2016–17 Belgian First Division B

The 2016–17 season of the Belgian First Division B began in August 2016 and ended on 28 April 2017. It was the inaugural season of the First Division B following a change in league format from the old Belgian Second Division. The fixtures were announced on 23 June 2016.[1]

Belgian First Division B
Season2016–17
ChampionsAntwerp
PromotedAntwerp
RelegatedLommel United

Although scoring most points overall, Lierse missed out on promotion as they came second in both the opening and closing tournament, leaving K.S.V. Roeselare and Antwerp to battle it out for promotion. Following thirteen years at the second level of Belgian football, Antwerp secured promotion on 11 March 2017. At the bottom end of the table, Lommel United suffered relegation as they could not overcome their deficit from the regular season during the relegation playoff.

Structural changes

This season is the first under the name First Division B as a result of reforms in the Belgian football league system. The format of the league has been completely overhauled, with the season now consisting of two separate tournaments. The first tournament will be held from August to December, the second from January until April. The two tournament winners will play a two legged playoff to determine who is promoted to the 2017–18 Belgian First Division A. If a team wins both tournaments, it automatically clinches promotion. The top three teams in the aggregate table besides the promoted team will take part in the Europa League playoffs together with the teams in the 2016–17 Belgian First Division A finishing in positions 7 through 15. The remaining four teams will play a relegation playoff to determine the one team that will drop into the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division.

Team changes

Due to the reformation, only 7 teams of the previous season remained in the league, with 1 other being replaced. As a result, the league moved from 17 to 8 teams.

Out

In

Team information

Stadiums and locations
Locations of the 2016–17 Belgian First Division B teams
Matricule Club City First season of
current spell at
second level		 Coming from 2015–16 result Stadium Capacity
1 Royal Antwerp F.C. Antwerp 2004–05 Belgian Pro League 3rd (D2) Bosuilstadion 16,649
12 Cercle Brugge K.S.V. Brugge 2015–16 Belgian Pro League 5th (D2) Jan Breydel Stadium 29,945
6142 Oud-Heverlee Leuven Leuven 2016–17 Belgian Pro League 16th (D1) Den Dreef 10,000
30 Lierse S.K. Lier 2015–16 Belgian Pro League 7th (D2) Herman Vanderpoortenstadion 14,538
2554 Lommel United Lommel 2005–06 Belgian Third Division 8th (D2) Soevereinstadion 12,500
134 K.S.V. Roeselare Roeselare 2010–11 Belgian Pro League 9th (D2) Schiervelde Stadion 9,075
5632 A.F.C. Tubize Tubize 2009–10 Belgian Pro League 4th (D2) Stade Leburton 9,000
10 R. Union Saint-Gilloise Saint-Gilles, Brussels 2015–16 Belgian Third Division 6th (D2) King Baudouin Stadium[nb 1] 50,122

Personnel and kits
Club Manager Captain Kit Manufacturer Sponsors
Antwerp Frederik Vanderbiest Kappa ONE Antwerp
Cercle Brugge Vincent Euvrard Acerbis ADMB
OH Leuven Emilio Ferrera Vermarc Just Eat
Lierse Eric Van Meir Jako Wadi Degla
Lommel United Karel Fraeye Legea Belien Auto
Derdaele+
Roeselare Arnauld Mercier Joma Euro Shop
Tubize Thierry Goudet Kappa No sponsor
Union SG Marc Grosjean Patrick Culture et Formation

