To go from Vlimmeren to Malle, you'd only have to travel a short distance. A distance we have done. Because there we can find the merger KV Westmalle, the only remaining football team within the borders of Westmalle.
Malle itself has a quite interesting history. Originally the village was called Malle, but somewhere along the decades and centuries Oostmalle was created right next to it and Malle was being referred to as Westmalle more and more. Hundreds of years passed by and throughout these years they lost some ground to a new village Zoersel, which was created in the village of Westmalle. Eventually Malle would re-exist as in the 70s of the 20th century Oostmalle and Westmalle merged to become Malle.
But before this happened, one year - and one year only - would make sure the village got to know football. In January 1925, Patria Athletic Club Westmalle was born. Later that year, in October, they joined the Belgian FA. Again one month later, Football Club De Blauwvoet Westmalle (rumour has it the first name was SC Olympia Malle) joined the game. But they joined the Flemish FA instead. Patria would keep it nice and easy in the Antwerp leagues, even after having received the royal title and changing their name into Koninklijke Football Club Patria Westmalle in 1953.
In the meantime De Blauwvoet had converted to join the Belgian FA in 1941 and the real derbies were ongoing. Harsh derbies as was very common in that time. But in 1971, all of that came to an end. A merger between the two rivals caused the birth of Koninklijke Voetbalklub Westmalle. The oldest of the two matricule numbers was kept. Despite the fact that both clubs were created in 1925, Patria had matricule number 577 and Blauwvoet had 3096. Purely due to the fact Blauwvoet only joined the Belgian FA in 1941. Ever since, the rivalry diverted to Oostmalle.
KV(K) Westmalle is very proud to have trained Francis "de Cisse" Severeyns. He first kicked a football at Westmalle before he became an absolute icon in Antwerp. In 1993, he scored the only Belgian goal for Antwerp FC in the lost ECII finals in Wembley. Via Italy, Austria and a bunch of teams in the province of Antwerp he ended his footballing career at KV Westmalle.
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