shannon2007

Decembre 2004

Time flies when you're having 'le fun' and already it was Noel. The first Noel, he fell down a drain..... but anyway I digress.

Entente Sannois Saint Gratienp were our first opponents over the festive period, and an in injury to Rossignol was a bit of a blow for us, as he would be out for a month. That didnt stop us winning though, as Theze and Vieira found the net, and we kept our run going. It was getting quite exciting.

Away to US Royenne, and we were in no mood to hand out Christmas presents. Lahcen Chakir sent us into the lead after just two minutes, and when Laurent Delchie added second just seven minutes later, there was little doubt where this match was going. Vieira and Sabourin added goals number three and four, and even though the home side had played for 62 minutes with 10 men, still an impressive away result.

With Stade Lavallois Mayenne FC 53 lying in 15th place in Ligue 2, we had to feel that given our current form we could cause an upset in the Coupe de France. Clearly though Laval were on a different level from what we were used to, although it did take a penalty for them to take the lead on 18 minutes. Three minutes after halftime, Patrice Loko added a second and our Coupe dream was over. Vieira did get a late consolation, but we will now 'be able to concentrate on the ligue'.

A 62nd minute Laurent Delchie goal was enough to get us back on our winning ways at home to Tours with a narrow and hard fought 1-0 win. The result leaves us five points clear at the top going into the winter break, which is not a position we would have expected. Hopefully we wont blow this now......

Mike..

Looking good there PM, and if you need a couple of good midfield buys consider me to be your French scout (or you could just poach 'my' Pau stars)

shannon2007

Its amazing the difference a human manager can make isnt it

shannon2007

Janvier 2005

The winter break was over, and it was time to get back to the task of securing the promotion we had now put ourselves in the frame for. If possible, winning the title would nice, but promotion was my main aim at the moment and if we secured that, then we would see how we stood regards anything extra.

2005 started with a trip to Cherbourg and we began as the old had ended, with a 1-0 win thanks to Rolland Vieira, who was starting to attract a little bit of attention and we might not be able to hold onto him if we get the right offer. Our run was now 13 ligue games unbeaten, perhaps unlucky for some, but not for us. Valenciennes were our first foots for 2005, and they certainly made a battle of it. Benaissa finally made the breakthrough 20 minutes from time, but the visitors had a sting in their tail and snatched a point with eight minutes left to play. You cant win them all.

Away to Racing 92, and after so many low scoring games, this was to be a treat for the support, and it was a pity only 832 people turned up for this game. Racing took the lead after just three minutes, but [i]Lilian Astier[/i[ had us level five minutes later from the penalty spot. Racing were back in front just three minutes later, and our unbeaten ligue run was looking under serious threat. On 39 minutes, Mohamed Benaissa had the ball on the edge of the area, but being surrounded by three defenders he seemed to have nowhere to go. A quite equisite piece of play though from the striker saw him make space for himself and deliver a beautiful cross to the feet of Rossignol who was unmarked in the area, and we were level. Goal of the season stuff.

Benaissa was rewarded with a goal of his own seven minutes into the second half, and Rolland Vieira added a 4th to emphasise our superiority and complete a fine win. The month ended at home to promotion chasing Valence, and for the second home match in a row we had to settle for a draw. After the goal glut in the previous game, there was nothing here for our 3350 support to celebrate, but we remain top of the table with eleven games left to play.

retired_confal2

Weirder and weirder...

Right now I'm sitting less than 10 kms away from Libourne -my mother lives in a small village here and I'm spending Xmas with her.

You possess a remarkable command of the French language, by the way -either that or you copied & pasted the first thread...

Another one to look forward to reading :cool:

shannon2007

Hehe thanks Dave. I better not make any derogatory remarks then about the place

shannon2007

Février/Mars 2005

With only 2 games to play, Fevrier was a month for recuperation, and in that sense it was good that we had gone out of the Coupe as it would help us in the final run in. Nimes would certainly be a tough away test, and indeed five minutes from half time the home side were ahead, albeit via the penalty spot. But confidence is high in the Libourne squad at the moment, and we werent for giving up our unbeaten ligue run so easily. Just after the hour, Mohamed Ali Doumbaya, in for the injured Benaissa, pulled us level and Pascal Theze won us another three points with eight minutes left to play.

Winning at home though seems to be something the players have forgotten how to do, as a 0-0 draw with Bayonne saw us fail to win our 3rd successive match on our own pitch. Away from home though we seem able to do the business, and although it was far from a classic match as Raon-l'Etape, a 23rd minute strike from Theze was enough to give us all three points. Perhaps we should play all our matches away.

Rouen came to Libourne, and my old side were struggling mid-table. A goalless first half suggested yet another draw, but on 58 minutes Ahmed Chafni sent us into the lead. Yet just as our fans finally sensed a win, with eight minutes left to play Rouen levelled and a 4th draw was on the cards. Pascal Theze though seems to be on a lucky run at the moment, and it was he who restored our lead on 85 minutes and in injury time Benaissa secured the win, and we had ended the jinx. It had been starting to get a wee bit worrying.

