Following on from a somewhat grim month of November, the last month of 2003 starts brighter than the previous one. Red Star have a short trip to play near-neighbours Aubervilliers and run out 2-0 winners. Baldé powers home a header on the half hour, and on the hour Latt-Agnes seals the win for Red Star, their first since the end of October. Normal service is resumed at Bauer, though, the following weekend as Cosmo Ermont-Taverny pull off something of a smash-and-grab raid. Despite dominating for much of the game, Red Star are left to rue two counter-attacks which leaves the visitors with the points in a 2-0 defeat. Finally, Red Stars' new shirts go on sale. In the Gambardella Cup Red Stars' youngsters go marching on with a fine 3-1 win over Cambrai at Marville. Reward is a home draw against Wasquehal in the next round. Julien Carles leaves the club for pastures new after seven years with Red Star. AllezRedStar.com, as innovative as ever, launch a fabulous range of free wallpapers for your PC with exciting photos of your favourite team.
Rumours circulate that the departure of coach Azzedine Meguellati is imminent. Notwithstanding, Red Star prepare for a Coupe de Game at home to ES Colombienne. Red Star take the lead within seven minutes through Latt-Agnes, and are looking to notch up a big win until two goals in fifteen minutes from the visitors turn the game on its head. Despite enormous pressure, Red Star fail to draw level until the dying seconds when captain Yoann Delaneuville fires home a desrved equaliser. Into extra time and Reevis N'Simba gives Red Star the lead only for a ghastly goalkeeping blunder allows Colombienne to draw level. Finally with penalties loooming, Riad Fellahi finds the energy to send over a pin-point cross for Latt-Agnes to head home the winner.
Two days later and coach Meguellati leaves the club. Also on the way out are Luis Fernandez and Michel Moulin. Jean-Luc Girard steps up to be first team coach. In his first game in charge, a friendly at Gonesse, Red Star run out 5-0 winners. In the Gambardella Red Star pull off a shock by beating Wasquehal 1-0. Next up are last seasons' beaten finalists Strasboug. Ouch ! Finally, Red Stars' game at Paris FC falls victim to the weather.
AllezRedStar.com cross the English Channel on a very windy day to try and take in Worksop Town FCs' Trophy game at Dover against Margate FC. Half way across and the game is called off. Damn. Next day some English visitors to France find that the game that they had come across to see, Red Star v Meaux at Bauer is also off ! They are consoled with a guided trip around some of Paris' football grounds and then a training session at Bauer where they get to meet the staff & players.
Back in action, and in Saint-Germain, the PSG are beaten 3-2, Red Star leading 3-0 at one point through Desmarets (7th), Baldé (37th), and defender-turned-striker Franck Guei (52nd). Two late goals reduce the arrears for the home side. No joy for Red Stars' youngsters as they leave the Gambardella, heads held high after a 4-1 defeat by a very strong Strasbourg outfit.
Sports Minister Jean-François Lamour visits Bauer and Red Star and meets club officials. Red Star continue their Coupe de paris run with a 2-1 win against Paris FC on a freezing Wednesday night. Goalless after normal time, Pipo Marques earned a rare first-team outing and scored with a fine header only for Paris FC to draw level minutes later. Finally the goalscoring instincts of big Franck Guei reap dividends, scoring Red Stars' second and ultimately the winner.
The 22nd is a big day for everyone at Red Star as the club together with the supporters remember Rino Della Negra, former Red Star player and resistant executed by the Nazis sixty years ago. In a moving ceremony A commemorative plaque is unveiled at Stade Bauer. The game, against Arménienne does not go all Red Stars' way and a last-minute goal enables the visitors to do the double over Red Star.
February ends in the leafy suburb of Villemomble, and Red Star turn in a heroic performance to earn a 1-1 against their high-flying opponents, Franck Guei scoring Red Stars' goal.
