One will find, while visiting Leuze in Namur, a lot of green. This small village is a part of the neighbouring Eghezée since 1977, but it can look back on a great football history. And that is rather unexpected for such a small village.
It all started in 1901 already with the creation of Leuze Sports. For years they fought their battles in the regional leagues and in 1920 they had to stop their activities. Mainly due to financial issues. But in 1922 all of their debt was paid off and Leuze Sports could start playing again, be it as a new team and with matricule number 177. Sadly enough, in 1927 it was all over again. Immediately the team was re-founded (the same year) as Union Sportive Leuzoise. Throughout the years to come US Leuzoise would remain in the regional leagues and in 1991 they merged with FC Lignette to become RA Leuze-Lignette.
(a fan and the team itself did point out the RA Leuze-Lignette is in fact located in Leuze-en-Hainaut, a different Leuze in Belgium. Please consider this to be a rectification)
But this isn't what our story is about exactly: the real Leuze story would take off in 1917. Albert Club Leuze was created that year as the second team in the village. Only three years later they joined the Belgian FA and - apart from a name change to Albert Club Leuze-Longchamps in 1924 - the change in team colours would stand out the most. Green/white was chosen in 1917, but during the 20s the team would change their colours four times. In 1920 they chose the somewhat strange tango. A year later it became tango/yellow. Another three years later the colours were changed into blue/yellow and in 1925 red/white became the new combination. For 26 years straight it seemed like consistency was born. But in 1951 they changed again, this time yellow/red was chosen. A final change happened in 1953 when red/black became the final colour combination.
When it comes to results, it's safe to say we can't expect any in the national divisions. None of the Leuze teams (after AC Leuze, other teams were created as well - although none of them survived for a long time) reached the national leagues. RAC Leuze-Longchamps did come close a couple of times. Between 1985 and 1988, and again between 2009 and 2011, the team played in the top regional league. Right now they are back in the third regional league (the eighth level in Belgium).
RAC Leuze (as they often call themselves) does use quite some pitches. No less than five different grounds are in use. The team tries to track youth in Bierwart, Eghezée (two even), Taviers and in Leuze. Their stadium in the Rue des Keutures is their A stadium and - my god - it's a pure beauty. It's one of those typical Wallonian lower league ground filled with charm (and also a little bit of decay). And we can also confirm the grounds keeper (or was it chairman?) who lives in the neighbourhood is friendly enough to open the gate for interested groundhoppers passing by. We even got that honour from his wife.
If you want to enjoy our articles in Dutch, you can read them here.
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