March | 2017 | The Itinerant Football Watcher

Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging Coxyde were formed in 1934 and by complete coincidence they were given the Belgian FA matricule of 1934 and until recent times played in the provincial leagues. In 2008 they gained promotion to the Fourth Division and immediately went up to the third tier despite the sudden death of their coach Jan Merlevede in April 2009 aged only 44.

In 2012 they finished a creditable seventh place but then suffered a huge point deduction for fielding an unregistered player for much of the season. They were forced into contesting the end of season play offs which saw them successfully remain in the third tier. The success continued in 2014/15 they won the Third Division A section to secure a first ever promotion to the second tier. The reorganisation of the second tier of Belgian football for this season saw the club not granted a licence for the eight team Proximus League and were placed in the sixteen team Eerste Klasse Amateurs.

The current season has been something of a nightmare for the over achieving coastal club from West Flanders. The cost of trying to compete with the likes of Antwerp, Cercle Brugge, Roeselare and Union St Gilloise has weighed heavy on he club. A weaker squad was contracted for the first season in the new third tier and results have been appalling. After an emergency meeting the club has asked the Belgian FA for voluntary demotion to the four tier so the club can regroup financially. It is strange that the rejigging of the structure was purely designed to help prevent more clubs going bust is already finding its own victims. The primary reason for Coxyde’s demotion request is their inability to meet the fiscal demands of their status as defined by the FA.

As a result today’s match has very much an end of season feel to it as both sides are doomed to the drop. The hosts are third bottom in the table and the visitors, Royal Sprimont-Comblain Sport, are second bottom propped up only by KMSK Deinze who have suffered a massive points deduction due to fielding an unregistered player in multiple matches this season.

The hosts were already a goal down when a red card for Bruno Kwani for a last man foul made their task almost impossible. Sprimont added three more goals to their tally and managed to the woodwork on no less than five occasions. It really was one way traffic from start to finish with the hosts looking a poor and totally dispirited team. An attendance of 198 was given which I learned including season ticket holders not present at the game. A head count showed only 127 in the stadium, proof enough that football in such remote outposts garners little or no interest from locals which is a great pity. The story of KVV Coxyde is a cautionary tale for like minded clubs of the folly of achieving too much too soon.