which then became red and white, the colours of the city of Mons. RAEC Mons After World War I, in 1919, Mons appeared for the first time in Belgian Second Division, but suffered relegation again after two seasons. In 1923, AEC Mons and FC Baudoir merged. Eventually the name changed in 1934 to Royal Albert Elisabeth Club Mons or R.A.E.C. Mons. During the following decades, the club mainly competed in the second and third tiers of Belgian football. In 1988, the club Royale Union Jemappes-Flénu (matricule number 136) was merged into Mons. The RAEC name and matricule number were retained. However, around the turn of the millennium, the club succeeded in making a rise through the divisions. In 2000, Mons finished at the top of their series in the Third Division, with as many points as Heusden-Zolder. The decisive play-off match between the two clubs ended 3–3, with Mons promoting back to the Second Division after winning 4–3 in the subsequent penalty shootout. In the Second Division, Mons immediately managed to qualify for the final play-off round in their first season, but eventually failed to promote again. The following season, 2001–02, was a major success. Mons qualified for the final play-off round again, won, and thus promoted to the Belgian top-tier First Division for the first time in club history in 2002. Mons relegated again in 2005, but bounced back after one season down. Philippe Saint-Jean was hired as the new head coach for the 2008–09 season. He resigned after one match-day for medical reasons and was succeeded by Thierry Pister. In December 2008, Pister was fired after poor results and succeeded by youth coach Christophe Dessy, who was also immediately promoted to the role of manager. At the end of that season, they again relegated to the Second Division. Dessy stepped down and Rudi Cossey became head coach, until his resignation in November 2009. Successor Geert Broeckaert was later also replaced. Dutchman Dennis van Wijk took over and guided Mons to the First Division again in 2011 via the final play-off round. In February 2012, Van Wijk was dismissed again after he himself had announced that he did not want to renew his contract. Enzo Scifo was appointed as new head coach and guided the club to the semi-finals of the play-offs in the remaining games. In the 2013–14 season, RAEC Mons was heading for relegation play-offs the entire