RFC Liege - Stade De Rocourt

RFC Liege

Stade De Rocourt

Rue de la Tonne 80

4000 Rocourt

Liege

Belgium

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Ground Number: 1274
Sunday 10th March 2024

RFC Liege 1-0 KMSK Deinze

Challenger Pro League

RFC LIEGE - A BRIEF HISTORY

Royal Football Club de Liège (more commonly known as RFC Liège) were established in 1892. It is the fourth oldest club in Belgium, having registered with the Belgian FA in 1895. They were the first-ever champions in the country, winning the Belgian top tier in 1896. Their most successful period was around this time with three of their titles coming in the next five years, the other two in the early 1950s. Originally known as Football Club Liégeois (FC Liégeois), they changed their name in 1920 to Royal Football Club Liégeois, then post World War II to the current name of RFC Liege. They are the only club that has played all its seasons (121 as of this season) at a national level, versus county or local levels. It hasn't always been plain sailing, for in 1995, the club faced bankruptcy when its stadium, Stade Vélodrome de Rocourt, was sold and demolished to build a movie theatre. This was due to its unsafe condition and the costs associated with bringing it up to standard. The stadium was demolished in January of that year. The reasons were problems with the roof of the terrace, the unstable surroundings and the faulty lighting threatening to collapse.

To survive, the club joined with R.F.C. Tilleur-Saint-Nicolas, based in the Liège suburb of Saint-Nicolas, to become Royal Tilleur FC de Liège. The club went down from the First Division (which it had not left since 1945) to the Third Division. The word Tilleur was dropped from the team name in 2000, returning to RFC Liège. From 1995 to 2009, the club moved between the Second and Third Divisions, with two Third Division titles in 1996 and 2008. The club reached its lowest ebb, results-wise in 2011 when they dropped down to the Fourth tier. At the time, they were nomadic and entered into a groundshare with various sides including RFC Seraing. They also played in Ans for four years. In 2015 they ended their stay in the Fourth Division with a title win and also returned home to their newly built stadium. They won the third tier, the Nationale 1 last season to return to the second tier, the Challenger Pro League for this season.

RFC Liege won the Belgian Cup in 1990, beating Germinal Ekeren 2-1 in the final. They also won the Belgian League Cup, named the Callebaut Cup with an impressive 2-0 win over Anderlecht in 1986. Many adventures have been enjoyed in Europe. Their continental debut was in 1963/64, reaching the Inter-Cities Fairs semi-final before losing to Real Zaragoza. They also reached the Cup Winners Cup Quarter Final in 1991, losing out to Italian giants Juventus. 

The club set a precedent back in 1990. They refused to release him at the end of his contract when he attempted to join the French club Dunkerque in 1990, at the age of 25; however, Liège valued him at a fee of approximately £500,000 and insisted that the French club pay in full upfront. When they refused, Liège refused to agree to the transfer and cut Bosman's wages by 75% to £500 per month. This led Bosman to challenge the system legally and bring his case to court; he sued Liège, the Belgian FA, and UEFA, arguing that the rules set out by UEFA, which prevented him from leaving his club even though his contract had expired, amounted to a breach of his rights established in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which allowed freedom of movement within the European Community, now the European Union. As a result, his club suspended him. While the trial was ongoing Bosman played briefly in the French lower leagues for second-division club Saint-Quentin, and on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion. On 15 December 1995, the European Court of Justice ruled that players should be free to move when their contracts had expired and that EU clubs could hire any number of European Union players.

Despite the legal victory, Bosman faced significant financial and personal difficulties following the landmark trial. In a 2011 interview, he claimed that the compensation he earned from FIFPro and the courts was largely spent on legal fees, which ultimately left him bankrupt; furthermore, his marriage also ended during his legal battles and trial. Some of his money was also lost due to a bad investment in a special T-shirt line. Bosman hoped that the players who benefited from the Bosman ruling would support him by buying one of his "Who's the Boz" T-shirts. He sold only one, to the son of his lawyer. He also hoped to play a testimonial match, which eventually fell through, although he ultimately played a match against Lille in front of only approximately 2,000 spectators. To pay his taxes, he was forced to sell his second house and his Porsche Carrera. He struggled to find work after the ruling, and ended up living on welfare; as a result of his financial difficulties and his claimed ostracism by the world of football, Bosman fell into depression and also struggled with alcoholism. In April 2013 Bosman was given a one-year suspended prison sentence following an assault on both his girlfriend at the time and her 15-year-old daughter, allegedly over his then-girlfriend's refusal to give him an alcoholic drink in 2011; it was later reduced to community service on appeal. As of 2015, Bosman was unemployed and relying on handouts from FIFPro.

