History RC Strasbourg Alsace

1 history

1.1 foundation , years (1906–1945)
1.2 first national successes... , failures (1945–1976)
1.3 glorious years (1976–1980)
1.4 chronic instability (since 1980)
1.5 return professional leagues

history

foundation , years (1906–1945)

oscar heisserer

the club founded in 1906 group of youngsters in neudorf neighbourhood of straßburg, elsaß-lothringen, in german empire, today strasbourg, alsace, in france. of primary-school teacher, formed team called erster fußball club neudorf , commonly named fc neudorf . @ time, new 1. fcn minor club in then-remote southern part of strasbourg area. local football had been dominated since 1890s more central , elitist straßburger fußball verein. according club historian pierre perny, official establishment of fc neudorf in 1907 may have been accelerated planned move of fc frankonia haemmerle garten, large park in southern strasbourg close neudorf. name told, fc frankonia composed of german-born immigrants franconia region of southwest germany – of them soldiers – living in central , northern strasbourg, while fc neudorf had alsatian, popular roots. fc neudorf joined southern german league in 1909, starting @ lowest level, division c. captured division c championship 3 years later, earning promotion division b. in 1914, fc neudorf able evict rivals frankonia haemmerle garten rent of 300 marks year. location later become site of stade de la meinau, club still plays today. in aftermath of world war i, territory of alsace-lorraine came france and, on 11 january 1919, club adopted name racing-club strasbourg-neudorf until becoming racing club de strasbourg later in year. use of word racing not denote association horse- or car-racing; instead, anglicism common in france @ time, exemplified case of then-famous racing club de france, symbolical inspiration strasbourg s racing alsace reintegrated within france . word pronounced in french ( le racing ) or in alsatian ( d racing ) without english accentuation. racing joined french competitions , won alsace championship in 1923, 1924 , 1927. took part in coupe de france, national competition @ time. in 1925, reached last sixteen, fell lille after eliminating then-dominant red star paris.

on 10 june 1933, @ restaurant de la bourse , club made jump professional ranks and, thus, joined national championship established year before. rcs started competition in ligue 2 earned promotion top flight @ end of 1933–34 season, going through pair of two-legged playoff matches, first against mulhouse (0–0 , 3–1), , against saint-Étienne (2–0 , 4–4). in mid-1930s, racing managed second-place finish in 1934–35 , third-place finish next season. in 1937, club reached first time final of coupe de france, losing rivals sochaux (1–2). successful rcs team of 1930s included 2 french internationals – fritz keller , oscar heisserer – german striker oskar rohr who, still holds club s goalscoring record.

with outbreak of world war ii, professional sport suspended , alsatians evacuated south-west france, in dordogne. during phoney war, group of youngsters kept club existing in périgueux, won dordogne championship in 1940. after french defeat, alsace de facto annexed third reich and, in august 1940, team took play rasensportclub straßburg in gauliga elsaß, top-flight amateur division in german football. rcs captured group in 1941 , participated in regional finals, put out fc mülhausen. team earned second-place results in each of following 2 seasons , made appearance in opening round of dfb-pokal in 1942. starting in 1942, alsatians forcibly conscripted in wehrmacht , waffen-ss , several club players – including oscar heisserer – fled or had teammates deliberately wound them avoid incorporation. oskar rohr had been imprisoned since 1940 after serving in légion etrangère @ outbreak of war. during game against ss side sg ss straßburg , rasensportclub players wore uniform consisting of blue jersey, white shorts , red socks clear display of french patriotism.

first national successes... , failures (1945–1976)

allied armies retook alsace in 1944 , club resumed play racing club de strasbourg in france s top flight. team built around oscar heisserer—who became in april 1945 first alsatian captain national team—and spanish defender paco mateo. in 1947, strasbourgeois reached second time final of cup @ colombes, time losing lille osc 0–2. remained in first division competition until, @ end of 1948–49 season, appeared side relegated. however, neighbouring club sr colmar liquidated professional team, leaving room strasbourg stay up. in 1951, bleus won first major trophy, defeating valenciennes 3–0 bring coupe de france home. significance of victory went far beyond sporting realm alsace shaken oradour-sur-glane massacre investigation. fourteen alsatians, of them forcibly incorporated in das reich division, had been charged war crimes, move aroused considerable resentment in region. after return in strasbourg, players held symbolical , emotional ceremony @ city s monument deaths.

