KV Oostende is in danger of losing its professional license in the foreseeable future. The Belgian first division player must submit his license file on Friday, but that does not seem to be possible. A possible takeover candidate withdrew at the last minute.
The story of Ostend has recently taken a sad turn. Volunteers, suppliers, employees and players could no longer be paid in full. Cuts also had to be made to basic necessities, such as coffee in the canteen and desks for office staff.
Marc Coucke is widely blamed for the malaise. The master entrepreneur propelled the club to great heights and a wealth of highlights, but also left an uncertain future behind when he left for Anderlecht in 2017.
The ex-chairman still demands an amount of 6.2 million euros. The rental debt has also increased to 1.2 million euros. The curtain finally falls because something went wrong with the transfer of the shares of Paul Conway, the main shareholder.
“Conway asked for more money for his shares, but the other shareholders wanted to be treated equally. They had settled for a sale for one euro,” provisional administrator Werner Van Oosterwyck told Belgian media.
“Conway wanted to bring the cheerleaders and the atmosphere of the NBA to Ostend,” says television maker and KVO supporter Martin Heylen. “We didn't see any of that. First there was a great year with Blessin. Then they cashed in and sold everything of value. He is a man without emotions. Only the numbers interest him.”
Remarkably, last week everything indicated that the professional license would be saved for Ostend by the British Apex. The flag now hangs very differently.
If Ostend fails to submit a license file with a new takeover candidate within 24 hours, bankruptcy will be a fact. A practically impossible task, according to people in Belgium.
A Dutchman who was most recently active at Ostend is Kjell Scherpen. The goalkeeper even made it to the Dutch national team in 2022, as a loanee from Brighton & Hove Albion. He was on the bench for the Nations League matches with Wales and Poland in June that year.
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