Constant Vanden Stock: R.S.C. Anderlecht
By David Edgar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
When you consider Constant Vanden Stock Stadium to have opened really depends on how strict you are with such things. Anderlecht built themselves a new stadium back in 1917 and in those days it had just one wooden stand. It was named after a wealthy patron named Émile Versé and concrete stands were built as the years went by.
The reason there’s some confusion over whether the stadium that stands today has any real ties to the original one is that it was entirely knocked down and rebuilt in 1983. The club’s chairman of the day was Constant Vanden Stock and the newly built ground was named after him. Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht have called it their home ever since Émile Versé Stadium opened in 1917.
It has been known as Lotto Park since 2019 due to a sponsorship deal signed for at least 5 years.
Stats
| Constant Vanden Stock Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1917 |
| Capacity | 22500 |
| Average Attendance | 17528 |
| Record Attendance | 38349 (Anderlecht v Standard de Liège (1980)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Nickname | Astrid Park |
| Former Name | Émile Versé Stadium |
| Sponsor | Lotto |
| Clubs Hosted | R.S.C. Anderlecht |
| R.S.C. Anderlecht Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1908 |
| Nickname | Purple & White, Sporting |
| Club Mascot | Ketje |
| Rivals | Standard Liege, Club Brugge |
| Previous Stadiums | Rue Verheydenstraat |
| Kit | Purple (Home) / White (Away) |
| Training Ground | ESSMA Training Centre |
| Shirt Sponsor | DVV Insurance |
| Team Owner | Wouter Vandenhaute |
| Record Goalscorer | Joseph Mermans (338) |
| Record Appearances | Paul Van Himst (457) |
Constant Vanden Stock Photos
By Zwerten (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0]
By V4nco (Own work) [Public domain]
Aleksandr Osipov / Flickr.com
Constant Vanden Stock Seating Plan and Where to Sit
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium is made up of two-tiers that run in a bowl of continuous seating apart from in one corner where hospitality boxes exist instead. The two tiers are separated by more executive seating. Anderlecht’s most passionate supporters tend to sit in Tribune 2, whilst the main facilities such as changing rooms and the dugouts can be found in Tribune 1.
R.S.C. Anderlecht Ticket Prices
Tickets for Belgian First Division A games are only released two weeks before the matches, so it’s tricky to know exactly how much you’ll pay for one game or another. Typically speaking you can expect to pay between €18 and €35 depending on where you’d like to sit and how old you are.
How To Get R.S.C. Anderlecht Tickets
Online remains the best way to get ticket for pretty much any professional football club’s games, but you can also pick up Anderlecht tickets from the club’s box office in person if you’d prefer.
Where to Buy
Getting To Constant Vanden Stock
Train – The good news is that it will take about two and a half hours to get from London to Brussels. Once you’re there it won’t take long to get to the district of Anderlecht and the Saint-Guidon and Veeweyde Metro Stations are only a matter of minutes from the stadium.
Bus – It’s much easier get to the ground by bus or tram, with Tram 81 stopping nearby and buses 46, 116, 117, 118, 140, 571, 572, 810 and N13 all running past it.
Car – If driving you’ll want the E-40 Highway to Brussels then the RN0 ring road. Head towards Bergen on the E19 and take Exit 14. From there you’ll want to keep your eye out for signs towards the stadium.
By Air – Brussels Airport is just over twenty miles from the centre of Anderlecht, so that’s where you’ll want to fly into.
Taxi – A taxi from Bruxelles-Midi Train Station to the stadium will take around ten minutes and should cost in the region of €15.
Parking Near Constant Vanden Stock
The stadium is located in a leafy suburb and within a park, so you can’t really leave your car there. There are some shopping centres and the like around the place that you might want to look into, though.
Useful Resources
Constant Vanden Stock Hotels
RSC Anderlecht are located on the West of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and also the location of the headquarters for the European Union. Needless to say then that they have loads of accommodation options – they would need to wouldn’t they, for all of those visiting politicians.
Hotel Phenix - £45+
Hotel De Fierlant - £60+
Pullman Brussels Centre Midi - £75+
Pubs and Bars Near Constant Vanden Stock
The Belgians are famous for the beers, so getting hold of one is no problem.
La Coupe sprl
Taverne Le Pavillon
Celtica
Facilities
The stadium has been well looked after and good food seems to be something they really make an effort to provide. You won’t struggle for toilets or for leg room, and the views are good too.
Hospitality
If you’d like to watch Anderlecht matches in style then you’ll be delighted by options available to you at Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. There’s indoor business seating, for example, as well as the same sort of VIP seating on the outside. The different Tribunes have different food options, though wherever you go you won’t be disappointed by what you find.
Private Hire
You can hire different rooms in the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium depending on what sort of event you’re hoping to host. From small boxes through to large lounges, there’s barely an event you’ll be able to think of that they won’t be willing to take care of for you.
Stadium Tours & Museum
If you have a group of 15 people or more it is possible to book a tour of the stadium if you get in direct contact with the club via the form on their website. They only operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, cost €10 for adults and €5 for children, and last around 2 hours. The maximum number of people they can accommodate on a tour is 100.
About R.S.C. Anderlecht
The RSC in Anderlecht’s club name does not stand for Royal Shakespeare Company, as some thought, but rather Royal Sporting Club. The club was formed in 1908 and steadily climbed its way up through the Belgian leagues until it reached the top-flight in time for the 1921-1922 season. They bobbed between divisions for a bit until they returned to the top-flight in 1935 and has remained there ever since. Little wonder, then, that they’re the most successful club in the history of Belgian football.
Anderlecht won their first league title after the end of the Second World War in the 1946-1947 season. They’ve won a further thirty-four titles since then and counting as well as nine Belgian Cups. They’ve picked up three Belgian League Cup and thirteen Belgian Supercups on a domestic level but it’s on the European stage where they’ve excelled compared to their compatriots. They’ve won two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups, one UEFA Cup and two UEFA Super Cups.
Constant Vanden Stock History
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Constant Vanden Stock was Anderlecht’s chairman from 1971 until 1996; a period of time considered to be the club’s most successful. That’s why the stadium was named after him when it was rebuilt in 1983. As with most grounds that have been given a makeover, the real history of the place came during its former life.
Back when the stadium was named the Émile Versé Stadium it was a lot more basic but also enjoyed some more interesting times. In 1972, for example, it was one of the grounds used to host the UEFA European Championships and was the location for the semi-final game between Hungary and the Soviet Union.
Future Developments
There have been plans to upgrade the stadium for years. The idea has been to add a third tier to the top of the other two but they have yet to have been carried out. Rail seating was added behind the goals in 2012 and this may be put in other part of the ground in the future.