" LE RED STAR, mémoire d'un club légendaire" (Extracts, Part ten) RED STAR BELONGS TO SAINT-OUEN "The municipality prior to the second World War had used its pre-emptive rights and had compulsorily purchased the land on which the Stade de Paris was built. The intention was to demolish the sports facilities and to build schools in its place. However Red Star were in posession of a lease due to expire in 1946. So, the municipality built its schools elsewhere. Then, Red Star attempted to extend its lease but failed to do so. Then, following the municipal elections, the Communist Party won at the polls and the Red Star had to negociate with a new set of elected representatives. Following protracted negociations, Le Corre resigned and his place was taken by a music critic Pierre Leroy. A deal was struck and the municipality set about making Saint-Ouen one of the top sporting towns in the Paris area. In 1897, the same year that Red Star saw the light of day at Gros-Caillou, the "Jeunesse Athlétique de Saint-Ouen" was also created, and competed in sportign events with other local clubs such as the Union des Marcheurs de Saint-Ouen, le Gymnaste Club de Saint-Ouen who had taken over from 1881s' Revanche, the Union Sportive et Artistique Audonienne, ex-Saint-Ouen Sportif. In 1945 all these clubs were grouped under the name of Sports Olympiques Audoniens. But why stop there, why not push forwards and provide Saint-Ouen with a grand club where all sports would be practiced ? From this project Red Star Olympique and Sports Olympique Audoniens disappeared to become Red Star Olympique Audonien. For the first time, in 1946, the club finally accepted into its name the link with Saint-Ouen. The municipality offered a new two year extendable lease as well as the renovation of the Stade de Paris. So Red Star celebrated their fiftieth birthday in good spirits. Jules Rimet, president of Fédération Internationale de Football Association, of the Comité National des Sports and of the Fédération Française de football wrote: Little by little the house has grown. Football has taken the biggest share. Red Star has become, despite its modest beginnings, one of the biggest clubs in French sport. Its influence is such that other clubs in France and abroad have taken its name. In this action they have honoured the name - Vive Red Star ! Gabriel Hanot, journalist said : Red Star belongs to Saint-Ouen : as long as there is Saint-Ouen, there will be Red Star. Paris football would miss Red Star if sport lost the land from where one can see the Butte Montmartre. » (to be continued) LE RED STAR, mémoire d'un club légendaire by Guillaume Hanoteau, with Gilles Cutulic © Robert Laffont - Editions Seghers Dépôt légal : 1983

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