only 1 year later, strasbourg relegated following worst ever season in club s history. in top flight after 1 season in division 2. in 1954–55, arrival of austrian star ernst stojaspal, strasbourg had 1 of best championship seasons in post-war era, ending 4th place. club, however, unable build on success , relegated division 2 in 1957 , 1960, each time gaining immediate promotion top flight.

1966 cup winners @ strasbourg town hall. left right: gress, piat, stiebel, kaelbel

during 1960s, club able participate in inter-cities fairs cup city s foire européenne. in 1964–65 under paul frantz s guidance, racing ousted giants milan , barcelona before falling in quarter-finals against manchester united. year later, repeated cup winners beating champions nantes in final score of 1–0. on occasion, captain rené hauss accomplished remarkable feat of winning 2 cups same club 15 years-interval. other key team members during era included raymond kaelbel , young talents gilbert gress , gérard hausser. again, racing s triumph in cup not without controversy, reporter thierry roland said on live tv cup [was] leaving france , comment deemed offensive many in alsace.

in 1968, racing started process lead merger 2 other clubs, association sportive culturelle de la meinau and, importantly, cs des pierrots 1922 strasbourg. merger effective in 1970 , new entity named le racing pierrots strasbourg meinau , or rpsm. pierrots successful amateur team – won national amateur championship in 1969 , 1970—but lacked sufficient structures jump professional play while racing more wealthy in search talent. merger appeared excellent opportunity build powerful football club in strasbourg , favoured business , political circles. however, wedding difficult 1 many internal struggles evidenced when of former pierrots left new entity 1971 re-found former club. same year, rpsm relegated despite arrival @ end of season of yugoslavian star ivica osim. usual, strasbourg won immediate promotion osim , 2 french internationals in ranks: jean-noël huck , marc molitor. in division 1 in 1972, club made 1 of biggest transfer blunders in history: osim sent sedan leave foreign player spot reinhard libuda. yugoslavian left strasbourg in tears helped sedan decent results while libuda suspended due match fixing scandal in germany , released in march 1973. in 1976, club again relegated , went old identity racing club de strasbourg, reflecting final failure of rpsm merger.

glorious years (1976–1980)

in 1976, future seemed dark racing: club had been relegated second time in 4 years, torn apart internal struggles following failure of merger , desperately seeking municipal subventions reach balanced budget. financial difficulties meant racing unable retain or replace best players (huck, molitor, gress, hausser, spiegel) left other clubs or retired. impossibility buy on transfer market meant that, first time, strasbourg had rely on players out of youth academy , local amateur clubs. fortunately club, mid-1970s saw emergence of talented generation of youngsters consisting of léonard specht, jean-jacques marx, rené deutschmann, yves ehrlacher, albert gemmrich, roland wagner , joël tanter. along goalkeeper dominique dropsy , captain jacky duguépéroux, these players formed backbone of team superb 1976–1980 period. during these 4 years, racing won 2 championships (d2 in 1977 , d1 in 1979), reached honourable league rankings 2 other years (third in 1978, fifth in 1980) , had best results ever in european play (uefa cup round of sixteen in 1979, european cup quarter finals in 1980).

the start of 1976–77 season nevertheless difficult. in november, after defeat @ amiens, racing called elek schwartz out of retirement , supervise work of player-manager heinz schilcher. schwartz important player of 1930s team , had renowned international coaching career behind him, spells @ netherlands national team , benfica. under guidance, team improved, finishing ahead of group earn promotion division 1 , defeating monaco division 2 championship title, first 1 in club s history. after accomplishing mission, schwartz retired , replaced gilbert gress. player, gress had achieved iconic status racing supporters. child of neudorf, genial player strong personality, first frenchman shine in neighbouring bundesliga vfb stuttgart. second return strasbourg, after first comeback player, greeted enthusiasm , charisma aroused strong public interest team s performances, attendance rates @ all-time high.

