François Van der Elst

François "Swat" Van der Elst (1 December 1954 – 11 January 2017) was a Belgian footballer. He played as a right winger. He played from 1971 to 1986. He played for Anderlecht, New York Cosmos, West Ham United and Lokeren. He was born in Opwijk, Flemish Brabant.

François Van der Elst
François Van der Elst.jpg
Van der Elst in 1977
Personal information
Date of birth(1954-12-01)1 December 1954
Place of birthOpwijk, Belgium
Date of death11 January 2017(2017-01-11) (aged 62)
Place of deathAalst, Belgium
Height1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing positionWinger
Youth career
1965–1969VCE Mazenzele
1969–1971Anderlecht
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1971–1980Anderlecht243(82)
1980–1981New York Cosmos43(12)
1981–1983West Ham United62(14)
1983–1986Lokeren57(12)
Total405(120)
National team
1973–1983Belgium44(14)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

On 1 January 2017, Van der Elst was put in an induced coma because of heart failure. He died from cardiac arrest on 11 January 2017 in Aalst, East Flanders. He was 62.[1]

François Van Der Elst Media

References

  1. "Former West Ham and Anderlecht winger François Van der Elst dies aged 62". Essex Live. 11 January 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.