March ended with a trip to Sete who were no longer top of the table, becuase of course we were, and who were in fact struggling now to stay in touch with promotion. Once again, it seems our away matches are much more entertaining, as we went behind on 12 minutes, but Sabourin levelled eight minutes from the break. Laurent Delchie sent us ahead on 67 minutes, but Sete were desperate for the points and quickly hit back to level the game. We werent to be denied though as we stretched our unbeaten ligue run to a remarkable 21 matches, and five minutes from time Benaissa made it eight straight away ligue wins.

With just six games left to play, we sit five points clear of 2nd placed Besancon and thirteen points clear of the 4th spot, occupied by Valence. Promotion isn't quite guaranteed yet, but it's not far away, and we would have to have a quite incredible collapse to blow this now.

shannon2007

Avril/Mai 2005

With promotion secured, the target now was to bring home the National title for the first ever time. GFCO Ajaccio were easily brushed aside, Rolland Vieira bagging a brace as he cchased Besancon's Emmanuel Coquelet for the title of top scorer in the division, a race he was eventually to lose out on by three goals. Ahmed Chafni grabbed a late third, and we were three points nearer our title dream.

Away to Cannes, and our run of away wins was to come to an end. Vieira was on the scoresheet again in the 6th minute, but the home side were level ten minutes later. On 64 minutes they took the lead as our unbeaten run looked under threat, but Sabourin salvaged a draw and the run went on. Of course, such runs can't last forever and at home to a Besancon side that needed a win to clinch promotion for themselves, we seemed strangely unable to match their appetite for the match, and went down 2-0.

Croix de Savoie were another team chasing promotion, and so a trip there was not going to be easy, even though it seemed to the press we should stroll this game. I could only imagine they were on drugs. Another 2-0 defeat left us reeling, and with Besancon beating Pau 2-0, we found ourselves now trailing them by a point. It seemed we had run out of steam at the very end, and our title hopes were up in smoke. I could only be thankful that we were already promoted.

Yet football is, as they say in England, a funny old game. Besancon's title bid took a real blow as they went dowm 2-1 at Romorantin, and managed to shake off our lethargy to overcome Wasquehal by the same score, although there were times when it looked like we really wanted to throw this away. A fantastic second half from Besancon at home to Sannois in their final game, saw them score six times for a 6-0 win, but all their efforts were to be in vain. Although it wasn't pretty in our final match at home to Pau, an Atis-Clothaire goal ten minutes from time brought us the win we needed, and we had secured ourselves a title to celebrate over the summer.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | | | 1st | C | Libourne StSeurin | | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 62 | 32 | +30 | 82 | | | | 2nd | P | Besançon | | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 85 | 35 | +50 | 80 | | | | 3rd | P | Valence | | 38 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 54 | 29 | +25 | 71 | | | | 4th | | Croix de Savoie | | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 67 | 49 | +18 | 69 | | | | 5th | | Sète | | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 59 | 40 | +19 | 63 | | | | 6th | | Cannes | | 38 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 60 | | | | 7th | | Nîmes | | 37 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 54 | 40 | +14 | 56 | | | | 8th | | Romorantin | | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 52 | 43 | +9 | 55 | | | | 9th | | Bayonne | | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 44 | 37 | +7 | 53 | | | | 10th | | Pau | | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 48 | 38 | +10 | 53 | | | | 11th | | Rouen | | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 50 | | | | 12th | | Valenciennes | | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 44 | 49 | 5 | 48 | | | | 13th | | Cherbourg | | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 48 | 50 | 2 | 46 | | | | 14th | | Wasquehal | | 37 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 45 | | | | 15th | | Sannois SG | | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 48 | 73 | 25 | 43 | | | | 16th | | GFCO Ajaccio | | 38 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 43 | 71 | 28 | 36 | | | | 17th | R | Tours | | 38 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 36 | 55 | 19 | 36 | | | | 18th | R | Raonl'Etape | | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 19 | 35 | | | | 19th | R | Racing 92 | | 38 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 29 | 66 | 37 | 30 | | | | 20th | R | Roye | | 38 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 21 | 84 | 63 | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | </pre>

retired_confal2

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Peacemaker7:
Hehe thanks Dave. I better not make any derogatory remarks then about the place <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't hold back on my account

Not the most exciting place, and more than a fair share of weirdoes, pensioners and snobs walking the streets, judging from this morning's Christmas Market...

shannon2007

Juin/Juliet 2005

The big transfer news of the summer, for Libourne fans at any rate, was the departure of Rolland Vieira. It wasnt my intention of selling last season's top scorer and Supporters Player of the Year, but when two clubs matched my asking price of €750,000 up front and the same again over 12 months, I could hardly turn down such a bid. In the end, Vieira chose Guingamp and we were considerably better off.