the 1977–78 season saw peculiar dominance of 2 promoted sides monaco going on win championship , strasbourg reaching unexpected third place, best ranking since 1936. gress printed mark on team right away, insisting on recruitment of experienced, hard-working players (jacky novi, raymond domenech, francis piasecki) instead of foreign stars , putting practice innovative tactical ideas. self-proclaimed admirer of ajax s total football, gress wanted players both defend , attack , asked great versatility. rather unusual in french football @ time. in french clubs, defenders told not cross midfield line , strikers had no defensive duties. contrary, gress instructed forwards exert immediate pressure on other s side defenders , encouraged offensive initiatives own backs. sign of versatility fact side s top-scorer during era, albert gemmrich, played on left wing despite being right-footed. gemmrich developed ability score both feet after injury forced him train using left foot , gress used peculiar profile puzzle defences, great success.

for 1978–79 season, racing kept same team had won promotion in 1977 , third place in 1978. exceptions addition of midfielder roger jouve , exchange between striker jacques vergnes , chadian player nabatingue toko. french international, vergnes clashed gress due unwillingness assume defensive duties , vocal frustration after being regularly sidelined. sent bordeaux 6 games after start season. replacement, tonko, foreign player on squad year, fact again unusual since french club football @ time still dependent on qualities of players abroad. strasbourg took lead in season , did not give until end in spite of widespread scepticism national followers. absence of big names in team considered many crippling handicap against established teams saint-Étienne or nantes had internationally renowned players. part, gress used critical review of press boost player s motivation , insisted star team . racing finished atop championship on 56 points undefeated home record. return lyon, title game played, triumphant huge crowds greeting team @ every railway station in alsace before arrival of train @ strasbourg.

the club saw same movement during 1979 inter-season. chairman alain léopold replaced influential andré bord, duguépéroux ended pro career , gemmrich left bordeaux. replace him, bord imposed recruitment of carlos bianchi gress. bianchi prolific goalscorer traditional striker no intention commit defence , teamplay, gress despair. season marked return of internal struggles, increasingly confrontational relationship between gress , bord, team nevertheless achieved fifth-place finish , advanced quarter-finals of european cup, eliminated ajax (0–0;0–4).

chronic instability (since 1980)

the bleus success short-lived. in september 1980, gress controversially sacked and, after several seasons of middling results, racing returned second tier play in 1986. first time, strasbourg failed win immediate promotion first tier, ending 9th place in group, worst ranking ever club. success came 1987–88 season new manager henryk kasperczak led racing second division 2 title players juan simón, peter reichert , returning léonard specht. strasbourg, however, unable preserve spot in top-flight , in division 2 in 1989. specht manager, racing failed secure promotion next 2 seasons, each time falling in playoffs, first against nice , again lens. in 1991–92, gress came hometown manager and, after defeating rennes (0–0; 4–1) in final promotion playoff match, strasbourg made lasting return top flight. 1992–93 season saw club finish @ eighth place, ranking has not been equalled since, allowing likes of josé cobos, frank leboeuf , marc keller shine in top flight. @ end of 1993–94 season, gress left racing due personal disagreements club s direction. replaced daniel jeandupeux himself fired after 8 months. jacky duguépéroux took on club , led brilliant period since 1979 title. during 1990s, there mounting interest football in france rise of national team and, other clubs, racing benefited context. club able attract french major players franck sauzée , foreign stars aleksandr mostovoi. mix of established players , rising prospects, team reached final of cup in 1995, losing paris saint-germain (0–1). in april same year, strasbourg became team defeat champions nantes, 2–0 @ la meinau. after going through 1995 intertoto cup during summer, racing able participate in uefa cup reached second round, losing italian giants ac milan.

