The 1961–62 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Belgium. RCS Anderlechtois won their 9th Division I title. Standard Liège entered the 1961–62 European Champion Clubs' Cup as Belgian title holder and became the first Belgian club to reach the semifinals of this competition. RU Saint-Gilloise entered the 1961–62 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The Belgium national football team finished their unsuccessful 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a loss and played 7 friendly matches (5 wins, 2 losses). Overview At the end of the season, K Waterschei SV Thor Genk and KSC Eendracht Aalst were relegated to Division II and were replaced in Division I by R Berchem Sport and K Beringen FC from Division II. The bottom 2 clubs in Division II (K Sint-Niklaasse SK and RRC Tournaisien) were relegated to Division III, to be replaced by KRC Mechelen and R Crossing Club Molenbeek from Division III. The bottom club of each Division III league (RUS Tournaisienne, Kontich FC, R Fléron FC and Aarschot Sport) were relegated to the Promotion, to be replaced by VC Zwevegem Sport, FC Vigor Hamme, R Stade Waremmien FC and FC Eendracht Houthalen from Promotion. National team * Belgium score given first Key H = Home match A = Away match N = On neutral ground F = Friendly WCQ = World Cup qualification o.g. = own goal European competitions Standard Liège qualified for the first round of the 1961–62 European Champion Clubs' Cup by defeating Fredrikstad FK of Norway (wins 2-1 at home and 0-2 away) in the preliminary round. They then eliminated successively FC Haka of Finland (wins 5-1 at home and 0-2 away) and Rangers of Scotland (win 4-1 at home and defeat 2-0 away) to reach the semifinals. At this stage of the competition, Standard lost to Real Madrid (losses 4-0 away and 0-2 at home). RU Saint-Gilloise lost in the first round of the 1961–62 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup to Hearts of Scotland (losses 1-3 at home and defeat 2-0 away). Honours Final league tables Premier Division 1961-62 Top scorer: Jacques Stockman (RSC Anderlechtois) with 29 goals. 1961 Golden Shoe: Paul Van Himst (RSC Anderlechtois) References