John Moelaert
{{Short description|Belgian footballer (1943–2023)}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2023}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Moelaert
| fullname =
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|01|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bruges, Belgium
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|03|08|1943|01|14|df=y}}
| death_place = Bruges, Belgium
| height =
| position = Left-back
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Cercle Brugge
| years1 = 1962–1966 | clubs1 = Cercle Brugge | caps1 = 85 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1966–1972 | clubs2 = Club Brugge | caps2 = 141| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 1972–1974 | clubs3 = Harelbeke
| years4 = 1974–1976 | clubs4 = Eendracht Aalter
| years5 = 1976–1977 | clubs5 = SV Wevelgem City
| manageryears1 = 1977–1978 | managerclubs1 = Sporting Beernem
| manageryears2 = 1978-1984 | managerclubs2 = SV Jabbeke
| manageryears3 = 1984–1988 | managerclubs3 = Eendracht De Haan
| manageryears4 = 1988-1991 | managerclubs4 = Excelsior Zedelgem
| manageryears5 = 1991–1995 | managerclubs5 = Eendracht De Haan
}}
John Moelaert (14 January 1943 – 8 March 2023) was a Belgian footballer who played as a left-back.
Career
Moelaert made his debut for hometown club Cercle Brugge on 23 December 1962 against FC Antwerp.[https://www.cerclebrugge.be/nl/news/shot-blikt-terug-op-john-moelaert SHOT BLIKT TERUG OP ... JOHN MOELAERT] - Cercle Brugge {{in lang|nl}}
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[https://www.voetbalprimeur.be/nieuws/1069987/club-n-cercle-brugge-rouwen-moelaert-80-overleden-aan-hartfalen.html Club én Cercle Brugge rouwen, Moelaert (80) overleden aan hartfalen] - Voetbalprimeur {{in lang|nl}} alongside Gilbert Bailliu, a much-discussed transfer. He ended up playing 92 matches for Cercle in all competitions.[https://www.cerclebrugge.be/nl/news/oud-speler-john-moelaert-overleden OUD-SPELER JOHN MOELAERT OVERLEDEN] - Cercle Brugge {{in lang|nl}}
He also became a regular at Club Brugge, totalling 141 matches for them.[https://www.clubbrugge.be/nl/nieuws/oud-clubspeler-john-moelaert-overleden OUD-CLUBSPELER JOHN MOELAERT OVERLEDEN] - Club Brugge {{in lang|nl}} 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.[https://kw.be/nieuws/samenleving/overlijden/voormalig-brugs-voetballer-john-moelaert-is-overleden/ Voormalig Brugs voetballer John Moelaert is overleden] - KW {{in lang|nl}} They lived in Jabbeke.
He died of heart failure in the AZ Sint Jan Hospital in Bruges in March 2023, aged 80.[https://www.pzc.nl/brugge/john-moelaert-80-gedurende-tien-jaar-linksback-in-eerste-klasse-bij-cercle-en-club-brugge-overleden~a70b72f8/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.nl%2F John Moelaert (80), gedurende tien jaar linksback in eerste klasse bij Cercle én Club Brugge, overleden] - PZC {{in lang|nl}}
Honours
Club Brugge
- Belgian Cup: 1968, 1970
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.cerclemuseum.be Cerclemuseum.be] {{in lang|nl}}
- [https://www.clubbrugge.be/nl/john-moelaert Profile] - Club Brugge
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moelaert, John}}
Category:Belgian men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Bruges
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Cercle Brugge K.S.V. players
Category:Club Brugge KV players