The rumour is that André Latt-Agnes, who has featured in several Red Star games this season is ineligible to play for the club, and that Aubervilliers have protested and hope to have the points for Red Stars' win in December awarded to them instead. Next visitors to Bauer are Saint-Leu, and for once Red Star do not disappoint and this time win the game 1-0, the goal coming from Baldé in the seventh minute. Red Star hold out for over eighty minutes. Bilal Hammami becomes the first to be red carded this season. The good run ends in the last second at draughty Bondoufle, as Brétigny snatch an ill-deserved winner in a very poor match. A reserve team in the Red Star colors continue the Coupe de Paris run, however, winning 3-1 at Choisy-le-Roi on a Wednesday evening.
For the game at Bauer against Meaux, AllezRedStar.com have the services of photographer Philippe Rénier, and he supplies some excellent photos of an otherwise dull goalless draw. Another Philippe, Cuervo, receives his marching orders. One week later and a lucky visitor from the UK witnesses Red Star annihilate visitors Racing at Bauer 3-0. All the goals are scored by defenders; Gueï (8), Yessad (42) and Hammami (68).
AllezRedStar.com pulled off an April fool, stating that Ronaldo would be making an advertisement at Stade Bauer... how many fell for it ? Whatever, Red Star don't need the Brazilian marksman as a brace from Alhaji Baldé see off Versailles in Versailles. Two weeks later and Red Star drop two points at home to Evry in a dire game. Benmesmoudi scores Red Stars' goal as Nabile Yessad receives his marching orders.
Brazil come to Bauer as musicians La Comparsita provide a musical accompaniment to an entertaining 2-2 draw against in-form Orly. Big Franck and Alhaji Baldé score Red Stars' goals, but Orly come back from two down to earn a draw and very nearly win the game, the last-gasp goal cancelled out as the whistle had already gone for full-time. At times the samba music is appropriate for Red Stars' samba football. Red Star are now seventh in the table, and only a couple of points away from safety with three games remaining.
May opens with a special tournament for handicapped players at Bauer... on a sunny day the event proves to be a huge success for everyone, and smiles all round. Red Stars' players are on hand to make the day an extra-bit special. In action the next day at Taverny, and safety is assured with a 1-0 win. For the first time in ages Red Star are awarded a penalty and Yves Desmarets makes no mistake from the spot to earn the points. Two days later and a ding-dong Coupe de Paris game sees Red Star through to the semi-finals after a thrilling 3-2 win against Bagneaux-Nemours. Benmesmoudi and Desmarets get the Red Star off to a good start, only for the visitors to pull one back. Franck Guei restores the two-goal cushion before Red Stars' keeper Benhamou drops the ball and gifts a second goal to the visitors.
Goals aplenty at Marville in a re-arranged game against Paris FC, but not to Red Stars' advantage. An own goal gets Red Star off to a great start, but as Red Stars strikers waste chance after chance, Paris FC draw level just before the break. Just before the hour mark a penalty is awarded against Red Star and duly dispatched, only for Red Star to be awarded a spot kick themselves minutes later. This time Desmarets sees his kick saved, and PFC respond by scoring a third goal. Desmarets makes amends by scoring Red Stars' second, but too little too late and the game is lost.
Last game of the season at Bauer, and Red Star reward their faithful with a marvellous 4-0 win against neighbours Aubervilliers. Baldé scores the goal of the season with a fantastic bicycle kick, N'Simba doubles the score and Yoann Delaneuville and Mustapha Gassama supply the icing on the cake in a 4-0 romp. Red Star finish seventh, but had they not lost four points on the appeal by Aubervilliers earlier in the season, they would have finished a very respectable fifth.
Finally, the Coupe de Paris semi-final, and Red Star go out on a plastic pitch to Montrouge 2-0. Why on earth they let such an important game be played on a synthetic pitch heaven knows.... a bit of a damp squib to end the season on.
Meanwhile Red Stars' under 13s and under 18s make it through to their Coupe de Paris finals... (in June the under 18s beat Les Lilas but the under 13s lose out to PSG...)