Updated 29th August 2005

RED STAR SLUMP AT HOME. Very disappointing was the verdict of the Red Star supporters as they filed out of Stade Bauer on Saturday evening. Having watched their side go down 1-0 to Oissel, many were asking themselves what has happened to the team since those heady days of May and promotion. But this isn't the DH, this is the CFA 2 with a whole new set of obstacles to overcome. The best is that Red Star can learn from this experience and go on to better things. There remains an awful lot of work to be done at Saint-Ouen and promotion is not guaranteed, even if it is still a possibility. Red Star have a similar record to the start of last season with one win, one draw and one defeat. The opening day win at Meaux was soon forgotten in a truly appalling 2-1 home defeat to Le Mée, whom, like Oissel were very well organised without being outstanding. One hopes that the the return of striker Lassana Doumbya and his physical presence can relieve some of the pressure from Benmesmoudi and allow him more space. One point to work on is the lack of firepower in front of goal; Morad Eythrib has yet to find his feet in the CFA 2, whilst Azzedine Benmesmoudi was one again marked out of the game. The one occasion when he managed to break free of his marker his powerful shot rattled the crossbar. Elsewhere Davidson was disappointing and Abdallah too tricky at times. Kaba Diomande, one of the better performers Saturday evening.    Left, Marcel Bourdin, county sports supremo, and right, Patrice Heaulmé Oissel coach and one-time Red Star player Azzedine Benmesmoudi - marked man SCORES : LE HAVRE - CAMBRAI : 1-0 ARRAS - ABBEVILLE : 1-2 AVION - ENTENTE SSG : 2-1 EVREUX - SAINT-QUENTIN : 0-2 ARMENTIERES - VALENCIENNES : 0-3 SAINT-OMER - CHANTILLY : 1-2 ROUEN - AMIENS : 0-0 TABLE . 1. Valenciennes 10 pts, 2. Le Havre 10 pts, 3. Chantilly 9 pts, 4. Rouen 8 pts, 5. Abbeville 8 pts, 7 6. Avion 7 pts, 7. Saint-Quentin 7 pts, 8. Red Star 7 pts 9. Armentières 7 pts, 10. Amiens 7 pts, 11. Cambrai 6 pts, 12. Evreux 6 pts, 13. Saint-Omer 6 pts, 15. Oissel 6 pts, 16. Entente SSG 4 pts. Half time refreshments RESERVES. Red Star reserves won their friendly game 3-1 against Puteaux Friday evening. Puteaux v Red Star, Friday

Updated 22nd August 2005

Lassana Doumbya SIX POINTS. Not a bad start for Red Star in their return to the CFA 2. Last weeks' encounter might have been a rerun of a DH encounter, but this game was a foretaste of life in the CFA 2, especially games to be played in the north of the country. Despite it being August, the rain and the cold conditions would have indicated one of the winter months ! Despite this, Red Star showed real character to bring home the four points on their first away day of the season. The goal was the work of Azzedine Benmesmoudi following a cross by Davidson. Already in the first five minutes Red Star had a number of good chances, notably a one-against-one with Doumbya before the opening goal. Afterwards, Red Star went off the boil somewhat, but still the defense held solid and kept the win. Red Star really ought to have been awarded a penalty on two occasions in the last minutes as Davidson and Benmesmoudi were fouled in the area, and the former even had a goal refused. Coach Jean-Luc Girard was pleased with the four points, and also with the way that his men had gone out and taken the game straight from the word go. But there still remains work to be done, if Red Star are to achieve something from their season. Next up are OISSEL, who are off to a bad start with two successive 1-0 defeats in their opening games. They are currently propping up the table, but coach Patrice Heaulmé, ex-Red Star himself will be hoping to turn things around. Kick off at Bauer on Saturday evening is at 6pm CET. CFA 2, GROUP A RESULTS. Cambrai - Red Star : 0-1 Chantilly - Arras : 1-0 Saint-Quentin - Rouen : 0-0 Amiens - Saint-Omer : 1-0 Valenciennes - Avion : 1-0 Oissel - Evreux : 1-0 Abbeville - Armentières : 1-0 Sannois Saint-Gratien - Le Havre : 1-2 TABLE. Five clubs have six points from their two games: 1. Armentières 6 pts, 2. Rouen 6 pts, 3. Le Havre 6 pts, 4. Valenciennes 6 pts, 5. Red Star 6 pts, 6. Arras 5 pts, 7. Chantilly 5 pts, 8. Cambrai 5 pts, 9. Evreux 5 pts, 10. Saint-Omer 5 pts, 11. Amiens 5 pts, 12. Abbeville 4 pts, 13. Sannois Saint-Gratien 3 pts, 14. Avion 4 pts, 15. Saint-Quentin 3 pts, 14. Oissel 2 pts. ECHOS. Captain Reevis N’Simba was uncertain before the game but finally kept his place in the starting line up. Unfortunately combative defender Bilal Hammami limped off with a torn muscle, and could be out for a month. Azzedine Benmesmoudi, kickd up in the aire on several occasions has bruising, but this should not keep him out of action. Grégori Sinobad was back in the starting eleven, whilst Nabile Yessad came on as sub for the injured Hammami. The PA man at Cambrai Red Star fans dominate !

