France had curious 1978-79 season, like many other countries. Not so much in the lower leagues, of course. Six clubs were promoted from third division US Noeux-les-Mines, AC Le Havre, UES Montmorillon, SFC Thionville, US Tavaux Damparis, and CS Thonon. Small, insignificant clubs, which played occasionally in the second division, but did not even dream of playing in the top league. Of the 6 winners only Le Havre was of some importance. Typical third division clubs of any country – hardly noticeable outside their hometowns.
UES Montmorillon – proud winners of 3rd national division, group Centre-West. Next year they were to play in Second Division, Group A. Good luck!
The third division winners were going to take the places of the relegated from second division: SA Epinal, AS Troyes, AC Arles, from group A, and US Boulogne, US Melun, and AC Amiens, from group B – small clubs going down, as usual. Perhaps only the relegation of Troyes is worth mentioning – they were in first division only the previous season, but relegated and continued their downfall with yet another relegation. Second division is interesting only as far as promotions go. Three clubs going up from 2 second division leagues, 18 clubs each. Winners directly promoted and the 2nd placed fighting for the third lucky spot in a play-off. Something like that…
In Group A three clubs should be mentioned:
AJ Auxerre was climbing up – they finished 4th with 42 points. Four points behind the best two teams. Auxerre was slowly rising and although unable to run for promotion yet, was making its first marks on the French football map – already among the favorites in their second division league and even better performing if the cup competition.
For the first place competed two teams – Olympique Avignon and FC Gueugnon. Both finished with 46 points, 3 points ahead of AS Beziers.
Standing, from left: Gallina (captain), Laffont, Bouze, Contesti, Laraignée, Rizzo
Crouching: Razic, “El Toro” Martínez, Ropero, Lanthier, Lendo.
Avignon was perhaps expected favorite – clubs, recently playing top division, usually are considered favorites in the lower one. Of course, Avignon was not much of a team, but nothing strange about it – second division squads are never famous.
Avignon was bested on goal-difference by amusing club – FC Gueugnon.
‘Le Forgerons’ (the Blacksmiths) were formed in 1940 by a merger. Not the best time for starting a club with strong working class roots, but the German invasion was still in the future. Gueugnon enjoyed strong support from the local steelworks area and although modest club they climbed to second division. In 1974 they almost reached the first : lost the promotional play-off to Rouen. And this time there was no mistake- they were first, if only on better goal-difference. It was their best season indeed –apart from the successful championship, they eliminated no other but Saint Etienne in the Cup tournament.
Blacksmiths of course : beating down St. Etienne. And ending as champions :
Here are the champions : true working class heroes. Which was their undoing… FC Gueugnon was amasing club because they were non-professional club. No wonder the players above are unknown – they were amateurs. Amateurs, besting professionals and going up to the top league – but no. The French rules stipulated that first division clubs must have professional status. It was discovered quickly that FC Gueugnon is inable to gain professional status by the start of 1979-80 season. They were not allowed to play in first division… May be both club and supporters were not really unhappy – they wanted the club to stay non-professional and it was ironic event which at last forced FC Gueugnon to get professional status : the steel crisis in the 1980s.
No such problems in Group B. Stade Brestois and freshly relegated Racing Club Lens were above the rest of the league, but heir duel was not as dramatic as the battle for first place in Group A – Stade Brest finished 3 points ahead of RC Lens.
Standing, from left : Guy Boutier, Ambroise Kédié, Yvon Le Roux, Jean-Pierre Guennal, Alain De Martigny, Daniel Bernard.
Sitting : Loulou Floc’h, Denis Goavec, Willem Letemahulu, Patrick Martet, Serge Lenoir, Richard Honorine.
Not exactly strangers to top flight football, bot small and unsuccessful. Going up was just great. Staying in first division was bigger challenge, but still for the future.
As for RC Lens, they seemingly had one more chance to return to first division – the French frequently changed promotional rules : some times only two clubs were relegated-promoted, but some times three clubs moved up and down. Seemingly, three clubs should have changed leagues at the end of this season, so the 2nd placed in the two second division groups were to compete against each other for the third promotion. But… FC Gueugnon was not permitted to join first division. In such occasions usually the second-placed team gets the spot. If three teams were promoted, then there was no need for any play-off : Lens was automatically the third team. They were promoted allright… it is only unclear why and how : only two teams were relegated from first division. This meant Brest as winners and Avignon taking the place of disqualified Gueugnon. Lens was staying in second division, right ? Wrong ! For whatever reason Avignon did not get promotion, so no club from Group A went up. The top two clubs of Group B were promoted instead. Strange, but that happened.
Lucky boys perhaps : second row, from left : PRUVOST – GREVIN – ARGHIRUDIS – LALLEMAND – GALLOU – LECLERCQ – SAB – HEDOIRE – LECLERCQ – MONCHIET – FLAK – MARX – JOLY – LEMERRE – DEFONTAINE
Front row : BOURLOTON – BOURY (Hugues) – VERSTRAETE – FUCHS – WESTERLOPPE – DOUILLET – LOCATELLI – LLORENS – DJEBALI – KRAWCZYK – ZLATARIC – FRANCOISE.
As a squad, RC Lens were the most impressive of the best 4 teams of the two second division groups. Solid professionals like Arghirudis, Krawczyk, Joly , young and promising Zlataric, the member of the exciting 1974 World Cup Polish squad Joachim Marx, and burly looking defender Daniel Leclercq… if names alone win games, Lens must have been champions. In reality they were simply lucky to get promotion. Not very deserving, but going back to first division.
And just to complete confusion, a reshuffling of second division was announced : a group of teams playing in Group A were moved to Group B and the same number from Group B to Group A. That is how it sounds… in reality only two clubs stayed in the leagues they played in 1978-79 : FC Mulhouse remained in Group B and RCFC Besancon in Group A. What was need and the wisdom triggering such massive change of… league names really, is unknown. Hardly geographical precision – it was just Group A named Group B and Group B – Group A, but presented as moving of clubs from one league to another. Ah, enough of that already.