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position Replaced by Date of appointment
Antwerp David Gevaert Sacked End of 2015–16 season[2] Pre-season Frederik Vanderbiest 19 May 2016[3]
Cercle Brugge Frederik Vanderbiest Mutual Consent 18 May 2016[4] Vincent Euvrard 25 May 2016[5]
Roeselare Franky Van der Elst Mutual Consent 18 May 2016[6] Arnauld Mercier 25 May 2016[5]
Tubize Colbert Marlot Mutual Consent 8 June 2016[7] Thierry Goudet 8 June 2016
Tubize Thierry Goudet Sacked 17 August 2016[8] 8th Régis Brouard 28 August 2016[9]
Lommel United Karel Fraeye Sacked 8 October 2016[10] 8th Walter Meeuws 20 October 2016[11]
Antwerp Frederik Vanderbiest Sacked 11 October 2016[12] 4th David Gevaert 15 October 2016[13]
Cercle Brugge Vincent Euvrard Sacked 29 October 2016[14] 7th José Riga 1 November 2016[15]
Antwerp David Gevaert Resigned 10 November 2016[16] 3rd Wim De Decker 17 November 2016[17]
Lommel United Walter Meeuws Sacked 23 November 2016[18] Closing tournament: 6th
Overall: 8th		 Tom Van Imschoot 23 November 2016[18]
OH Leuven Emilio Ferrera Sacked 15 January 2017[19] Closing tournament: 6th
Overall: 5th		 Dennis van Wijk 19 January 2017[20]
Lierse Eric Van Meir Sacked 15 March 2017[21] Closing tournament: 2nd
Overall: 1st		 Frederik Vanderbiest 17 March 2017[22]
Tubize Régis Brouard Sacked 21 April 2017[23] Relegation play-offs: 2nd Sadio Demba 3 May 2017[24]

League table

Opening tournament
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ROE LIE ANT USG TUB OHL LOM CER
1 Roeselare 14 9 3 2 24 15 +9 30 Qualification to Promotion play-offs — 2–2 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–2 2–0 2–1
2 Lierse 14 8 4 2 26 14 +12 28 0–2 — 2–0 2–1 5–1 2–2 0–2 2–0
3 Antwerp 14 5 5 4 19 15 +4 20 1–0 1–2 — 4–0 2–0 2–1 0–1 2–1
4 Union SG 14 5 3 6 22 22 0 18 1–2 2–2 1–1 — 0–1 2–0 3–1 3–2
5 Tubize 14 5 2 7 23 29 −6 17 4–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 0–1 0–4 4–1
6 OH Leuven 14 3 6 5 18 21 −3 15 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–3 0–1 — 2–2 2–0
7 Lommel United 14 3 4 7 20 27 −7 13 1–2 0–3 1–1 1–2 3–6 2–2 — 1–1
8 Cercle Brugge 14 3 3 8 18 27 −9 12 0–3 0–0 1–1 2–1 4–1 2–4 3–1 —
Source: Belgian First Division B (in French and Dutch)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Away matches won; 7) Play-off.[25]

Closing tournament
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ANT LIE CER ROE TUB USG OHL LOM
1 Antwerp 14 8 5 1 21 11 +10 29 Qualification to Promotion play-offs — 0–2 0–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–0
2 Lierse 14 7 6 1 25 11 +14 27 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 3–0 1–0 1–1 5–1
3 Cercle Brugge 14 6 3 5 14 13 +1 21 0–1 0–1 — 2–2 2–1 0–1 1–0 1–0
4 Roeselare 14 5 5 4 18 17 +1 20 1–2 2–1 3–1 — 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–1
5 Tubize 14 5 2 7 19 24 −5 17 2–4 0–3 1–3 3–1 — 3–0 0–2 2–0
6 Union SG 14 4 5 5 11 12 −1 17 1–1 0–0 1–2 0–0 2–0 — 4–0 1–1
7 OH Leuven 14 4 3 7 15 21 −6 15 0–0 2–3 1–0 1–2 1–3 2–0 — 2–1
8 Lommel United 14 0 5 9 11 25 −14 5 2–4 1–1 0–1 1–1 1–2 0–0 2–2 —
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Away matches won; 7) Play-off.[25]

Aggregate table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Lierse 28 15 10 3 51 25 +26 55 Qualification to Europa League play-offs
2 Roeselare 28 14 8 6 42 32 +10 50 Qualification to Promotion play-offs[lower-alpha 1]
3 Antwerp 28 13 10 5 40 26 +14 49
4 Union SG 28 9 8 11 33 34 −1 35 Qualification to Europa League play-offs
5 Tubize 28 10 4 14 42 53 −11 34 Qualification to Relegation play-offs[lower-alpha 2]
6 Cercle Brugge 28 9 6 13 32 40 −8 33
7 OH Leuven 28 7 9 12 33 42 −9 30
8 Lommel United 28 3 9 16 31 52 −21 18
Source: Belgian First Division B (in French and Dutch)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Away matches won; 7) Play-off.[25]
Notes:
  1. The team that promoted to the 2017–18 Belgian First Division A, by winning the Promotion playoff, did not take part in the Europa League play-offs. The next team in the aggregate league table took its spot.
  2. In case the team that wins the Promotion playoff finishes in the bottom four, the 4th placed team will play the relegation playoff instead.

