FLASHBACK The score was 4-2 in Brussels on April 7, 1964, against the great Barcelona. Anderlecht won this jubilee match organized in honor of Jef Jurion, who had been playing for the club for 10 years at that time. This was a tradition back then.
Jurion would only leave Anderlecht in 1968, after 14 seasons, with 9 titles to his name.
His final year at Anderlecht was far from enjoyable. He got injured against Charleroi and spent five weeks in a cast. According to him, towards the end of the season, he was pressured to return to play quickly. Anderlecht was trailing by just one point in the title race. If the title was won, Jurion was promised by the chairman that he could leave on a free transfer. However, when the board did not agree, they broke that promise (Anderlecht still ended up becoming champions). Jurion then refused to participate in a friendly match against Milan, which forced him to leave. La Gantoise paid 1.3 million francs for him. It would take another four years before Anderlecht became champions again.
Jurion had been one of the club's key players for many years. His goals against Real Madrid in the European Cup, which helped Anderlecht advance, are probably his most famous achievement. But Jurion was not the easiest character. He had great game insight and was an intelligent footballer, but also one with strong opinions. Discussions or conflicts with coaches or teammates were not uncommon. If things didn't click with him, you could forget about it at Anderlecht during that period.
Jef Jurion also played 64 times for the Belgian national team, scoring 9 goals. For Anderlecht, the bespectacled footballer appeared in 390 matches and scored 79 goals.
Source: © Internal source
In a flashback article, we look back in time at an important event for the club or a former player.
