Belgium. Ranked 7th. Five teams much stronger then the rest, but only 3 of them really fighting for the title. One hopeless outsider, 6 teams trying to avoid relegation.
Second Division. 16-team league, the champion directly promoted and the next four going to promotion play-off for one spot.
Beringen FC – absolute outsider: last with 15 points.
K. Waterschei Thor SV (Genk) – 15th with 26 points.
FC Assent – 14th with 27 points.
K. Boom FC – 13th with 27 points.
FC Seraing – or RFC Seresien – 12th with 27 points.
KFC Lommel – or KFC Lommelse – 11th with 27 points.
KSC Hasselt – or Sporting Hasselt – 10th with 28 points.
FC Verbroedering Geel – 9th with 28 points.
K. Berchem Sport – 8th with 31 points.
FC Eeklo – 7th with 31 points.
KSK Tongeren – 6th with 33 points. Missed promotion play-off on worse goal-difference.
K. Lierse SK – 5th with 33 points. Going to promotion play-off on better goal-difference.
RC Harelbeke – 4th with 34 points and going to promotion play-offs.
K. Patro Eisden – 3rd with 34 points and going to promotion play-offs.
KSK Eendracht Aalst – 2nd with 38 points and going to promotion play-offs.
KRC Mechelen – or Racing Mechelen – was champion of II Division: 17 wins, 6 ties, 7 losses, 67-37 and 41 points. That was truly Mechelen’s season – the better known club conquering Europe and their local rivals winning Second Division and promoted up. Mechelen was going to have First Division derby next season.
Promotion play-offs: 4 teams fighting for one place. After playing twice against each other, everything was settled at last.
RC Harelbeke – last with 2 points.
K. Patro Eisden – 3rd with 4 points.
KSC Eendracht Aalst – 2nd with 9 points. They did not a single goal in their net, but at the end goal-difference kept them in Second Division: they finished 3-0.
K. Lierse SV – or K. Lierse SK – also finished with 9 points. Compared to Eendracht’s, their defense was leaky – 4 goals – but the compensation was their attack: they scored 14 goals and that was far, far better than the record of the competition. Lierse SK won the promotion tournament and joined KRC Mechelen in the top league. That was also a great fit of the underdog – or smart planning: in the regular season they ended 5th, the lowest place team going to promotion play-offs and that only thanks to better goal-difference. Which was after all the reason for their final success too.