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**ursus arctos** · 12-05-2018, 12:23

On lower level clubs in Europe, the club you need to know is USV Eschen-Mauren of Lichtenstein, which were playing in the Swiss fourth tier when they contested the 2012/13 Europa League as Lichtenstein Cup winners. There have been about a half dozen third tier clubs to play in that competition, and at least 20 second tier clubs.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 12-05-2018, 12:32

You're right, here's the final Ligue 2 table which I meant to include in my post #21 but forgot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E...2#League_table

I gave Qu�villy-Rouen M�tropole a special mention in my Guardian-Obs article on the Coupe de France, which I called Qu�villy as they only merged with Rouen in 2015. It's a complicated business and it wasn�t a straight merger, as FC Rouen continued to exist as a separate entity, with the new joint entity incorporating the colours and crest of FC Rouen into its kits and crest. Anyway, the plot thickens as they've now "de-merged" (too many internal issues and rivalries, pbs with the Rouen municipality too I believe � and will be just plain Qu�villy from July 1, on the initiative of Rouen, see tweet below. FC Rouen will continue in National 3, the fifth tier of French football where the ressies of Quevilly-Rouen were plying their trade):

In 1996 and 2001 third division N�mes and Amiens toppled five top-flight clubs between them on their way to the final. In 2012 third division Quevilly battled to the final, where they fell 1-0 to Lyon after putting out Ligue 1 Marseille and Rennes. Quevilly are no strangers to �cupsets�: most notably, in 1927, they lost to Marseille in the final.

The hyperlinked bit above was edited, my original text was:

In 1996 and 2001, third division N�mes and Amiens toppled five top-flight clubs between them on their way to the final. The Crocodiles N�mois nearly repeated the feat in 2005 when they overcame four Ligue 1 teams before succumbing to Auxerre in the semi-finals. And in 2007, fourth division Montceau ousted two members of the elite to reach the semis.

More recently, in 2011, fifth division Chamb�ry became the first amateur club to eliminate three first divisions. The year after, third division Gaz�lec Ajaccio reached the semis and Quevilly battled their way to the final, where they fell 1-0 to Lyon. The Normans had put out Ligue 1 Marseille and Rennes in the quarters and semis, and Ligue 2 Angers previously. Quevilly are no stranger to "cupsets": in 1927, they lost to Marseille in the final and in 1968 and 2010, both times as non-Leaguers, the Normans reached the last four after dispatching no fewer than three top-flighters and two second-tier clubs.

https://twitter.com/QRM/status/932624379397246976

**Southport Zeb** · 12-05-2018, 18:05

Merthyr Tydfil played in the Cup Winners Cup as a seventh tier side.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 08:55

[As an aside Zeb, Merthyr Tydfil were in the Southern League in 1987-88, with the Football Conference (D5) above it, itself a feeder league to the first rung of the Football League. That makes Merthyr Tydfil in D6 and not D7 at the time, does it not?]

Yes, I briefly wrote about Merthyr Tidfyl in Europe (and inserted the clip of the famous 2-1 win vs Atalanta) after winning the Welsh Cup in 1987 in this article about clubs’ crests (#5):

Un club taill� sur mesure pour Saint R�n� (Girard) ou Saint Tony (Pulis). Avec un nom pareil, ces grands chouineurs devant l’�ternel n’auraient pas besoin de ruminations rageuses pour faire passer leur message de pers�cut�, un simple doigt point� vers le crestdu club suffirait.

Un illustre footballeur a port� le maillot des Martyrs dans les Seventies : l’immense John Charles (93 buts/150 matchs � la Juventus de 1957 � 1962), en tant qu’entra�neur-joueur. Des Gallois qui, en 1987, martyris�rent un grand d’Italie en coupe d’Europe des vainqueurs de coupe, l’Atalanta Bergame, battu 2-1 � l’aller, voir clip (les Martyrs avaient remport� la Welsh Cup la saison pr�c�dente - les Italiens l’emport�rent 2-0 au retour et finiraient 4� de D1 cette saison-l�).

It’s a different case altogether though as it’s a unique situation in Europe, all Welsh clubs were allowed to enter the Welsh cup even if they played in England at that time (that rule then changed), often in the lower divisions, AND compete in the C2 if they won it, which meant that the Welsh winners of the Welsh cups were likely to play in the lower leagues, D3 and below. There were exceptions of course, eg Swansea City in 1982 and 1983, winner of the Welsh Cup both seasons while in D1 (I remember them being knocked out by PSG in 1982).