Promotion play-offs

The winners of the opening tournament and the closing tournament meet in a two-legged match to determine the division champion, who will promote to the 2017–18 Belgian First Division A. The team finishing highest in the aggregate table will play the second leg at home. In case one team wins both the opening and the closing tournament, these matches will not be played and the team is promoted automatically.

On 6 November 2016, Roeselare won the opening tournament and was therefore assured of playing at least the promotion play-offs. Following a loss against Antwerp on the penultimate day of the closing tournament, Roeselare could no longer win the closing tournament (and direct promotion) and as a result the promotion play-offs would be held. On the final day of the closing tournament, Roeselare then held Lierse to a draw, denying them the play-offs and setting Roeselare up with Antwerp to decide promotion. Antwerp twice beat Roeselare and thereby allowed the club to return to the highest level of professional football in Belgium following thirteen seasons at the second level. Initially, they did not receive a license to compete in professional football the following season, but the decision was overturned.[26] Roeselare got to play the Europa League play-offs.

Antwerp3–1Roeselare
Dequevy  35'
Damman  57' (o.g.)
Hairemans  73' (pen.)		 Report Schmisser  64'
Referee: Ken Vermeiren
Roeselare1–2Antwerp
Schmisser  35' Report Dierckx  30'
Limbombe  78'
Referee: Erik Lambrechts

Antwerp won 5–2 on aggregate.

Relegation play-offs

The four bottom teams in the aggregate table will take part in the relegation play-offs in which they keep half of the points they collected during the overall regular season (rounded up). As a result, the teams started with the following points before the playoff: Tubize 17 points, Cercle Brugge 17, OH Leuven 15 and Lommel United 9. The points of Cercle Brugge were rounded up, therefore in case of any ties on points at the end of the playoffs, their half point would be deducted. The team finishing in last position relegated to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division.

Despite starting with a huge deficit, Lommel United managed to close the gap between them and the other teams by obtaining 10 points out of their first four matches, overtaking Cercle Brugge and virtually being saved from relegation. At that point, neither team was saved as OH Leuven and Tubize had 20 points and Cercle Brugge and Lommel United were only one point behind. On matchday five, Lommel United first lost against Cercle Brugge and one day later on 22 April 2017, Tubize beat OH Leuven resulting in both Tubize and Cercle Brugge to be saved. On 28 April 2017, the final match, OH Leuven and Lommel United played each other in a direct confrontation to avoid relegation, with OH Leuven needing only a draw. The match ended 1–0 resulting in the relegation of Lommel United.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TUB OHL CER LOM
1 Tubize 6 1 4 1 6 6 0 24 — 1–0 2–2 0–0
2 OH Leuven 6 2 2 2 4 4 0 23 1–1 — 1–0 1–0
3 Cercle Brugge 6 1 3 2 4 9 −5 23 1–1 0–0 — 0–5
4 Lommel United (R) 6 3 1 2 9 4 +5 19 Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division 2–1 2–1 0–1 —
Source: Belgian First Division B, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points without (possible) half points added due to rounding; 3) Matches won; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Away goals scored; 7) Away matches won; 8) Play-off.[27]
(R) Relegated.

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of after the regular season.[28]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Dylan De Belder Lierse 21
2 Ivan Yagan Cercle Brugge 13
3 Christophe Bertjens Lommel United 12
4 Mamadou Diallo Tubize 10
Nicolas Rajsel Union SG 10
6 Esteban Casagolda OH Leuven 8
Augusto Da Silva Union SG 8
Aurélien Joachim Lierse 8
Tomislav Kiš Cercle Brugge 8
10 Jovan Kostovski OH Leuven 7
William Owusu Antwerp 7

Number of teams by provinces
Number of teams Province Team(s)
2  AntwerpAntwerp and Lierse
 West FlandersCercle Brugge and Roeselare
1  Brussels (not a province)Union SG
 Flemish BrabantOH Leuven
 LimburgLommel United
 Walloon BrabantTubize
0  East Flanders,  Hainaut,  Liège,  Luxembourg and  Namur/

Notes
  1. As part of the reform the rules for obtaining a licence were changed, with clubs now required to have a stadium with a capacity of at least 8,000. As the Stade Joseph Marien has only a capacity of six thousand, Union will play one season in the King Baudouin Stadium while their home stadium is being expanded.

