Formed: 1908
Nicknames: Paars-wit (Purple and Whites, Dutch), Les Mauves et Blancs (Purple and Whites, French)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1976, 1978; (1977), (1990)
• UEFA Cup: 1983; (1984)
• UEFA Super Cup: 1976, 1978

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• League title: 31 (2012)
• Belgian Cup: 9 (2008)

History
• Belgium's most successful club were formed as Sporting Club Anderlechtois in the municipality of Anderlecht, part of Brussels. The side started competing at national level in 1913, reaching the top flight − the Division d'Honneur − eight years later. Successive relegations and promotions followed but they have been in Belgium's highest division since 1935.

• By then they were RSC Anderlecht, having marked their 25th anniversary by adding the prefix Royal. The club won their first title in 1947 and swiftly became a dominant force, claiming three successive championships from 1949 to 1951, repeating the feat between 1954 and 1956. The latter four came under English coach Bill Gormlie, who added another in 1959.

• Corsican boss Pierre Sinibaldi enjoyed more success in the 1960s, winning five straight titles between 1964 and 1968. With the man who would be named Belgium's player of the century, Paul Van Himst, as captain, Anderlecht also made strides in Europe. They reached the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final in 1970, losing 4-3 on aggregate to Arsenal FC.

• The late 1970s brought another golden era when, under Constant Vanden Stock's chairmanship, Anderlecht featured in three successive European Cup Winners' Cup finals between 1976 and 1978. They beat West Ham United FC 4-2, lost 2-0 to Hamburger SV, then overwhelmed FK Austria Wien 4-0.

• With Van Himst now coach, further success followed in 1983 when Anderlecht defeated SL Benfica 2-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup showpiece, though they lost to Tottenham Hotspur FC on penalties in the final 12 months later. More heartbreak followed in the 1990 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final versus UC Sampdoria, but Anderlecht remained dominant at home, extending their number of Belgian titles to a record 31 in 2012.

Club Records
Most appearances: Paul Van Himst (566 games)
Most goals: Jef Mermans (369 goals)
Record victory: Anderlecht 16-0 RA Marchienne (Belgian Cup, 6 October 1965)
Record defeat: Manchester United FC 10-0 Anderlecht (European Champion Clubs' Cup, 26 September 1956)

* Last updated on 23 August 2012