VALENCIENNES - OPPONENTS OF RED STAR 93

VALENCIENNES FOOTBALL CLUB

VALENCIENNES FOOTBALL CLUB

Formed in 1915, F.C. Valenciennes became Union Sportive Valenciennes Anzin (U.S.V.A.) a few months later. From 1933, the Nordists turned professional, and had several spells in D1, but the golden era of Valenciennes dates back to 1956 to 1971, interrupted only by one season in D2 (1961-1962).
In 1956, for the last game of the season, Valenciennes travelled to Saint-Ouen and inflicted the heaviest ever defeat on Red Star, inflicting a 9-1 an thus ensuring their place in the end-of-season promotion play-offs. Béziers slipped down one place on goal difference behind Valenciennes. During the drubbing, Red Stars' goalkeeper abandoned his position in order to play as an outfield player ! Curiously enough, in the away match earlier in the season, Red Star had won 2-0.

Valenciennes, 1965
Back : Matsky, Mayet, Magiéra, Provelli, Kocik, Piumi.
Front : Makowski, Bonnel, Guinot, Masnaghetti, Guillon
missing on the photo : Jean Sérafin (Red Star coach, 1997-98).

Eventually the club went on the stabilise itself in D1 from 1975 to 1982. Then a slide back into relative obscurity before one final fling in D1, for the season 1992-1993, the season marked by the infamous affair with Marseille, Tapie, Glassman etc. Bankruptcy followed, relegation to D4, before a return to the National in 1998. Last season Valenciennes reached fifth spot and this seasons' stated objective was to be promotion. With numerous departures and arrivals, big money investments nothing could have predicted the catastophy that has befallen Valenciennes so far this season. With a game in hand, the men of Didier Ollé-Nicolle (ex-Raon-l'Etape coach) prop up the National table and arrive at Marville in search of their first win.

27TH OCTOBRE 1993

Alain Gunia & Jean-Didier Leuregans

Red Star 93, then top of the table welcomed Valenciennes for a D2 match. A crowd of over 2 500 watched the game, refereed by M. Lalu. The Audoniens are denied on several occasions by the visitors' goalkeeper Le Garrec in fine form. Red Stars' strike force of Michel and Marlet are rebuffed, including a volley from a horizontal position by Samy. Served by play-maker Jean-Didier Leuregans, the attackers remained silent and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
RED STAR 93 : Bourges, Chastel, Gunia, Dostanic, Fiatte, Mermet, Valéri, Girard (Agasson 73), Leuregans (Thimothée 68), Marlet, Michel. Coach: Repellini.
VALENCIENNES : Le Garrec, Foulon, Tourenne, Zaremba, Glassman, Scrimenti, Soumah (Dufresne 46), Le Frapper, Di Fraya, Duncker, Mangione. Coach: Metsu.
Later on, Leuregans went on to play for that days' visitors, whilst this season Scrimenti and Duncker are back at VA.
In thats days' match programme, the supporters were informed that youth team boss Patrice Lecornus' young prodigy Ted Agasson, nowadays at Lille (D1), was making his debut in the place of the injured Jean-Luc Girard. Pierre Repellini was to take an "early bath" fifteen minutes before the end of the game after making several comments to a linesman. And on Reps' 43rd birthday, too ! Meanwhile, the visitors' Jacques Glassman came in for some stick from certain elements of the crowd, no doubt as a result of his implication in the affair VA – OM. Northern newspaper « La Voix du Nord » also announced the match as being at Saint-Omer instead of Saint-Ouen.
G. Valck

VALENCIENNES INTERNET SITES

Valenciennes Official Site *** Valenciennes Fan site 1 **** Valenciennes Fan site 2 *** uk version available

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RED STAR v VALENCIENNES, 1965

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