For the last home game of the season, Red Star 93 travel to Beauvais to take on GFCO Ajaccio.
GFCO (Gazélec Football Club Olympique) came about as the result of a merger between Gazélec and Olympique Ajaccien in 1996.
Already the fruits of one merger, Gazélec, club of the workers of the gas and electricity companies were founded in 1960. Pierre Cahuzac, former pro at Toulouse was one of the early coaches at the club in 1961, and the club won four Champion de France Amateurs titles in 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1968 (only Quevilly has equalled this feat). Also, Gazélec distinguished itself in the Coupe de France; in 1964, OM were thumped 5-1 at Marseille including one goal scored with a backheel by Kanyan.
For the season 1968-69, Gazélec turned professional and were promoted to D2. Over the next thirty years the Cosricans became a yo-yo side between D2 and D3.
In 1997, Gazélec signed local boy Pascal Olmeta and in May 1999, they finished third in the National... but promotion was denied on the grounds of finance, and an antiquated ruling preventing two clubs from the same town with less than 100 000 inhabitants being professional. The rule has since been changed. Thus, the second club in Ajaccio started the season disastrously with the departures of key players Van Kets (Racing) and Pagis (Nîmes). Eventually the ship righted itself and GFCO have booked their place in the National for next year.
The Corsicans have the second worst attack in the National, with 26 goals scored. Top marksmen are Amore and Forest with 6. Coach Jean-Michel Cavali will quit at the end of the season in order to take charge at Racing. Earlier in the season, on the island Red Star were beaten 2-0.
G. Valck