John Moelaert

John Moelaert (14 January 1943 – 8 March 2023) was a Belgian footballer who played as a left-back.

John Moelaert
Personal information
Date of birth (1943-01-14)14 January 1943
Place of birth Bruges, Belgium
Date of death 8 March 2023(2023-03-08) (aged 80)
Place of death Bruges, Belgium
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
Cercle Brugge
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1966 Cercle Brugge 85 (0)
1966–1972 Club Brugge 141 (1)
1972–1974 Harelbeke
1974–1976 Eendracht Aalter
1976–1977 SV Wevelgem City
Managerial career
1977–1978 Sporting Beernem
1978-1984 SV Jabbeke
1984–1988 Eendracht De Haan
1988-1991 Excelsior Zedelgem
1991–1995 Eendracht De Haan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Moelaert made his debut for hometown club Cercle Brugge on 23 December 1962 against FC Antwerp.[1]

In 1966, Cercle were relegated to second division. But more disastrous were the corruption rumours spread by Lierse player Bogaerts, who said he had been approached by someone of Cercle. Although Cercle formally denied these rumours, they were sentenced to play in third division, back to where they were five years ago. Even though Cercle's vice-president won a lawsuit against the KBVB, which declared him innocent in the corruption case, the damage had been done and Cercle remained at the third level of Belgian football. This caused Cercle to lose important players, a.o. Moelaert. He chose to leave Cercle for city rivals Club Brugge[2] alongside Gilbert Bailliu, a much-discussed transfer. He ended up playing 92 matches for Cercle in all competitions.[3]

He also became a regular at Club Brugge, totalling 141 matches for them.[4] He won the Belgian Cup with them in 1968, after defeating Beerschot with penalties and in 1970.

Personal life and death

After his playing career he worked as a representative in medical and physio equipment. Moelaert married Liliane Rosseel after his first wife died of an illness; with Rosseel he had two sons and a daughter.[5] They lived in Jabbeke.

He died of heart failure in the AZ Sint Jan Hospital in Bruges in March 2023, aged 80.[6]

Honours

Club Brugge

References
  1. SHOT BLIKT TERUG OP ... JOHN MOELAERT - Cercle Brugge (in Dutch)
  2. Club én Cercle Brugge rouwen, Moelaert (80) overleden aan hartfalen - Voetbalprimeur (in Dutch)
  3. OUD-SPELER JOHN MOELAERT OVERLEDEN - Cercle Brugge (in Dutch)
  4. OUD-CLUBSPELER JOHN MOELAERT OVERLEDEN - Club Brugge (in Dutch)
  5. Voormalig Brugs voetballer John Moelaert is overleden - KW (in Dutch)
  6. John Moelaert (80), gedurende tien jaar linksback in eerste klasse bij Cercle én Club Brugge, overleden - PZC (in Dutch)
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