BELGIUM: OC Warcoing (1975-2020) / AS Obigies (B) (2020-)

Stade Léon Velge, Warcoing = Warkonje (B ground of AS Obigies, formerly OC Warcoing)

Belgium, province: Hainaut = Henegouwen

21 IV 2013 / OC Warcoing - CO Trivières 1-1 / Hainaut, Provincial League 1 (= BE level 5)

Note 1: In the course of their history, Olympic Club de Warcoing, founded in 1975 (matricule 8265), managed to climb to Provincial League 1 twice, playing at the highest provincial level for a total of four seasons (2011-14, 2019-20). In the summer of 2020, OC Warcoing merged with Renouveau US (RUS) Tournai, becoming RUS Tournai-Warcoing, retaining Warcoing's matricule. In the merger statement, the new club made clear its purpose to play their first team football at Warcoing's Stade Léon Velge, while retaining RUS Tournai's Plaine de la Trondeloire in Vaulx for lower team football. However, these plans never materialisted given that no agreement was reached with Pecq's town council, who subsequently allowed AS Obigies to take over the premises for their youth academy. As a result, RUS Tournai-Warcoing - renamed RUS Tournai in 2022, thus losing the reference to OC Warcoing - have remained in Vaulx.

Note 2: The match I attended at Stade Léon Velge in 2013 was marred by nasty behaviour on both sides both on and off the pitch. Twice in the course of the encounter, play was suspended due to heavy injuries. In both instances, an ambulance was taxied onto the pitch to carry off an unfortunate player (cp. photos 14-16 below).