James Storme, a former midfielder for AA Gent and winner of the first trophy in the club's history, has died. The news was released on Sunday by Beerschot, where Storme later worked as a coach.
Storme died on Saturday at the age of 83 after a cardiac arrest. He played for AA Gent from 1961 to 1965 and was a key figure in the 1964 cup win. In the final against KFC Diest, he helped the club secure what remains a historic moment to this day. After his time in Ghent, he played for Standard Liège, Union Saint-Gilloise and ended his playing career at KV Oostende.
Successful coaching career
After his playing days, James Storme began a long and successful period as a manager. He was head coach at KV Kortrijk, Lokeren and Beerschot. His greatest success, however, came at FC Boom in the early 1990s. There he led the club to promotion to the top division in 1992. During that same period he worked with striker Roger Lukaku, the father of Romelu Lukaku. Storme spent his final years in Knokke, where his wife ran an art gallery.
An unforgettable personality
Beerschot described Storme as a remarkable character. "James Storme made his name at Beerschot mainly off the pitch, as a sympathetic, extroverted and flamboyant guy who approached football as a fun hobby and repeatedly surprised everyone when he conspicuously arrived at training in a Ferrari or a genuine Harley Davidson," the club said. Beerschot added: "He was a bon vivant through and through, the man of the unlikely stories and anecdotes, always up for a good party… and in that way left an indelible impression at the Kiel."
The current Gent team sits second in the Jupiler Pro League with 16 points from six games. They are unbeaten in their last five matches, including a 1-1 draw against Genk last Saturday. The next assignment is a home match against Standard Liège, Storme's old club, on 18 September. The last meeting between the two clubs ended in a 0-4 win for Gent in January. The full standings and upcoming fixtures schedule can be found online.
