2015–16 Belgian Second Division
The 2015–16 season of the Belgian Second Division (also known as Proximus League for sponsorship reasons) began on 8 August 2015 and ended in April 2016.
| Season | 2015–16 | 
|---|---|
| Champions | WS Brussels | 
| Promoted | Eupen | 
| Relegated | WS Brussels, Dessel Sport, Seraing United, Virton, ASV Geel, Deinze, Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, Heist and Coxyde. | 
| Matches played | 160 | 
| Goals scored | 462 (2.89 per match) | 
| Top goalscorer | Mamadou Diallo (15 goals) | 
| Biggest home win | Eupen 6–0 Patro Eisden (7 October 2015)[1] | 
| Biggest away win | Heist 1–6 Tubize (17 October 2015)[2] | 
| Highest scoring | Heist 1–6 Tubize (17 October 2015) Seraing 5–2 Heist (28 November 2015)[3] Eupen 3–4 Antwerp (16 December 2015)[4] Geel 4–3 Roeselare (19 December 2015)[5] | 
| ← 2014–15  | |
Structural changes
    
This season was the last under the name Second Division. Starting from 2016-17 the league is known as First Division B as a result of reforms in the Belgian league system. The champions were promoted and 9 teams relegated to the third division named Amateur First Division or Amateur Superleague, while no team was promoted from the lower division.[6] Promotion playoffs were not played and three-period rankings were not applied.
Team changes
    
After promotion and relegation, only 11 teams of the previous season remained in the league, with 5 others being replaced. One team was not replaced, thus reducing the competition to 17 teams.
Out
    
- STVV were promoted as champions of the previous season.
- Leuven were promoted after winning the promotion playoffs.
- Woluwe-Zaventem were relegated to the Third Division after finishing 18th and for not applying for a license.
- KRC Mechelen were relegated to the Third Division after finishing 17th and for not applying for a license.
- Eendracht Aalst were relegated after failing to obtain a license.
- Mons folded as a team.
In
    
- Cercle Brugge were relegated from the Belgian Pro League after finishing in last place.
- Lierse were relegated from the Belgian Pro League after finishing third in the playoffs.
- Coxyde were promoted as champions from Third Division A.
- Union SG were promoted as runner-up from Third Division B, after champions Cappellen did not apply for a license.
- Deinze were promoted after winning the third division playoffs.
Team information
    

| Club | City | First season of current spell in second division | Coming from | 2014-15 result | Stadium | Capacity | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Antwerp F.C. | Antwerp | 2004–05 | Belgian Pro League | 10th (D2) | Bosuilstadion | 16,649 | 
| Cercle Brugge K.S.V. | Bruges | 2015–16 | Belgian Pro League | 15th (D1) | Jan Breydel Stadium | 29,945 | 
| K.V.V. Coxyde | Koksijde | 2015–16 | Belgian Third Division | 1st (D3A) | Henri Housaegerstadion | 2,500 | 
| K.M.S.K. Deinze | Deinze | 2015–16 | Belgian Third Division | 2nd (D3B) | Burgemeester Van de Wiele Stadion | 7,515 | 
| K.F.C. Dessel Sport | Dessel | 2012–13 | Belgian Third Division | 15th (D2) | Lorzestraat | 5,000 | 
| K.A.S. Eupen | Eupen | 2011–12 | Belgian Pro League | 3rd (D2) | Kehrweg Stadion | 8,000 | 
| AS Verbroedering Geel | Geel | 2013–14 | Belgian Third Division | 13th (D2) | De Leunen | 10,022 | 
| K.S.K. Heist | Heist-op-den-Berg | 2010–11 | Belgian Third Division | 14th (D2) | Gemeentelijk Sportcentrum | 3,000 | 
| Lierse S.K. | Lier | 2015–16 | Belgian Pro League | 16th (D1) | Herman Vanderpoortenstadion | 14,538 | 
| Lommel United | Lommel | 2005–06 | Belgian Third Division | 2nd (D2) | Soevereinstadion | 12,500 | 
| K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | Maasmechelen | 2014–15 | Belgian Third Division | 16th (D2) | Patro-stadion | 5,000 | 
| K.S.V. Roeselare | Roeselare | 2010–11 | Belgian Pro League | 11th (D2) | Schiervelde Stadion | 9,075 | 
| Seraing United | Seraing | 2014–15 | Belgian Provincial Leagues | 5th (D2) | Stade Pairay | 6,744 | 
| A.F.C. Tubize | Tubize | 2009–10 | Belgian Pro League | 8th (D2) | Stade Leburton | 9,000 | 
| R. White Star Bruxelles | Brussels | 2011–12 | Belgian Third Division | 12th (D2) | Stade Fallon | 2,500 | 
| R.E. Virton | Virton | 2013–14 | Belgian Third Division | 6th (D2) | Stade Yvan Georges | 4,000 | 
| R. Union Saint-Gilloise | Saint-Gilles, Brussels | 2015–16 | Belgian Third Division | 2nd (D3B) | Stade Joseph Marien | 6,000 | 
Personnel and kits
    