Updated 10th August 2005

RED STARS' RIVALS. Sixteen clubs are on the startign grid for the new CFA 2 championship 2005-2006. In alphabetic ordre : ABBEVILLE (9th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Mickaël Debève AMIENS (6th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Manuel Pires ARMENTIERES (3rd in their CFA 2 group), coached by Christophe Ziécik ARRAS (11th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Christophe Raymond AVION (17th in their CFA group, relegated), coached by David Robitail CAMBRAI (4th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Otis N’Goma CHANTILLY (1st, DH, Ligue de Picardie), coached by Aziz Adémi EVREUX (11th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Michel Hamel LE HAVRE (4th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Jean-Pierre Delaunay OISSEL (11th in their CFA 2 group2), coached by Patrice Heaulmé RED STAR FC 93 (1st, DH, Ligue de Paris), coached by Jean-Luc Girard ROUEN (1st, DH, Ligue Normandie), coached by Régis Roch SAINT-OMER (2nd, DH, Ligue du Nord), coached by Stéphane Clairet SAINT-QUENTIN (9th in their CFA 2 group), coached by Sami Smaili SANNOIS SAINT-GRATIEN (2nd, DH, Ligue de Paris), coached by Adrian Suka VALENCIENNES (1st, DH, Ligue du Nord), coached by Cyril Joly Red Stars' striker Lassana Doumbya, no stranger to the CFA 2 THREE EX-RED STAR MEN… Other than Jean-Luc Girard, two other Red Star old boys are currently coaching in this CFA 2 group : Patrice Heaulmé (Oissel) and Régis Roch (Rouen). All three played in the same side during the season 1989-1990. For any Arsenal fans, note that Abbeville are coached by ex-Lens man Mickaël Debève, who once scored against the Gunners at Wembley in a Champions' League game. KICK OFF TIMES THE CFA 2 games on Saturday 13th kick off as follows: LE HAVRE - VALENCIENNES (5pm CET) ROUEN - EVREUX (5-30pm CET) ARRAS - AMIENS (6pm CET) AVION - ABBEVILLE (6pm CET) CAMBRAI - OISSEL (6pm CET) RED STAR - SANNOIS SAINT-GRATIEN (6pm CET) SAINT-OMER - SAINT-QUENTIN (6-30pm CET) ARMENTIERES - CHANTILLY (6-30pm CET) Red Star have a home start (Sannois) before a trip to Cambrai. Then follows two successive home fixtures, firstly at Bauer on the 27th August against Oissel then one week later again at Bauer against Le Havre reserves. Note that there are two levels of pricing for home games; the centre stand is priced at five euros, whereas the two wing stands are a mere three euros. Next week, Red Star reserves are back in training, their championship (DSR) starts the 4th of September. As for the Coupe de France, the CFA 2 clubs including Red Star start on September 18th.

Updated 9th August 2005

BAD END TO FRIENDLIES. Red Star gave a somewhat miserable performance in their final pre-season friendly, going down 3-2 at Bauer against fellow CFA 2 club Levallois. Despite opening the scoring with a Vincent Fourneuf penalty in the 34th minute, Red Stars' advantage was short lived as Cédric Rogin drew the sides level minutes later also from the penlty spot. Just after the break, a superb through ball from N’Simba was played on by Doumbya to give Benmesmoudi an easy chance to regain the lead. Five minutes later, though, Jean MBessa equalised for the visitors. With ten minutes left Red Stars' Salim Benhamou saved another penalty, but deep into stoppage time Cédric Rogin set up Michel Ehouo for the winning goal. RED STAR : Benhamou, Yessad (Hammami 63ème), Diomande, Tounkara, Fourneuf, N'Simba, Chamma (Eythrib 83), Abdallah (Budoc 83), Doumbya, Davidson (Aklouche 46), Benmesmoudi (Baldé 83). Coach : Jean-Luc Girard ACTION PHOTOS FROM THE GAME Levallois under pressure at a corner Subs' bench: Jean-Luc Girard, « Boubou », Lalim Boukada, Davidson & Nabile Yessad Post-match warm-down Pascal Gossec, former Red Star man in action against Lassana Doumbya & Taïeb Abdallah Salim Benhamou saves the spot kick SPONSOR. Red Star will carry a sponsors' name on the shirts this season; « PAPREC » are specialists in the recycling of materials. Also sponsoring Red Star are « Debuschère ». The shirt is the same as last season, the popular green & white stripes.

