In the shadow of the great KV Kortrijk you'll find another football team in the same city. KSV Kortrijk plays its games in the suburbs of Kortrijk and is doing that in peace for 75 years now. Or is it even longer than that?
Officially KSV Kortrijk was founded January 1st 1945. Sportvereeniging Kortrijk started in the regional leagues and up to this day is still playing those leagues. The highest they got so far is the top regional league (which in the meantime has become the sixth level in Belgium). The team has always been in the shadow of Stade Kortrijk and Kortrijk Sport (who became KV Kortrijk after a merger in 1971). Only in 2007 the team claimed their royal title and became KSV Kortrijk.
But when you start digging, you'll find 1945 isn't the real start date of the team. Current matricule number 4253 actually already existed before with matricule number 669. Already in 1926 Sportvereeniging Soeten's Molen Kortrijk was created in the same area where KSV is playing right now. Five years after the creation the name was changed into Sportvereeniging Kortrijk. That same year - 1931 - it is said to believe the team underwent a merger with matricule number 1219 Groeninghe Sport Kortrijk, but no documentation can be found which confirms this merger. The latter was founded in 1928 and ceased activities in 1931. We might be able to say SV Kortrijk absorbed Groeninghe Sport.
The old SV Kortrijk had to stop playing football though in 1941 due to reasons we can all understand... the war. When the war was over and they wanted to re-start their activities the team had to officially become a new member and they received a new matricule number. Nowadays it seems like the pre war history days are forgotten. The current KSV Kortrijk celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2020, but actually they can blow 94 candles instead.
The team doesn't only hold a hidden history, they also play in a wonderful stadium worth a visit. The new dressing rooms are a necessity in these modern football days, but they kept the old dressing rooms as well. Nice touch. But the absolute eye catcher is the grandstand. It's been painted in the team colours and the oldschool wooden seats make this a stand worthy of football. On top of that the grandstand is one of those few remaining Elascon stands. The roof has been replaced in the meantime, covering the typical Elascon skeleton. But an experienced groundhopper will still recognize it above all.
Should you ever be in the neighbourhood to watch a game of KVK, don't miss out on KSV. It's definitely worth a visit. Trust us. You won't regret it.
If you want to enjoy our articles in Dutch, you can read them here.