2011–12 Belgian Second Division

The 2011–12 season of the Belgian Second Division (also known as EXQI League for sponsorship reasons) started in August 2011 and is the second tier football league in Belgium. The league is played by 18 teams, with 34 matchdays of 9 matches each, so each team plays the 17 other teams twice. The season is divided into 3 periods, the first period of 10 matches, the second of 12 matches and the third of 12 matches. Each period winner qualifies for the Belgian Second Division final round. On 14 April 2012, Charleroi became champions without playing as closest rivals Eupen and Oostende both did not manage to win their matches and thereby could no longer mathematically overtake Charleroi in the standings.

Team changes

After promotion and relegation, only 13 teams remained in the league, with 5 other being replaced:

Out

Oud-Heverlee Leuven were promoted as champions of the previous season.
Mons ended third, but won the second division final round and was therefore also promoted to the Pro League.
Turnhout ended 16th, but lost the third division playoffs and was subsequently relegated.
Rupel Boom was relegated to the Third Division after finishing 17th.
Tournai was relegated to the Third Division after finishing 18th.

In

Charleroi was directly relegated from the Pro League.
Eupen lost the second division final round and as a result they were also relegated from the Pro League.
Aalst promoted as champions from Third Division A.
WS Woluwe promoted as champions from Third Division B.
Sint-Niklaas was promoted after winning the third division playoffs.

Team information

Personnel and locations

Visé

Location of teams in Belgian Second Division 2011-12

Managerial changes

During summer break

During regular season

Regular season

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 18 May 2012. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of matches won; if teams are still tied a playoff is organised.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Period winners

The season is divided into three periods. The first ten matchdays together form the first period, matchdays 11 to 22 form period two and the last 12 form period three. The three period winners take part in the Belgian Second Division final round together with the winner of the 2011–12 Belgian Pro League relegation playoff. The winner of this final round gets to play in the 2012–13 Belgian Pro League. In case one or more periods are won by the team winning the league or in case one team wins multiple periods, the extra places go the teams finishing the highest in the league not already qualified. So in the theoretical case that one team wins all three periods and becomes the league champion, then the teams in positions 2, 3 and 4 will take part in the final round.

Period 1

Already after the first nine matches of the season, Eupen clinched the first period title.

Updated to match(es) played on 23 October 2011. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of matches won; if teams are still tied a playoff is organised.

Period 2

Updated to match(es) played on 27 February 2012. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of matches won; if teams are still tied a playoff is organised.

Period 3

Updated to match(es) played on 16 May 2012. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of matches won; if teams are still tied a playoff is organised.

Top goalscorers

Including matches played on 29 April 2012; Source: Soccerway

References

^ "New partner at "den Kehrweg"" (in German). eupen.be. 2010-09-06. Archived from the original on 2011-08-14. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
^ "Wim De Corte becomes assistant of Jacky Mathijssen at Beerschot" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 2011-06-28.
^ "Kris Van Der Haegen succeeds Wim De Corte" (in Dutch). nieuwsblad.be. 2011-06-28.
^ "Daerden to bring Charleroi back to first division" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-06-29.
^ a b "Serebrennikov becomes player-coach at Roeselare" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-06-30.
^ "José Riga is the new Standard coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-06-28.
^ "Swiss coach Bevilacqua succeeds Riga at Visé" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-07-01.
^ "Coach lasts for one week at Visé" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-07-08.
^ "Swiss coach Bevilacqua succeeds Riga at Visé" (in Dutch). tweedeklasse.be. 2011-07-09.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Van der Elst succeeds Brepoels at STVV" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-09-02.
^ "Haagdoren becomes head coach at Lommel" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-09-06.
^ "Wezet looking for fourth trainer" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-09-19.
^ "Ambitious Wezet signs former Udinese coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-09-22.
^ "Jos Daerden no longer Charleroi coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-09-26.
^ "Tienen says goodbye to coach Billen" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-10-07.
^ "Tienen goalkeeper becomes Tienen head coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-10-19.
^ a b "Michel De Wolf no longer Brussels coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-10-09.
^ a b "Coach Van Acker no longer with Sint-Niklaas" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-10-12.
^ "Antwerp fires De Roover after one year" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-11-13.
^ "Wilmssen to bring Antwerp back to first division" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-11-15.
^ "Dany Ost no longer Tubize coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2011-11-20.
^ a b c "Dante Brogno to help Tubize avoid relegation" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-02-27. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
^ a b "Czerniatynski to keep Sint-Niklaas in second division" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-01-02.
^ a b "Stéphane Demol is the new Brussels coach" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-02-15.
^ "Second division team Charleroi thanks Balogh for his services" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-02-22.
^ "Notaro is new T1 at Charleroi" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-02-23.
^ a b "Dany Ost to keep Tienen in second division" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-02-27.
^ a b "Notaro is new T1 at Charleroi" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-03-05.