That said, Merthyr Tydfil did well to defeat Newport as the Exiles were in D3 (relegated to D4 that season). They were the highest Welsh team plying their trade in the Football League that season (Wrexham and Swansea were both in D4).

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 09:21

Ha ah, excellent reply from Franco-Turkish N�mes striker Umut Bozok (cf my post #22) to a local Front National politician. Fucking Front National twat tweeted that some supporters had spoilt the party at the N�mes Roman arena [N�mes back in the top flight after a 25 year-long absence] by waving Turkish flags with the complicity of the authorities who did nothing to stop this "provocation". (H�las, certains g�chent la f�te en confondant N�mes avec la Turquie... et les autorit�s laissent faire cette provocation).

Bozok replied (first reply underneath FN twat's tweet, below): "It was just a little nod to a N�mes player who is a Turkish international. I think I am this player."

https://twitter.com/YoannGillet_fn/status/995348261698523136

**Southport Zeb** · 13-05-2018, 09:29

In 1987-88 Merthyr were in the Midland Division of the Southern League. They won it that season, gaining promotion to the tier 6 Premier Division for the following season. They then spent one season at that level, winning a second consecutive title to move up to the Conference.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 09:34

Thanks Zeb, I was out by one season in my rough calculations then.

**VTTBoscombe** · 13-05-2018, 09:57

Couldn't get tickets; but me and the lads crowded around a bad stream to watch Racing snatch victory at the end against OL last night.
Great stuff, and the only decent free kick I have ever seen Lienard take; but he saved the best till last. Memphis is a dick by the way.

EDIT - oops forget to mention Racing are now safe from le plonge.

We were very down after the 2nd Lyon goal - but all is well now; but we have got to get some new dudes in for next season - a good holding midfielder, and a few folk who can kill the ball, although having passes blasted from 5m can't help - OK quite a few new people needed.

Far too many bare torsos at the Meinau last night, probably best that we hadn't gone, the smell of sweat mixed with the odour of overdone tarte flamb�es, and knacks would have been overpowering.

After that, straight on to watch the scoring for the Eurovision - good night all round.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 10:30

Yeah, fantastic comeback right at the death from your boys who were trailing second-placed Lyon 2-1 and therefore 18th in the table at that precise moment (= barragistes in the relegation play-offs). An 88th minute goal and that magnificent free-kick from Li�nard in the 93rd ensured another season in Ligue 1, phew!

Lyon now third with Marseille breathing down their necks (4th is not an automatic CL spot in Ligue 1). The Marseillais didn’t take advantage of that Lyon slip-up as they drew 3-3 at Guingamp on Friday night.

Monaco scores in the dying minutes vs Saint� and book their place in the CL.

5th-placed Rennes in the EL with 6th-placed Nice nearly there for the EL.

Lille's 2-1 win means that they will be in Ligue 1 next season, quite a feat after their nightmarish season.

Metz and Troyes down, Toulouse (or, far less likely, Caen) in the relegation play-offs vs

The results:

Guingamp 3-3 Marseille
Amiens 2-0 Metz
Angers 0-2 Nantes
Bordeaux 4-2 Toulouse
Lille 2-1 Dijon
Monaco 1-0 St-�tienne
Montpellier 1-1 Troyes
PSG 0-2 Rennes
Strasbourg 3-2 Lyon
Nice 4-1 Caen (Balotelli scores a brace for his probably last-ever home game for Nice – 43 goals/65 games for the Nissarts, not bad, totally rejuvenated on the Riviera our Balo)

The League table with one more round of fixtures to go (matchday 38 next Saturday): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E...1#League_table

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 10:37

Sorry, the YouTube clip of Li�nard's free-kicks seems to have fallen foul of French League authorities (it was working 15 minutes ago when I sourced it from YT!).

Let's try this:

or this:

or this (we'll beat the bastards!):

**ursus arctos** · 13-05-2018, 10:40

The official Ligue 1 clips play fine if one clicks through to YouTube itself (they have disabled clips embedded elsewhere)

The other two work on here.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 13-05-2018, 11:27

Thanks for the tip. Merci du tuyau l'ours bien l�ch� (as opposed to this)

**ursus arctos** · 14-05-2018, 15:56

De rien.

Tuchel officially named PSG’s new manager. This has the potential to be quite interesting.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 15-05-2018, 16:26

https://twitter.com/PSG_inside/status/996051699910443008

He's already scored a few brownie points, with his calling the Parc des Princes "un stade mythique du football europ�en"� Such a charmer, I love him already.

Interesting choice anyway, although I don�t know much about him. He�ll only have the full squad days before the start of the season (11th August) so the beginning of the season could be interesting too.

