Founded 1937
Stade des Costières (cap. 18 500), rue de la Bouvine 30907 Nîmes Cédex.
Nîmes, immortalised in the French footballing Hall of Fame at the end of the 1950's, thre times runners-up in D1 (57-58,58-59 & 59-60) has also left a mark in the annals of cup history. Three lost finals : 57-58 (best ever season, losing out to Reims in both cups), 60-61 (losing to Sedan), 95-96 (first National club to reach the cup final, losing to Auxerre). Last year saw another cup run, failing only in the semi-finals to the eventual winners, Nantes. Much effort, but scant reward, apart from the Coupe Drago (a kind of runners-up cup int the 1950's & 60's.) Importantly, Nîmois have won the youth cup, the Coupe Gambardella on four occasions, (1961, 1966, 1969 & 1977).
Nîmes, coached at that time by Kader Firoud posessed a formidable line-up : Roszak, Akesbi, Bandera, Barlaguet (eventual coach), Bettache, Constantino, Salaber, Rahis, Skiba....then later on Charles-Alfred, Ch. Oliver, Landi, Kabyle, Pircalab, Mézy, Novi, Pintenat, Vergnes (two ex-Red Star), Girard, Marguerite, Kanyan, Pérez. In recent years Eric Cantona wore the red shirt, his last French club and Sakho, 18 goals last season before a transfer to Lens.
Famous coaches include Firoud, as well as Pierre Pibaro and Pierre Barlaguet. Not forgetting Marcel Tomazover, formerly with Red Star at the start of the 1970's. Since the construction of a fine new stadium in 1989, Nîmes have been through a rough patch, from two years in D1 1991-1993, then a fall to the National, a brief excursion in the UEFA cup before rising three years ago to the D2.
This year the aim of the club is a top five spot in D2, and recruits include Régis Brouard (ex-Red Star), Ponsard, Pagis (from GFCO Ajaccio), goalkeeper Delaroche (Bordeaux), Salaün (Rennes).... Currently seventh with thirty one points from twenty two matches, four points ahead of the fourteenth place but only six behind third placed Caen.
Nîmes have the psychological edge over Red Star, in addition to being one division higher, last season the visitors triumphed at Stade Marville over a very sorry looking Red Star side.
G. Valck
Nîmes on the Web : www.multimania.com/~crocos (French only)