Founded 1959, Stade du Hameau (13000 capacity). Coach : Pascal Plancque since January 1998. Former professional at Lille, Auxerre, Laval before hanging up his boots at Pau (1990-1994).
Pau reached the level of the National in 1998, and finished seventh last season. They reached the National by topping their group in the CFA. Occasional Cup specialists, they hit the headlines a couple of seasons ago by eliminating Saint-Etienne from the Cup. This season the Palois started off well, but in recent weeks have slipped off, slumping to three successive defeats against Reims, Fréjus and Raon l'Etape. Before meeting Red Star the men from the Pyrennees tackle Grenoble. Top marksman is twenty year-old Julien Poueys, who has made the score sheet on five occasions.
In July several new faces arrived to strengthen the ranks - Nesculescu (Dynamo Bucarest), Vuksanovic, a Yugoslav who had played the previous season in Belgium and Gibert from Lyon. Saturdays' meeting will be the first time the two clubs have met.
G. Valck, translation JWH