The seven empty beer bins from Constant Vanden Stock’s Belle-Vue brewery in front of the villa’s front door confirm that we are at the right address in Dilbeek, 3.5 kilometers from Parc Astrid. It’s Kiki who welcomes us, Roger left home before our arrival. Even a photo with the former president, champion 10 times in 21 seasons, is not possible. “He only feels comfortable with his friends, who know his problems’excuse Kiki. That’s why we live five days a week in Knokke, where he plays bridge and golf with them. Soon, we’re going to Méribel, in the mountains, for four months. We’ll go skiing and hiking there.”
“It tires him to no longer know how to speak well”
You understand: apart from his speech problems, Roger Vanden Stock is doing quite well. Kiki: “He had back surgery four or five years ago and had a bypass. He has stents, but everything is impeccable. He’s even playing golf better and better. He has a handicap of 14 – it increases with age – but he comes from a handicap of 4. But his voice… He who liked to talk and who talked a lot… It really tires him out. Even when his friends are around, he sometimes says, ‘I’m going to sleep.’ He is followed by a professor at Erasmus, but he does not want to go to the speech therapist. He thinks it’s ridiculous. He has to read sentences out loud, but he doesn’t want to do it. ‘I know how to talk,’ he said. The reason for his problems? He probably had a small brain hemorrhage.”
“He turns off the TV when Anderlecht plays badly”
Roger spends his days playing games or sports. “And he’s in front of the TV 12 hours a day, watching sport all day long. Sometimes football, but it’s also darts, bowling, curling, skiing, tennis, regattas. Everything what you want. And the Anderlecht matches? A little bit. But that’s no longer his priority. If there’s a rummikub or bridge evening, like last weekend, he’ll do that instead. He hasn’t seen Anderlecht – Ghent if the results of Anderlecht still interest him? Yes, it hurts him to see that it’s been seven years since they last played the European Cup. our time, my God, when we weren’t in the top three! It was the revolution. We don’t understand how the supporters stay so calm when they play badly and they lose, he turns off the TV. when they win, he doesn’t party. He didn’t do it as president either. The rule was not to show his emotions. The most moving moment was Marc Van Der Linden’s qualifying goal at Barcelona in 1989.”
“The name Lotto Park hurt him”
We know: the sale to Marc Coucke at the end of 2017 left a bitter taste for Vanden Stock. Kiki: “However, I cannot say that it suffered from the sale per se. But we don’t go to the stadium anymore. You shouldn’t invite him because he will say no. The first time we went to a game, we were put in a corner and had to pay for our drinks. And the next day, I received an invoice to pay for my place. I sent her away and we never went again. Don’t we deserve more respect after working for free for the club for so many years? I even paid for my plane ticket when Anderlecht played abroad. And then there is the name of the stadium, Lotto Park. It hurt him. We could have been asked if we agreed. But instead, we must have read in the newspaper that the name ‘Stade Constant Vanden Stock had been removed.’
“My daughters don’t want to sell their shares”
In one of the rooms of the villa, Kiki shows us a large frame by Constant Vanden Stock. “He meant a lot to us. My daughters still have a few percent of shares in the club (0.55% each) in memory of their grandfather. However, my husband often told them: ‘Sell them!’ But they don’t want to. For a while, they were in management. But it remains a man’s world…” The Vanden Stocks have five grandchildren. “They are between 24 and 27 years old. Arthur has a season ticket at Anderlecht. When he was little, he said: ‘One day, I will be president of Anderlecht.’ (laughs) But that won’t be the case. Did you know that all five of our daughters’ children have the name Vanden Stock in their last name? Desmet-Vanden Stock and other Boilat-Vanden Stock.”
“Contacts with Herman? No. Pär is the only one!”
Roger therefore no longer has contact with the world of football. “Even the Belgian Union never invites him for a match. While he was vice-president for 12 years and president of the Pro League for 6 years. At a Devils game, he might say yes.” His last public appearance was at the funeral of Michel Verschueren. “But even with Michel, he was no longer in contact. Nor with Herman van Holsbeeck. Work is work. It’s over, it’s over.” Sauf avec son chouchou, Pär Zetterberg. “When he kicked off last month, he stopped by to say hello. Pär remains a son to my husband. When he felt bad at Olympiacos, Roger would go to Athens to support him. Pär would have liked to return to Anderlecht sooner, but my husband refused. He earned a good living in Athens. When he wins a tournament in padel, he sends me a message and I reply to him.”
“I didn’t want to marry a Brussels brewer”
Kiki found herself in the world of football without wanting to. “I had never seen a football match when I met Roger at the golf course in Knokke, 60 years ago. And I told my father that I would never marry a brewer and especially not a ‘Brusseleir’, who were considered boasters (laughs).” Kiki saw her husband playing football. “He played stopper with ‘les Partisans’ in ABSSA at Fallon stadium. I remember his teammate passing him the ball, he went underneath and it was a goal for the others (laughs).” Born on the same day of the same year – August 13, 1942 – the two have always been a close-knit duo who do everything together. “Even rallies with our Mercedes Old Timer, which we bought just before the Anderlecht resale and which we still have. I had always dreamed of it. We’ve already been to England, Ireland…”
“My Foundation was no longer welcome”
But the meeting with Kiki had been set to talk about the new version of the Foundation. “I am happy and moved that David is relaunching the project. Me, I created the Constant Vanden Stock Foundation in 2011. We had a budget of 70,000 euros per year, we had collaboration with 11 of the 19 municipalities of Brussels. We organized training for 200 to 300 disadvantaged young people. They had to show their school report to be able to participate in the sessions. On my Board of Directors, I notably had Etienne Davignon and Alexandre Van Damme (Editor’s note: one of the richest Belgians). And we had a former secretary from the Palais Royal. I stopped the Foundation when my husband left Sporting. We felt like we were no longer welcome. We could no longer come to the salons, we had two weeks to move. Last season, it was here, in my garage, that I flocked 300 pieces of equipment. From the Adidas brand, which has remained faithful to us until the end! My husband opened the plastic bags and handed me the outfits (laughs).”
At the RWDM stadium with the help of Anderlecht
When we talk about the 2.0 Foundation, Urban Rookies powered by Constant Vanden Stock, she gives the floor to David Steegen. Steegen: “When Ms. Kiki asked me who could relaunch her project, I took the initiative. I have surrounded myself with several competent people, even Michael Verschueren is on the Board of Directors. The difference is that we do not work with municipalities but with clubs. And it’s not just football clubs, but all sports. The clubs must point out to us the children who are doing their best at school. We will also organize homework classes.” This Saturday’s Gala takes place in the RWDM stadium and not in Anderlecht. Steegen: “This is to emphasize that I am targeting all sports clubs. But I would like to emphasize that Anderlecht supported me a lot in the organization of this Gala. I also thank the RWDM, FC Ganshoren, Stade Everois and Brussels Volleyball. The icing on the cake will be the auction of a signed jersey from Anderlecht, but also from Lukaku in Naples and from Remco Evenepoel.