References
  1. "Ontdek hier de kalender van Proximus League 2016–2017" [Discover the calendar of Promixus League 2016–2017]. Belgian First Division B. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  2. "Antwerp schuift hoofdcoach Gevaert aan de kant" [Antwerp sacks manager Gevaert] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-06.
  3. "Antwerp stelt Fred Vanderbiest voor als nieuwe coach" [Antwerp presents Fred Vanderbiest as new manager] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-19.
  4. "Vanderbiest verlaat Cercle (en lijkt op weg naar Antwerp)" [Vanderbiest leaves Cercle (and seems to be on his way to Antwerp)] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-18.
  5. "Cercle kiest voor Euvrard als trainer, Roeselare voor Mercier" [Cercle chooses Euvrard as manager, Roeselare picks Mercier] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-25.
  6. "Van der Elst verlaat Roeselare: "Jammer"" [Van der Elst leaves Roeselare: "Pity"] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-18.
  7. "Le Français Thierry Goudet nouvel entraîneur de Tubize" [Frenchman Thierry Goudet is the new trainer of Tubize] (in French). rtbf.be. 2016-06-08.
  8. "Tubeke stuurt coach Goudet de laan uit" [Tubeke sacks coach Goudet] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-08-17.
  9. "Tubeke vindt nieuwe oefenmeester in de Franse tweede klasse" [Tubeke finds new trainer in French second division] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-08-28.
  10. "Pak rammel van Tubeke kost Lommel-trainer de kop" [Beating by Tubize causes sacking of Lommel manager] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-10-08.
  11. "Lommel haalt Walter Meeuws terug naar Gestelsedijk" [Lommel brings Walter Meeuws back to the Gestelsedijk] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-10-20.
  12. "Antwerp zet coach Fred Vanderbiest op de keien" [Antwerp places manager Fred Vanderbiest without a job] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-10-11.
  13. "Antwerp gaat weer in zee met Gevaert, Bico wordt sportief manager" [Antwerp recommences cooperation with Gevaert, Bico becomes sports manager] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-10-11.
  14. "Cercle-coach Euvrard moet opstappen door tegenvallende resultaten" [Cercle-coach Euvrard sacked following disappointing results] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-10-29.
  15. "José Riga is de nieuwe coach van Cercle Brugge" [José Riga new head coach at Cercle Brugge] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-05-25.
  16. "Antwerp-coach Gevaert stapt al na een maand zelf op" [Antwerp-coach Gevaert resigns already after one month] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-11-10.
  17. "Wim De Decker traint Antwerp tegen OHL (en misschien langer)" [Wim De Decker leading Antwerp against OHL (and maybe longer)] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-11-17.
  18. "Lommel neemt na een maand al afscheid van Meeuws, Tom Van Imschoot neemt over" [After just one month, Lommel already says goodbye to Meeuws, Tom Van Imschoot takes over] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2016-11-23.
  19. "OHL zet Emilio Ferrera buiten de deur na zoveelste nederlaag" [OHL sacks Emilio Ferrera following yet another defeat] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-01-15.
  20. "Dennis van Wijk moet OHL weer op het rechte pad krijgen" [Dennis van Wijk to put OHL on the right track again] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-01-19.
  21. "Eric Van Meir wordt dan toch ontslagen door Lierse" [Eric Van Meir sacked after all by Lierse] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-03-15.
  22. "Vanderbiest moet Lierse volgend seizoen naar 1A loodsen" [Vanderbiest to guide Lierse to 1A next season] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-03-17.
  23. "Tubeke ontslaat coach Brouard in degradatiestrijd: "Om schokeffect te creëren"" [Tubeke sacks coach Brouard during relegation battle: "Creating shock effect"] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-04-21.
  24. "De assistent van John Bico strijkt neer in Tubeke" [Assistant of John Bico arrives at Tubize] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2017-05-03.
  25. "General terms Belgian competition" (PDF). kbvb.be. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  26. "Antwerp krijgt toch licentie voor 1A van het BAS" [Antwerp receives licence for the 1A by the BAS] (in Dutch). 2017-05-03.
  27. "Pro League 2016/2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  28. "Summary – First Division B – Belgium – Results, fixtures, tables and news – Soccerway". Retrieved 20 November 2016.
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