PSG unsurprisingly in d�licatesse (trouble) with UEFA over financial fair-play (Neymar + Mbapp� last summer = �400m; PSG top brass met UEFA bods a month ago, UEFA decision to be communicated in about 3 weeks� time), so they will have to offload a few players over the summer to be legit, they need ~�50-60m. Di Mar�a is strongly rumoured to be in the list of valuable players to shift, Verratti maybe too, as well as 1 or 2 other lesser-known players such as Gon�alo Guedes (loaned to Valencia) who apparently is worth quite a bit, �25m+.

Hatem Ben Arfa may be in the list of undesirables too, but I�d be surprised if he was worth more than a few euros, his stock has fucking plummeted. At this rate, he�ll be plying his trade at Les Herbiers in 2 seasons.

**Felicity, I guess so** · 17-05-2018, 06:40

I knew Toulouse or Lille, the two places I lived in France, would go down and the latter�s late revival( and 2-1 win in the face- off recently) has saved them.
Toulouse need to beat Guingamp and hope PSG have a goalscoring party at Caen, for an 8-goal swing. The latter might happen, and Caen let 4 in last week but TFC�ll probably fail to win

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 17-05-2018, 20:10

Yeah, I can’t see Toulouse beating Guingamp by more than 2 goals, so the Toulousains are doomed but the writing’s been on the wall for a while for them. They’ll play the winner of Ajaccio-Le Havre (tomorrow) in the play-offs on 23 & 27 May.

But I agree, Caen being in freefall (only 2 points picked up in the last 9 games) we could well witness a goalfest at Malherbe (Caen) as 28-goal Cavani will want to fill his boots to get to the 30-goal mark and piss off Neymar in the process (no love lost between the two).

In 2016, PSG beat Caen 6-0 twice in the league, in April and again in September at Caen (with Cavani scoring 4 in the first half, didn’t play after the pause). However, an awful lot more is at stake for Caen this time round so I think they'll park the Airbus, at least in the first half and see how the cookie is crumbling down in Toulouse and take it from there for the second half. Then, after the break, we may have a more open game if developments in the Cit� Rose are positive for them.

That’s the thing isn’t it, even with Caen shutting up shop, Paris are still capable of gubbing them but as you say, the $64,000 question is: can Toulouse do the job vs EAG? It’ll depend on who’s available for that game but even so, Guingamp are finishing the championship fairly strongly, they’ve taken 5 points off the table-topplers in the last weeks – 3-1 vs Monaco; 2-2 vs PSG at the Parc after being up 2-0; 3-3 vs Marseille last week – so the Costarmoricains will be in the mood to ease off vs Toulouse, and therein lies the rub.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 18-05-2018, 20:28

Things as peaceful as usual in Corsica: the promotion (to Ligue 1) play-off game Ajaccio-Le Havre had to be postponed this evening after about 50 Corsican supporters attacked the Le Havre bus (stones, flares and smoke bombs thrown – bus conked out) and blocked the access to the stadium. The CRS tried to get the Le Havre players into the stadium (only 300 yards away) for the game to be played but came a cropper. Oh, and a few racist chants were heard.

Ligue 2. Le match entre Ajaccio et Le Havre report� apr�s l’attaque du bus

https://twitter.com/B_Queneutte/status/997558960055029761

**ursus arctos** · 18-05-2018, 21:40

It is almost as if there is a competition among the three principal Corsican clubs to see which is the most dysfunctional (presumably the winner play off against all of the island’s other dysfunctional institutions).

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 19-05-2018, 12:38

I really couldn’t tell you what their beef was about this time, there’s no bad blood at all between AC Ajaccio and Le Havre, their club is in the promotion play-offs so that’s great news for them, they should be delighted as it's a small club (average attendances of 6,000 last time they were in Ligue 1, 4 seasons ago).

I have no idea why these cunts go and shoot themselves in the foot like that. I suppose it’s just a few braindead supporters just like those ultras in Grenoble 2 weeks ago (cf my post #21), it was a similar situation (some Grenoble ultras attacked opposition players & staff incurring the risk of their own club being penalised for the play-offs*, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6fjM9ztLY).

The Corsicans certainly not have the monopoly on fans’ fecklessness but this shit seems to happen a lot down there, with many racism-related incidents over the years that have by and large been swept under the carpet by the football authorities. But then again, Marine Le Pen scored 48,5 % in Corsica in the second round of the Presidentials last year so not sure we should be too surprised at racism regularly rearing its ugly head on the �le de Beaut�.

