Second division – still divided into 2 groups of 18 teams each, with shuffling of clubs from group A to group B and the other way before the season. Three teams of each group relegated to third level, 3 teams in total promoted to first division. Seemingly, the decisive factor was points acculated during the season – the one second-placed team with more points got promoted plus the groups champions.
AAJ Blois was last in Group A. Standing from left: Rabier, Pichet, Tisiot, Janik, Zaidi, Pernom, Navarro, Cosson, Richetin, L’Hostis, Gonzalez (coach).
Crouching : Pires, Traore, Goavec, Devin, Jouanneau, Marzetti, Ben Mohamedi, Lorenzo.
Gazelec Ajaccio , 17th, and SR Saint-Die, 16th completed the group of relegated.
RC Fontainebleau finished 15th and survived.
FC Gueugnon was 11th.
AS Cannes – 8th.
SC Toulon ended 4th.
Olympique Marseille was 3rd. Dark time for Marseille and the squad shows it perfectly: a very weak and insignificant team. Practically impossible in another country, but typical for French football – even the best known and most popular clubs could sink very low. As low as to compete with and lose to virtually unknown clubs like CS Thonon, which finished 2nd and if they managed to get a few more points, to go up. Alas, Thonon was not promoted.
FC Toulouse won Group A of Second Division. Standing from left: Claude Deplanche, Michel Le Blayo, Gerard Albert, Laszlo Balint, Stephane D’Angelo, Jean-Pierre Laverny.
Bottom, left to right: Jean Diaz, Merry Krimau, Raymond Camus, Robert Pintenat , Leon Maier.
Happily promoted after strong season – but ‘happily’ should be emphasized: Toulouse finished shoulder to shoulder with Thonon, both with 46 points. Better goal-difference made the big difference: Toulouse going up and Thonon staying in Second Division. The big name – the veteran Hungarian defender Laszlo Balint. Perhaps not the key player of the team, but he was still classy enough to play for Hungary.
Group B. Stade Quimper was last and Etoile Montlucon – 17th. The third relegated team was Calais.
Standing from left: Wallet, Boulanger, Dernis, Seys, Lefèvre, Mariani, Lutic, Pucetti, Ch. Baron, Dewet.
First row : Fardoux (coach), Arnault, D. Baron, Valeur, Michaylow, Lenglet, Linke.
Racing UFC Calais going down.
FC Limoges was 13th.
Berrichonne Chateauroux – 14th. Standing from left: Aubard, Roque, Kwasniewski, H. Revelli (playing coach), Allary, Modeste, Zali.
Accroupis : Roussey, Auger, Devault, Syther, Merigot, Bellavia, Besset.
Anything interesting? Herve Revelli was changing his role from player to coach – presently, a playing coach. Not a great beginning, but at least not relegated.
En Avant Guingamp – 9th. Not even dreaming of top level football yet.
Reims was 6th and Rennes – 5th. Like Marseille, suffering in second division and the crisis of Reims was already permanent – once upon a time one of the best teams in Europe, but now just a small insignificant club.
Great season for modest US Noeux-les-Mines – they were 3rd with 49 points. Unfortunately, they were a point short from promotion.
50 points placed FC Mulhouse second this year – which was fantastic, because they were promoted. The best years of Mulhouse started, although the team was not their strongest formation yet. Apart from aging Huck, only the Yugoslav Durkalic was somewhat familiar name.
FC Rouan won Group B with 51 points. Wonderful, but… like Toulouse, they were returning to top flight. Like Toulouse, they were not particularly strong and both group winners were rather a testimony for the current weakness of Marseille, Reims, and Rennes. Anyhow, it was great for both former first division members to come back. Even better for Mulhouse, not known for playing top flight football.