Updated 5th August 2005

LAST GAME BEFORE THE BIG KICK OFF. Red Star have their final preparation game on Saturday at Bauer against a club well-versed in the CFA2, SC Levallois. Coach Jean-Luc Girard should start the game with more or less the line-up which will start the serious stuff in one weeks' time. One exception will probably be that the absence of goalkeeper Yann Bell, away on business. The good news is that the goalkeeper from Wednesday, youngster Mohamed Diakité will be back between the posts depsite the injury scare in the last minutes of the game at Saint-Germain. Mohamed Diakité in training yesterday with Jean-Luc Girard & Alim Boukada FOR YOUR INFORMATION. . The group north of the CFA 2 has been vastly modified for this season. Armentières and Cambrai are veterans from last season, narrowly missing out on promotion which was won by Feignies and Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. Avion come down from the CFA, whilst Valenciennes (b), Saint-Omer, Red Star, Sannois Saint-Gratien (b), Rouen (b) and Chantilly all are newly promoted from their respective DH groups. Le Havre (b), Amiens (b), Evreux and Oissel avoided the drop last season and start another campaign in the CFA2. Abbeville, Arras and Saint-Quentin were switched from another CFA2 group. Note that the reserve teams cannot gain promotion except for Le Havre, Amiens or Valenciennes, but that is dependant upon the first team winning promotion to L1. SOME PHOTOS FROM WEDNESDAY AT SAINT-GERMAIN. Paris SG coached by Vincent Guérin    The match is filmed (left) and right, Claude Sage Paris plage ? … no, just Azzedine Benmesmoudi having a rest by the touchline Paris SGs' doctor, Dr Stéphane Cascua is also the doctor of Red Star (left, with Jean-Luc Girard) RARITY. A Red Star supporter based in Brittany has very kindly sent us a rare document, dating from the 50 years celebrations of Red Star back in 1947. Our thanks go to Michel Vandenbrocke for this document, which we will reproduce parts of on the site... TAREK … ARTIST. Many of you may not be aware that Tarek, one of the more ebullient supporters of Red Star is a talented artist. In October some of his latest works go on auction in Marseille. If you are in the area, his works are on display in Paris, then in the offices of Jean-Paul Gaultier in Lyon and the Modern Art Museum in Marseille. We will shortly give the dates of these exhibitions. Some of Tareks' handiwork

Updated 4th August 2005

WHATS' IN HERE, THEN ?. A PSG player finds an unusual method of trying to stop Red Stars' Taïeb Abdallah RED STAR WIN AGAIN. Not exactly the ideal match, but Red Star nevertheless won again yesterday evening at a sun-bathed Camp des Loges against a strong PSG reserve XI. Made up mostly of youngsters, apprentice professionals all the same, Red Star came away with a 2-1 win with goals from Lassana Doumbya in the first period after a sustained spell of pressure from the home side, and a Vincent Fourneuf penalty later on in the match. Coach Jean-Luc Girard was less than happy with the performance, especially after PSG were allowed back into the game with a late consolation goal. From the terraces, Red Star gave an efficient performance but without stamping any kind of authority on the game. The first goal was pleasing on the eye, a fine break down the left by Davidson and a perfect cross well anticipated by Doumbya to sweep the ball home. After the pause there was the usual raft of changes, and one of the subs Eythrib was upended by the PSG goalie for Vincent Fourneuf to score from the penalty spot. Later on in the game Budoc lost posession and this allowed PSG to reduce the deficit from a fine diving header. Some good performances from Tounkara, Davidson and Abdallah amongst others, capped by hard work from the ever-improving Mohamed Chamma, but the real revelation was last years Under 18s custodian, Diakié who made one or two blinding saves before limping off with a deadleg late on in the game. PARIS SG 1 RED STAR 2 (0-1) Diakité, Yessad, Tounkara, Fourneuf, Diomande, N’Simba, Chamma, Abdallah, Davidson, Doumbya, Benmesmoudi. Subs : Eythrib, Aklouche, Pages, Budoc, Ararouche, Gassama, Baldé, Benhamou. Red Stars' starting line-up against Paris SG. Back : Tounkara, Yessad, Doumbya, Benmesmoudi, Diakité, Diomande Front : N'Simba, Chamma, Abdallah, Davidson, Fourneuf ACTION FROM THE GAME Vincent Fourneuf clears his lines Mohamed & Salim Benhamou, bothers but on different sides yesterday evening Former Red Star player now coach at PSG reserves, Vincent Guerin, along with Jean-Luc Girard A leafy look at the Stade Municipal, Saint-Germain

