HAVRE ATHLETIC CLUB ASSOCIATION
Founded 1872, the oldest football club in France, created, of course, by a group of Englishmen. In 1891 the club adopt the colours light & dark blue.
Stade Jules-Deschaseaux, rue du Commandant Abadie 76600 Le Havre.
Capacity : 18000 places.
President : Jean-Pierre Hureau
Budget : 80 MF
Le Havre on the Web : http://www.hac.asso.fr/ (French only)
Coach : Pierre Smerecki.
Asisstants : Bruno Baronchelli & Thierry Uvenard.
SQUAD :
Hamel, Brinquin, Deloumeaux, Hénin, Weber, De Neef, Mansouri, Debčve, Beuzelin, Lesage, Gravelaine.
Subs : Douchez, Becanovic, Deniaud, Mamouni, Diallo, Menga, Chibonda, Miceli, Soloy.
A recent signing is Xavier Gravelaine, from English Premiership strugglers Watford. A much travelled player who has represented three clubs in six months !
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HAC
Early days saw mostly non-Frenh players in the team.
1932 - Le Havre refuse to turn professional, then after a change of mind play in D2
1938 - Division 2 champions & cup semi-finalists, losing to eventual winner, Marseille.
Post-War - Back to division two
1950 - Promotion to the top flight. 30 000 watch Le Havre versus Nīmes.
1951 - Finish 3rd in D1
1954 - Relegation.
1959 - Despite financial difficulties, coached by Lucien Jasseron the club achieve the double D2 champions and Cup winners (the only D2 club to have won the cup).
1962 - After three season, the club returns to amateur status and starts again in the DH.
1970 - The club leaves the ground at Cavée Verte to play at Stade Jules Dechaseaux, in the newly-created divsison two.
1978 - relegated to D3
1979 - Back to D2
1985 - Promoted to D1
1986 - Relegated to D2.
1991 - D2 champions, the coach is, Pierre Mankowski.
Since then the club has, despite a few close shaves, kept its place in the elite. Several well-known players have emerged from the clubs - Ba, Revault, Bertin, Cyprien & Dhorasoo.
Past greats include Michel Hidalgo, Douis & Thouvenel.
RED STAR - LE HAVRE EN COUPE DE FRANCE
- 8/01/1933 at Amiens (1/16 final) Red Star - Le Havre : 1-1
- 22/01/1933 at Amiens (replay) Red Star - Le Havre : 2-0
- 6/03/1938 at Rouen (1/4 final) Red Star - Le Havre : 0-1
- 25/01/1941 at Saint-Ouen (1/8 final, Occupied Zone) Red Star - Le Havre : 2-0
- 6/3/1960 at Rouen (1/8 final) Red Star - Le Havre : 1-2
- 12/77 at Saint-Ouen (6th round) Red Star - Le Havre : 2-1
- 16/12/1989 at Saint-Ouen (7th round) : Red Star - Le Havre : 2-3 (see also Red Star in the French Cup).
G. Valck