The biggest signing of the summer in the way for us, was forward Stephane Calce- a direct replacement for Vieira - from Aurillac for €75,000. Five other players arrived to boost the squad as a few players departed on frees or minimal fee's. The basis of the team though is pretty much the same, and it remains to be seen as to whether we can survive in Ligue 2.

Equipe
FC Libourne Saison 2004-2005

Gardiens

Sebastien Socie (29) France Had a decent season last time, despite the odd flakiness at times, but being ever-present in the side shows he had what it took. Whether he can survive the higher ligue remains to be seen, but then that is true of us all. (Appearances 40, Conceded 34, Clean Sheets 17, Man of the Match 1, Rating 7.30)

Jean-Christophe Colard (24) France Didn't manage any first team appearances at all.

Jeremy Guy (24) France €18,000 signing from Orleans in the summer, is a reasonable keeper who adds depth to the keeping pool if needed.

Wilfried Aloy (20) France Spent last season in the reserves and will stay there. Doesnt look as if he can make it into first team contention and is likely to leave the club sooner rather than later.

Thomas Bense (18) France Our youth team keeper is a decent enough prospect, but of course he still has a lot of learning to do and it will be a while before we know if he has what it takes to break into the first team.

Defenseurs

Lilian Astier (27) France Decent season as the No 1 right back. Should be just about good enough to cope in Ligue 2. (Appearances 30, Goals 1, Assists 2, Man of the Match 2, Rating 7.33)

Davy Merabti (28) France Good season as an ever-present at left back, and should be well capable of holding his own in the higher division. (Appearances 40, Goals 0, Assists 6, Man of the Match 3, Rating 7.53)

Joel Vencleslas Kouassi (23) Cote d'Ivoire Didnt manage any appearances at all last season, but the departure of more regular players means Joel should get his chance to show us what hes made of.

Francois Marque (22) France Decent enough when given the chance, but already showing signs that Ligue 2 might just be too much for him. (Appearances 20, Goals 2, Assists 1, Man of the Match 0, Rating 7.12)

David Duquesnoy (23) France €30,000 summer signing from Roye.

David Soubieux (22) France €16,000 summer signing from Gap.

Christophe Arnould (19) France €30,000 summer signing from Albi.

Mathieu Zandona (22) France Managed only four appearances, but with a bit of luck will get more chances to prove himself. (Appearances 3(1), Goals 0, Assists 0, Man of the Match 0, Rating 6.00)

Milieux

Kalusivikak N'Goma (28) Republique Democratique du Congo €16,000 summer signing from Bayonne.

Laurent Delchie (25) France Had a decent enough season, and chipped in a handful of goals. (Appearances 29(2), Goals 5, Assists 6, Man of the Match 0, Rating 7.16)

Guilllaume Sabourin (25) France Good enough season, should just about be able to cip in the higher division. (Appearances 30, Goals 7, Assists 9, Man of the Match 1, Rating 7.50)

Regis Castant (31) France Didnt manage as many starts as he might have liked, but he should have more chances this season. (Appearances 15(2), Goals 1, Assists 2, Man of the Match 1, Rating 7.12)

Christophe Rossignol (31) France Good season from the midfielder, and can be dangerous from the edge of the area. (Appearances 27, Goals 7, Assists 6, Man of the Match 1, Rating 7.26)

Mickael Michel (32) France Only three appearance, the aging midfielder is really only making up the numbers. (Appearances 2(1), Goals 0, Assists 0, Man of the Match 0, Rating 7.33)

Lahcen Chakir (27) Maroc In and out of the first team, but did well enough when his chances arose. (Appearances 24(2), Goals 1, Assists 4, Man of the Match 2, Rating 7.42)

Pascal Theze (33) France Oldest player now in the squad, he did well enough when called on. (Appearances 27, Goals 4, Assists 1, Man of the Match 3, Rating 7.37)

Ernst Atis-Clothaire (27) Haiti Wants to leave after failing to make much impact, but no bids as of yet. (Appearances 6(1), Goals 3, Assists 1, Man of the Match 1, Rating 7.29)

Ahmed Chafni (25) Maroc Few appearance and far from convincing when he did play. (Appearances 4(7) Goals 2, Assists 2, Man of the Match 0, Rating 6.82)

Julien Colleter (18) France Never really looking like he can make the first team breakthrough, and will spend this season on loan to Trelissac.

Attaquants

Stephane Calce (26) France €75,000 replacement from Aurillac for Vieira, a lot is expected of him and it will remain to be seen if he can deliver.

Mohamed Benaissa (23) France Played the striking role in most games last season, but when all is said and done, a fairly poor goals return for such a position. (Appearances 32(2), Goals 12, Assists 8, Man of the Match 3, Rating 7.26)

Mohamed Ali Doumbouya (27) Guinee Filled in up front when needed, but didnt look at all impressive. (Appearances 6(1), Goals 1, Assists 1, Man of the Match 0, Rating 6.43)

Michael Munk (25) France €12,000 summer signing from Orleans.

Cyriaque Otta (28) Congo Only made 2 sub appearances last season.

Julien Faure (18) France Youth team striker, but he is very poor.