MY VISIT

Originally for my second game on this day, I was going to watch KAS Eupen, originally doubled up with a game in that area. However, accommodation was scarce, there were only a few choices and these were all over £100 a night for Sunday night which is usually the cheapest. They didn't look up to much either. This was disappointing as it was a rare Sunday evening game as I think it was being televised. Thankfully, RFC Liege came to the rescue and there were a few choices for the afternoon game too. A room at my preferred hotel chain of Ibis was secured and at a good price too. Ironically, despite being the last game of my trip, it was comfortably the first ticket I secured. The price was very reasonable at just under £13 for a place on the terrace along the side. Therefore, I decided to get ahead and did the research for the club in mid-February. While doing this, I learned the club were responsible for the type of transfer that was all the rage in the second half of the 90s - The Bosman ruling. It was unusual then, and signing a player on 'a Bosman' seemed like a great deal. However, along with lucrative TV deals, it meant that the main people who benefited were players and their agents. Fair enough seen as they were good at their job, but many clubs have suffered financial catastrophe trying to keep up.

From my game at Genk, I had to get my skates on to catch the 15.47 bus 1 to the station. It was a pleasant jog through suburban Belgium to the bus stop with it being more or less on time. I was in plenty of time for my 16:07 train back towards Liège. Google Maps has thrown up a convoluted but plausible route, most of which would be covered by my original ticket, or the 24 hours of train travel I got with my Eurostar ticket. I was at Liers station by 5.30. The buses were once more erratic with a service every two hours. It was not as easy as the contactless payment on the Genk bus, but at least it turned up and involved scanning a QR code via a pre-paid app. I was around the area in good time. I went to the Carrefour, picking up a couple of cans, a soft drink and some crisps. I had the drink on the way to the ground. It was all nice and friendly getting in, other than having to surrender my bag for pickup later. A nice scarf was purchased for €18 as I wanted to get something from each of my visits as a souvenir. I also got a hotdog, not bad but not amazing either.

RFC Liège were 9th whilst Deinze were 2nd. Liège had lost 4-1 at Lommel in their last game but were unbeaten in the four before that. Deinze were unbeaten in seven and had beaten Anderlecht 4-1 in their last game. It was Liège pretty much on the front foot. They took the lead on 9 minutes when Mohamed Moulhi's shot found the top corner of the net. Reno Wilmots was sent off for a late tackle on 73 minutes as Liège looked to see the game out. Deinze by far the better side by now as they went in search of a leveller. But it was not to be and despite some late pressure, Liege held on.

That was it for football for my trip and it has been a decent one with five games. I was a bit disappointed not to get a new country in, but things hadn't worked out. I'd enjoyed myself and that was all that mattered. I retrieved my bag and headed back to my room. It was only around half an hour extra to walk, 75 minutes in all. It was not the most exciting of areas to walk through. I'd considered finding a bar, but in the end, decided to call it a night and go and type my blogs. I didn't have to be up especially early but the plan was to go back to Brussels and have lunch somewhere before getting the Eurostar home.

THE GROUND

THE STADE DE ROUCOURT is a decent venue. It is effectively a two or three-sided ground. The far goal has no supporter accommodation and the side near where you come in appears to be an area for VIPs. The other two sides are pretty decent with a good-sized terrace behind one goal. The other side is made up of three stands - a covered seated stand in the middle, an open terrace to the left and an open stand to the right. The food selection is decent, and the drinks is a little more basic. It is worth noting that bags are not allowed in the stadium and that public transport links are variable.