Back to Olen. We already briefly touched on the history of SK Hezewijk and KFC Buul. With their disappearance Achter Olen VV and KAC Olen were the next ones to join forces. Luckily enough using one of the beautiful stadiums in Olen for the unforeseeable future.
The early 30s were the most significant years for Olen and the birth of football over there. Athletic Club Olen was created in 1931 and Achter Olen VV followed in 1932. While Achter Olen VV never made it to the national leagues and even only topped the second highest regional league throughout its entire history, AC Olen did have a successful period. Especially since 1977 when they first gained promotion to the national divisions, fourth division at that time.
After having reached fifth place in their first year, they had more problems afterwards and relegated back to the regional leagues in 1980. KAC Olen did have a brief spell in the national leagues between 1993 and 1995, but the real successes only started by the end of the nineties. In 1999 they returned to fourth division and in their first year they immediately won the league. Finally third division for a team from Olen. Right up until 2004 the team fought for their spot in third division, but that year they lost the fight. Fourth division was the result.
Afterwards everything went downhill. In 2006 already the team relegated back to the regional leagues and one year later already they even went further down the road of the regional leagues. The last years it became more and more difficult for Olen teams to survive and in 2015 a first merger happened. SK Hezewijk and Achter Olen VV became SK Achter Olen. Two years later already SK Achter Olen and KAC Olen decided to become Olen United. The matricule number of SK Achter Olen was kept, but the grounds of KAC Olen became the new first stadium of Olen United. The stadium of SK Achter Olen is now their B stadium.
With KFC Buul gone, SK Hezewijk absorbed by Achter Olen VV and Achter Olen VV becoming one with KAC Olen the village only has Olen United and Linda Olen left. This only confirms the downwards trend of the survival chances of lower leagues teams the last years and it's very sad to see. We do hope this revived opportunity for Olen United gives them the strength to continue without merging with Linda Olen.
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