967–68 seasons.

The qualifying rounds for the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League began on 12 July 2005. In total, there were three qualifying rounds which provided 16 clubs to join the group stage.

The history of R.S.C. Anderlecht started with the foundation of the association football club Sporting Club Anderlechtois on 27 May 1908 by a dozen of football lovers gathered by Charles Roos at the Concordia café.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 UEFA Youth League</span> International football competition

The 2014–15 UEFA Youth League was the second season of the UEFA Youth League, a European youth club football competition organised by UEFA. It was contested by the under-19 youth teams of the 32 clubs qualified for the group stage of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RSCA Futures</span> Youth academy of R.S.C. Anderlecht

RSCA Futures is the youth academy of Belgian club R.S.C. Anderlecht. The most senior team of RSCA Futures acts as Anderlecht's reserve team, and competes in the Challenger Pro League, the second flight of Belgian football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Verschueren</span> Belgian businessman and sporting director (1931–2022)

Michel Verschueren was a Belgian businessman and sporting director.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Een nationaal stadion stamt uit de koloniale tijd Archived 2018-09-26 at the Wayback Machine erasmix.be, 15 may 2013
  2. ↑ "Constant Vanden Stock Stadion" . Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  3. ↑ "La sixième pelouse d'Europe" (in French). rsca.be. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Le stade Constant Vanden Stock officiellement rebaptisé 'Lotto Park'". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  5. ↑ "Anderlecht Online-Stadion". anderlecht-online.be (in Dutch). 22 December 2022.
  6. ↑ "Belgium: Anderlecht gives CVDS a makeover – StadiumDB.com".
  7. ↑ "Stade - Le RSCA restera à Anderlecht et il a opté pour un troisième anneau" (in French). rsca.be. Archived from the original on 25 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  8. ↑ "Anderlecht bergt bouwplannen op". voetbalbelgie.be (in Dutch). 23 April 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.