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit Manufacturer | Sponsors | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antwerp | .svg.png.webp) David Gevaert | .svg.png.webp) | Kappa | ONE Antwerp | 
| Cercle | .svg.png.webp) Frederik Vanderbiest | .svg.png.webp) | Masita | ADMB | 
| Coxyde | .svg.png.webp) Hugo Vandenheede | .svg.png.webp) | Jako | Vandermeeren | 
| Dessel | .svg.png.webp) Bart Wilmssen | .svg.png.webp) | Saller | Tuytelaers | 
| Deinze |  Dennis Van Wijk | .svg.png.webp) | Nike | Declercq Stortbeton Dakota | 
| Eupen |  Tintín Márquez | .svg.png.webp) | Burrda | Aspire Academy | 
| Geel | .svg.png.webp) Vincent Euvrard | .svg.png.webp) | Olympic | Tormans | 
| Heist | .svg.png.webp) Francis Bosschaerts | .svg.png.webp) | Saller | Kovera | 
| Lierse |    Slaviša Stojanović | .svg.png.webp) | Jako | Wadi Degla | 
| Lommel | .svg.png.webp) Bart De Roover | .svg.png.webp) | Legea | Belien Auto Derdaele+ | 
| Maasmechelen | .svg.png.webp) Vacant | .svg.png.webp) | Jartazi | e.Baillien | 
| Roeselare | .svg.png.webp) Franky Van Der Elst | .svg.png.webp) | Joma | Euro Shop | 
| Saint-Gilloise | .svg.png.webp) Marc Grosjean | .svg.png.webp) | Patrick | Culture et Formation | 
| Seraing | .svg.png.webp)   Dražen Brnčić | .svg.png.webp) | Masita | Startpeople VOO | 
| Tubize |  Colbert Marlot | .svg.png.webp) | Kappa | No sponsor | 
| Virton | .svg.png.webp) Frank Defays | .svg.png.webp) | Jako | Emond BMW | 
| White Star |  John Bico | .svg.png.webp) | Nike | No sponsor | 
League table
    
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RWS Brussels (R, C) | 32 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 53 | 28 | +25 | 63 | Relegation to the 2016–17 Belgian First Amateur Division[lower-alpha 1] | 
| 2 | Eupen (P) | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 69 | 34 | +35 | 62 | Promotion to the 2016–17 Belgian First Division A[lower-alpha 1] | 
| 3 | Antwerp | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 52 | 20 | +32 | 62 | Qualification to the 2016–17 Belgian First Division B | 
| 4 | Tubize | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 51 | 34 | +17 | 57 | |
| 5 | Cercle Brugge | 32 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 56 | 35 | +21 | 54 | |
| 6 | Union SG | 32 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 50 | 34 | +16 | 51 | |
| 7 | Lierse | 32 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 53 | 41 | +12 | 51 | |
| 8 | Lommel | 32 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 43 | 29 | +14 | 50 | |
| 9 | Roeselare[1] | 32 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 46 | 47 | −1 | 50 | |
| 10 | Dessel (R) | 32 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 38 | 40 | −2 | 48 | Relegation to the 2016–17 Belgian First Amateur Division | 
| 11 | Seraing (R) | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 44 | |
| 12 | Virton (R) | 32 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 40 | 55 | −15 | 34 | |
| 13 | ASV Geel (R) | 32 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 40 | 56 | −16 | 31 | |
| 14 | Deinze (R) | 32 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 36 | 58 | −22 | 29 | |
| 15 | Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (R) | 32 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 33 | 63 | −30 | 24 | |
| 16 | Heist (R) | 32 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 39 | 82 | −43 | 19 | |
| 17 | Coxyde (R) | 32 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 29 | 67 | −38 | 16 | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- WS Brussels was refused a Belgian professional football license and is thus not allowed to play in the 2016-17 Belgian First Division A or Division B and is instead relegated to the 2016–17 Belgian First Amateur Division. As a result, runner-up Eupen was promoted instead and ninth placed Roeselare avoided relegation.
Results
    
References
    
- Eupen 6–0 Patro Eisden Archived 2015-12-25 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch) sporza.be
- Heist 1–6 Tubize Archived 2015-12-25 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch) sporza.be
- Seraing 5–2 Heist Archived 2015-12-25 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch) sporza.be
- Eupen 3–4 Antwerp Archived 2015-12-25 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch) sporza.be
- Geel 4–3 Roeselare Archived 2015-12-24 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch) sporza.be
- "La réforme du championnat approuvée: une grande lessive se prépare en D2 (INFOGRAPHIE)" (in French). dh.be. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