The football authorities came out last night saying that they wouldn't hold the club responsible as the incidents happened outside of the stadium but those cretins could have risked losing the game "sur tapis vert" (on a technicality) or having to play it behind closed doors. Ajaccio-Le Havre will be played tomorrow evening (7pm French time), as decided this morning by the Commission des Comp�titions of the LFP.

Which means the Le Havre players will have to fly back to Corsica tomorrow (they flew back to Normandy straight after the Ajaccio ultras’ ambush after being stuck in the bus for over 2 hours). At least they were warmly welcomed by their fans at Le Havre airport:

https://twitter.com/HAC_Foot/status/997610146414153728

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 19-05-2018, 12:43

Sorry, forgot to put the asterisked bit on Grenoble in the play-offs:

*The Grenoble-Bourg Peronnas game (play-off to Ligue 2 for Grenoble), as feared, will be played behind closed doors on 22 May, it was announced yesterday.

Fucking minority of idiotic ultras have cost their club valuable home support (and gates money), the 20,000-capacity Grenoble stadium would have been full and rocking for that occasion. Grenoble supporters will be banned from the Bourg Peronnas stadium too for the return leg and given that it’s a derby-ish it's a great shame for them.

Football : sanctionn�, le GF38 jouera son match de barrage � huis clos contre Bourg Peronnas

**ursus arctos** · 19-05-2018, 12:53

If history is any guide, it is as likely as not that the nonsense in Ajaccio has nothing much to do with football.

As you know (but others might not), HAC have one of the most productive academies in France, and have been flirting with promotion for some time. I would be very happy to welcome le doyen back to Ligue 1 (especially now that ACA have disgraced their ursine nickname)

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 19-05-2018, 14:36

Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post

As you know (but others might not), HAC have one of the most productive academies in France, and have been flirting with promotion for some time. I would be very happy to welcome le doyen back to Ligue 1 (especially now that ACA have disgraced their ursine nickname)

Quite, 13 notable players Le Havre’s youth system has given football

the HAC academy has been in the top 16 in France in the last decade and beyond (and that’s with the HAC being in Ligue 2 since 2009 - since much longer in reality as they've only done one Ligue 1 season - 2008-09 - since 2003):

2009-2010: 9th
http://forum.foot-national.com/class...10-t17815.html

2010-2011: 13th
http://forum.foot-national.com/class...11-t20923.html

2011-2012: 10th
http://forum.foot-national.com/class...on-t23477.html

2012-2013: 11th
https://www.fff.fr/actualites/5389-5...tion-2012-2013

2013-2014: 11th
http://forum.foot-national.com/class...on-t27053.html

2014-2015: 16th
https://www.fff.fr/common/bib_res/re..._2014-2015.pdf

2015-2016: 16th
http://www.foot-national.com/foot-cl...016-86792.html

2016-2017: 9th

**ursus arctos** · 19-05-2018, 21:09

Monaco and OL take the two remains Champions League spots; OM will play in the Europa League

Toulouse will contest the relegation playoff, Troyes and Metz go down directly.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 19-05-2018, 21:37

Matchday 38, the results: https://sports.orange.fr/football/li...resultats.html

The final table: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E...1#League_table

Marseille beat Amiens 2-1 but miss out on the CL and will therefore be in the EL as ursus writes.

Lyon beat Nice 3-2 thanks to a Memphis Depay hat-trick and finish 3rd so that'l be the CL for them. 19 league goals for Memphis Depay this season, could go to Juventus.

Marseille (4th), Rennes (5th) and Bordeaux (6th) => Europa League.

Saint-�tienne thrash Lille 5-0 and finish joint 6th too but miss out on EL on GD.

No miracle in Toulouse, they beat Guingamp 2-1 but stay 18th so will play either Ajaccio or Le Havre in the two-legged relegation play-off on 23 & 27 May.

Caen-PSG 0-0, so the Caennais secure survival. Paris rested or benched their main WC internationals (so, no Cavani, no Di Mar�a, no Verratti etc.), apparently on the request of national coaches. 75% possession for PSG who just couldn’t break down the Normans who also had a fair few chances.

**P�rou Flaquettes** · 19-05-2018, 21:41

Those Corsican ultras are so welcoming (AC Ajaccio-Le Havre incidents):

(from France TV info): "Fran�ais de merde", "ramasseurs de coton", "n�gros", "sale arabe": le match Ajaccio � Le Havre a �t� report� apr�s de graves incidents vendredi 18 mai, dans la soir�e, en Corse

[fucking French], [cotton pickers], [niggers], [fucking arab]

https://twitter.com/FTViaStella/status/997535605637644288

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Des pains, du vin, du Boursin: French football 2017-2018

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