The Toulon Football Club was founded in 1944, following the various upsets of the war, when two local sides merged to create a decent "national" team which plays in the Championnat National 2A (Third Division). Once promoted in 1959 to the Ligue One, they were immediately relegated from their highest position, the following season. Too much for Toulon.
In 1998-9 financial issues caused the club to become amateur and so to escape that embarrassment the club changed its name into Sporting Toulon VAR and then proceeded to win three promotions in 4 seasons, Inevitably then they had had some ups and downs and a merger with local SC Toulon Le-Las before reaching their present position promoted to the "Championship" as champions last season under the name of Sporting Club Toulon.
Equally, it is Accrington Stanley FC, (who are they?) last season 14th in League One (England!) who have entertained the Ligue 1 outfit Olympique de Marseilles, who lie 5th in the French league and are playing in the Europa League this season. The Mediterranean club were at a training camp at St Georges', Burton and planned the Stanley game as a pre-season confidence booster....not so!
"Droit au But" means "Straight to Goal".
This was heady stuff for Stanley who won 2-1 with goals from Sean McConville (hint of French there) and Offrande Zanzala (no idea). The much travelled French team's boss, Andre Villas-Boas, witnessed the defeat along with 1266 fans at the AJ Bell Stadium and ex Premier League player Dimitri Payet from the French ranks couldn't affect the result. Goalkeeper Yohann Pele apparently did not live up to his famous name.
Pre-season for the Accies include Sligo Rovers, Bala Town, Warrington Town FC and Morecambe before their first league game v Lincoln City.
No comments:
Post a Comment