in 1996, bosman ruling entered force , made difficult french clubs retain best players. strasbourg no exception. during summer, team lost mostovoi , 2 french internationals, marc keller , frank leboeuf. despite these departures, racing fared in league, staying of season in top 5 before settling 9th-place finish. same year, img–mccormack group chosen municipality take control of club. players, still trained jacky duguépéroux, went on capture coupe de la ligue – first national trophy in 18 years – defeating bordeaux in penalty shootout. uefa cup run followed victory, allowing young players formed @ club olivier dacourt or valérien ismaël shine in continental play. after successful qualification round against rangers , liverpool, strasbourg defeated inter milan 2–0 @ la meinau, fell 0–3 in away leg.

in meantime, img had taken on club in summer of 1997 , patrick proisy, former tennis player , head of french branch, became president. joined year later friend claude le roy manager. proisy–le roy period @ racing troubled 1 poor results, several scandals , general disillusionment of fans towards club s management. several suspicious transfers during period have led strasbourg s prosecutor indict proisy , le roy of misuse of company assets , forgery in 2006. during reign, club sold of best prospects , replaced them disappointing, expensive foreign players such diego hector garay, gonzalo belloso , mario haas. in 2000–01, club accomplished paradoxical feat of being relegated after spending whole season in bottom 3 while winning french cup victory on penalties against amiens. on occasion, paraguayan star josé luis chilavert scored winning penalty strasbourg @ stade de france.

a game @ stade de la meinau

in 2001–02, club, led manager ivan hašek, re-took place among country s football elite finishing runners-up in ligue 2. year 2003 saw departure of img , proisy. club taken on pool of local investors former player marc keller staying director-general. new ownership focused on cleaning club s finances. in 2005, racing won second domestic trophy in 4 years when beat caen 2–1 in final of league cup, feat provided them passport 2005–06 uefa cup, in reached last sixteen.

in 2006, strasbourg again relegated. club taken on real estate investor philippe ginestet , celebrated centennial in autumn of 2006 various events, including exhibition , friendly match against marseille. ginestet hired french legend jean-pierre papin new manager , club again won immediate promotion top flight in 2007, finishing @ third place. in spite of this, papin resigned manager, citing internal relationship problems, , succeeded jean-marc furlan. under furlan, rcs unable preserve spot in ligue 1, due eleven consecutive defeats @ end of 2007–08 season, record post-world war ii football in france. furlan nevertheless confirmed manager following ligue 2 season failed in mission bring club in top-tier racing ended 4th blasting defeat @ montpellier. furlan s contract subsequently terminated , phillipe ginestet stepped down position chairman while remaining major shareholder. succeeded léonard specht, picked gilbert gress manager. however, gress entered in conflict many members of club, including ginestet, whom violently attacked after side s defeat châteauroux in inaugural league game. ginestet convened extraordinary meeting of board sack gress, prompting léonard specht s resignation. gress replaced assistant manager pascal janin, first caretaker , permanent manager, when ginestet re-took club s presidency @ end of august 2009. in 2009–10 season, final-day away defeat relegated strasbourg national suffered second relegation in 3 seasons. 2010–11 season saw them narrowly miss out on promotion ligue 2 finished fourth behind guingamp.

on 17 july 2011, racing club de strasbourg entered total liquidation , removed national in favour of cherbourg.

on 25 august 2011, after lengthy negotiations fff, strasbourg reinstated fifth tier of french footballing, cfa 2, group c. strasbourg won promotion cfa, fourth tier of french football, @ first attempt in 2011–12 season finishing on 100 points.

in 2012, club renamed rc strasbourg alsace corresponding new badge.

strasbourg finished champions of cfa @ end of 2012–13 season , returned national. in 2014, jacky duguépéroux given role of manager third time. replaced françois keller, who, 3 years of service, longest-serving manager since gilbert gress in early-to-mid-1990s.

return professional leagues

on 27 may 2016, strasbourg drew 0–0 @ belfort become champions of national , clinch promotion ligue 2, marking return professional level after six-year absence.

on 19 may 2017, strasbourg sealed return ligue 1 after nine-year absence french top tier following 2–1 home victory on bourg-péronnas claim 2016-17 ligue 2 championship.