France II Division Group B

Group B were more equal than Group A and the season, if not stronger than the other group, was at least more dramatic from top to bottom. The relegated clubs are already mentioned, so let see the top. A bit of inacuracy first: FC Toulouse finished 6th.

Normally, a picture of second division club is taken at face value, but the dating of this one is wrong: the Belgian Gilbert van Binst arrived from Anderlecht in July 1980, so this starting eleven is not from the given season, but the next one. Apart from that, it is rather rare example of big name moving to the French Second division.

But inaccuracies are not the exiting mark of the season – it was the battle for the promotional first place. Cannes eventually dropped from the race, finishing 3rd with 40 points. Above two clubs finished with 44 points.

Olympique Avignon tried hard to win and return to the top league – they were the most successful in attack, winning 20 of the 34 games they played. But it was a bit of a case of ‘all or nothing’: they either won or lost. Won 20 matches, but lost 10, and usually such gamble leaves a team with too many goals recieved. Which at the end worked against Avignon. Equal points and equal goals scored, but the competition had stronger defense and Avignon took the 2nd place on worse goal-difference.

The group winners clinched the first place thanks to 16 wins, 12 ties, and only 6 losses. Their more careful aproach provided them with much better defensive record than Avignon: the winners allowed 30 goals, Avignon – 41. This gave them the edge: 54-30 was much better than 54-41. Like the winners of Group A, the champions here never played in the first division so far.

Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise was found in 1905 by a priest – Father Ernest Abbe Deschamps – and played at first in the Catholic leagues. Moving to professionalism was done much later, but the roots somehow remained – Auxerre had one of the most charismatic figures in French football, Guy Roux. The maker of modern Auxerre, but also a father figure for many of his players, who normally started playing the game in the club, moving through the youth system. The close-knit, almost family approach, perhaps close to the orginal intention of the founder, already brought fruits. Unlike Tours, seemingly coming from nowhere, Auxerre was noticed: in 1978-79 they played at the Cup final, and lost it in overtime. Now they won the Group B of Second Division, their first trophy.

Standing from left: Guy Roux – coach, Maryan SZEJA, Jean-Paul NOEL, Olivier BOREL, ?, Christian ROQUES, Lucien DENIS, ?, Dominique CUPERLY, Jean-Paul PESANT.

First row: Jozsef KLOSE, ?, Patrick REMY, Jean-Marc SCHAER, Serge MESONES, André TRUFFAUT, Paul BROT, Jean-Marc FERRERI.

This was not yet the well-known Auxerre of mid-1980s, but the foundational pillars were already at place and the team differed from most second division clubs: two Polish players provided experience, the former Polish national team goalkeeper Maryan Szeja and the father of world-famous Miroslav Klose – Jozsef Klose. Jean-Marc Ferreri would be French national team player in few years time. Some of the rest became well respected names. Guy Roux had more surprises in his sleeves too.

Rising Auxerre, but still unknown and not taken all too seriously. Like Tours, they had to face the challenge of every debutant the next year, but seemingly had better chances than Tours. After 75 years of existance Auxerre was going to play at top level. Father Ernest would have been very happy.