Updated 2nd August 2005

NEW MAN IN THE TEAM. No, not a new player, but Red Star FC 93 welcome Christian Héricher, who has taken over the role of Director General of Red Star FC 93 from Christian Duraincie. Aged 54, he was with the accounts team of Paris SG for thirty years. LUDOVIC PAGES. Amongst the four recruits on the playing front, there is a left-sided defender, Ludovic Pages. Born in Noisy-le-Sec, 18th April 1976, he wore the colours of another Red Star, the one in Montreuil for four seasons. His other clubs include Aubervilliers, Stade de l’Est and Le Perreux. Ludovic is a postman and although he has to rush to trainign after a seven o'clock finish with work, at least he can have a lie in in the mornings to recover, as his job starts at 1pm. Welcome to Red Star, Ludovic. Ludovic Pages in action against Racing BIG TEST. Tomorrow evening, Red Star travel to Saint-Germain to face PSG reserves, who recently disposed of Pacy-sur-Eure 2-0. Coached by former international, PSG & Red Star player Vincent Guérin, no less than six internationals were on the teamsheet against Pacy, including former Red Star goalkeeper Mohamed Benhamou ! The line up that day was : Benhamou - Pichot, Badiane, Dramé, Ateba - Landrin, Cana, Semak, Haddad - Pancrate, Bueno whilst a second half sub was Cristian Rodriguez. The two goals ame from Uruguayan international Carlos Bueno. Davidson scores in Red Stars' win over Racing SPONSOR NEWS. For the first time in two seasons, Red Stars' shirt will carry a sponsors name on the front. Paprec, a recycling company in Seine-Saint-Denis will have their name emblazoned across the green & white stripes.

Updated 1st August 2005

BACK TO WINNING WAYS. Red Star beat Racing 4-1 on Saturday in their third pre-season friendly game. The goals were scored by Azzedine Benmesmoudi, Davidson, Ethryb and a penalty from Vincent Fourneuf. Racing reduced the score to 2-1 just before the half-time break through Simoex. RED STAR : Bell, Diomande, Pages, Tounkara, Fourneuf, N’Simba, Chamma, Abdallah, Baldé, Davidson, Benmesmoudi. Subs : Eythrib, Aklouche, Yessad, Budoc, Gassama & Ararouche. Azzedine Benmesmoudi on his way to scoring the first goal Jean-Luc Girard was pleased with the result, and also happy to back playing on grass. On the negative side, the goal conceded just before the break, one of Red Stars' usual lack of concentration giveaways. The next friendlies are on Wednesday at the PSG training center against the L1 outfits reserves, then back to Bauer on Saturday for a game at home to CFA 2 club Levallois. Jean-Luc Girard gives his half-time team talk The subs' bench : Jean-Luc Girard, « Boubou », Lalim Boukada, Morad Eythrib, Mohamed Aklouche & Rachid Ararouche PROBLEMS AT RACING. The FFF have confirmed their decsison that Racing will start the season in the DH following financial difficulties at the the Colombes club. Another club that played with Racing in last seasons' National, Valence, are also in difficulties and may fold before the end of the week. Ibrahim Tounkara clears ahead of Racings' Samir Malavit INJURY LIST. Following a collision in training with striker Alhaji Baldé, Red Stars' goalkeeper Salifou Mama experienced a reccurence of the injury recieved in the build up to the season 2003-2004, and will be rested for at least two days. Elsewhere, Lassana Doumbya is still rested as a precaution and defender Bilal Hammami is out until Thursday. On the positive side, Vincent Fourneuf was back in action on Saturday and even scored from the penalty spot. From the three pre-season games, Red Star have won two and lost one, have conceded five goals but have scored eight (Benmesmoudi 4, Davidson 2, Eythrib & Fourneuf one goal each). Mohamed Aklouche

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