▁Christ ia ens ▁and ▁Fr ans ▁Ver vo ort ▁died ▁during ▁al lied ▁bomb ard ments ▁on ▁a ▁factory ▁in ▁German - occup ied ▁Mort sel . ▁Also ▁Jules ▁Van ▁Cra en , ▁to ps cor er ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁League ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁season ▁died ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁In ▁the ▁season ▁ 1 9 4 4 – 4 5 ▁L ier se , ▁together ▁with ▁three ▁other ▁clubs ▁from ▁the ▁Ant werp ▁area , ▁did ▁not ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁German ▁bomb ard ments ▁on ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁Ant werp . ▁These ▁facts , ▁combined ▁with ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁older ▁players ▁ret iring ▁caused ▁the ▁club ▁to ▁decl ine ▁until ▁they ▁finished ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁After ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁at ▁the ▁highest ▁level , ▁L ier se ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁its ▁history . ▁▁ 1 9 5 3 – 2 0 1 8 ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁L ier se ▁secured ▁promotion ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁level ▁once ▁again . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁K . ▁L ier se ▁S . K ▁won ▁their ▁third ▁championship ▁title , ▁and ▁distinguished ▁themselves ▁at ▁European ▁level . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁L ier se ▁won ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Cup ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁is ▁considered