18 seasons first class: that’s how beautiful the fairy tale of Zulte Waregem was

One vice-champion, two cup victories, three European campaigns. After Club Brugge, no West Flemish team was so successful in modern football. This is the first time that the merger team has been relegated. A fairy tale began 18 years ago.

The cup and Europe conquered

The fairytale started in April 2005. Zulte Waregem takes the title in the second division, after a match against Antwerp. A team of semi-pros makes Waregem dream of the glory days of yesteryear. And those glory days will soon come, with Francky Dury as the architect. Tim Matthys gives Essevee the cup against Mouscron (2-1).

The Waregem market is filling up to celebrate the cup victory against Mouscron, 2-1. It won’t be the last party in Essevee’s wonderful year. Lokomotiv Moscow, Austria Wien, Sparta Prague. All of Europe bows to the Boers. Only in the sixteenth final does Essevee go against Newcastle.

Almost champion

Essevee also remains a dangerous team in competition. The biggest explosion will follow in 2013. On the final day, the title just falls short of Waregem.

Thorgan Hazard and co give Zulte Waregem again incredibly beautiful moments.

Essevee gives his architect Francky Dury a contract for ten seasons. The club takes play-off 1 three times, plays European again and is a fixed value. A second prize in the trophy cabinet follows after penalties in the cup final against KVO, 2017.

Farmers don’t normally go down. Hopefully they will come back very soon

It gets more difficult with the results from then on. Two semi-finals still in the cup, against Club Brugge and KV Mechelen. But the shine disappears in the beautifully renovated Rainbow Stadium. Francky Dury will leave in 2021, by mutual agreement. But the problem was not there. Six derby defeats in a row are hitting it. Simons, De fauw or Mbaye Leye, even Frederik D’Hollander cannot save the merger team. Farmers don’t normally go down. We hope to see them return soon.