Valenciennes FC

Football club infobox
clubname = Valenciennes


fullname = Valenciennes Football Club
nickname = Les Athéniens (in the past)
founded = 1913
ground = Stade Nungesser
capacity = 16 500
chairman = Francis Decourrière
manager = Antoine Kombouaré
league = Ligue 1
season = 2007-08
position = Ligue 1, 13th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_whiteV|pattern_ra1=| leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=FF0000|socks1=FF0000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_redV|pattern_ra2=| leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF
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socks3 = 4169E1The Valenciennes Football Club (known as "Valenciennes FC" or as "USVA", the acronym of a previous name) is a French football club from the town of Valenciennes in the Nord department. The club was founded in 1913. In the 2005-06 season, it competed in Ligue 2 (Division 2), with Francis Decourrière as general manager and Antoine Kombouaré as head coach. In 2006, they returned to the top flight after more than a decade's exile and maintained their Ligue 1 status at the end of this season.

Trophies

*Champions Division 2 : 1972, 2006.
*Champions Division 3: 2005.
*Runners-up Division 2 : 1935, 1937, 1962, 1975, 1992.
*Division 4 Champions: 1998.
*French Cup: Finalists: 1951.

Chronology

The beginnings of the Valenciennes club

Valenciennes FC was founded in 1913 by a group of young men, notably Mssrs Colson, Joly and Bouly. With the Great War in progress, the club made little impact at first. However, in 1916 another group of sportsmen made contact with the directors of the club with a view to creating the "Union Sportive Valenciennes-Anzin" (Valenciennes-Anzin Sports Union, known by its French initials USVA) under which name they then participated in the Escaut Département championships. Under the leadership of their president, M. Lélithouard, USVA attained professional status in 1933.

Timeline

*1913: Foundation of Valenciennes Football Club (FCV).
*1916: The club is renamed Union Sportive Valenciennes-Anzin (USVA), and retains this name until 1996.
*1933: Creation of a professional section.
*1993: Valenciennes and Marseille are involved in a match fixing scandal. Marseille chairman Bernard Tapie is believed to have bribed Valenciennes players to ensure a Marseille win so that the club could have more time to prepare for the UEFA Champions League final. Both clubs suffer a forced relegation as a result of this incident.
*1994: Valenciennes relegated to Division 3.
*1996: End of the professional section.
*1996: The club is renamed as "Valenciennes Football Club" .
*2005: Professional section refounded .
*2005: Valenciennes promoted to Ligue 2
*2006: Valenciennes promoted to Ligue 1

Current squad

"As of July 9, 2008" [ [http://www.va-fc.com/effectif/index.aspx?e=1 Effectif] ]

Great players of the past

For a complete list of Valenciennes FC players, see

International success of its players

*Jorge Burruchaga, World Cup 1986 with Argentina
*Didier Six, last Valenciennes team member to date to play for France.
*David Regis, having acquired (by marriage) American citizenship, participated in the `1998 World Cup representing the USA.
*Thomas Dossevi, from Togo, played for Togo in the 2006 World Cup.

Managerial history

Trivia

*Attendance record: 21,268 spectators (14 March 1955, Sedan)
*Home office: 43 bis Avenue de Reims, 59300 Valenciennes
*In the Video Game FIFA 06, Valenciennes are 1 of 2 one-star rated teams in the game.

References

External links

* [http://www.va-fc.com/ Official FCV web site]