Youri Tielemans Joins Leicester City: Four More Links To Belgium
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When Tielemans, 21, makes his debut, he will in fact become just the second Belgian to ever play for the Club since its reformation as ‘City’ following the demise of Leicester Fosse in 1919.
However, with the help of Club Historian John Hutchinson's research, we discover how the story doesn’t end there. Here are four tales from the past and the present day linking Leicester with Belgium…
Fosse's wartime recruit
The entrance to Fifth Northern General Hospital, where Belgian soldiers were treated, is still there today.
In the latter years of the First World War, Belgian servicemen were invited to Leicester to recuperate from injuries sustained during the terrible conflict.
Honoré Vlaminck was one of hundreds to receive treatment in Leicester. In 1918, meanwhile, he joined Leicester Fosse as a ‘guest’ – scoring three goals in four appearances.
The following year, he also represented the Belgian Army in a friendly match against the British Army at Stamford Bridge and won four caps for Belgium between 1919 and 1923.
Vlaminck represented Royal Daring Club Molenbeek in his homeland, scoring 86 goals in 129 appearances, before his retirement in 1932. He died aged 77 on 1 September, 1974.
Ex-Belgium manager joins Leicester
Jack Butler's story was told in Issue 6 of LCFCQ, the Club's official quarterly magazine.
Before becoming a coach for Leicester City during the Second World War, Jack Butler headed to Belgium in 1932 to coach First Division side Royal Daring Club Molenbeek.
Under Butler’s guidance, they lifted the league title in 1936 and 1937. These years also coincided with his spell in charge of the Belgian national team, between 1935 and 1938.
Until last summer’s FIFA World Cup, Butler was the only Belgium manager to taste victory over England - a 3-2 success in Brussels in 1936.
Butler was born in Colombo in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1894 and also managed Torquay United, Crystal Palace and Colchester United. He died in London on 5 January, 1961, aged 66.
A Belgian title-winner
Ritchie De Laet won medals for both City and Middlesbrough in the 2015/16 season.
Antwerp-born full-back Ritchie de Laet joined Leicester City from Manchester United in the summer of 2012, before going on to make 115 appearances for the Foxes across four years.
His first goal for City came in a 6-1 victory over Huddersfield Town at King Power Stadium on New Year’s Day, 2013 and his second came four days later in an FA Cup tie against Burton Albion.
After play-off heartbreak at the end of his first full season, in which De Laet played 46 games, he was once again integral the following year as City won the Sky Bet Championship title under Nigel Pearson.
De Laet made seven appearances during City’s Premier League title triumph in 2016. Due to also being on loan at promoted Middlesbrough that year, he ended the 2015/16 campaign with two medals.
A new member of the King Power family
City fans took the ferry from Dover to Calais before moving on to Leuven in a visit funded by King Power last season.
Like Leicester City, Belgian Proximus League side Oud-Heverlee Leuven are also owned by King Power International and are managed by former Foxes boss Nigel Pearson.
Formed in 2002, OH Leuven play at King Power at Den Dreef Stadium in the heart of the city, which is 16 miles east of Brussels.
As part of an initiative to bring supporters of the cross-channel sides closer together, King Power has arranged for fans to sample atmospheres at each club’s respective home venues in recent years.
As well as being managed by Pearson, Academy graduate Elliott Moore and young Polish midfielder Bartosz Kapustka are also benefiting from loan spells with the club this term.
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