Avignon Foot 84 is a French association football

Football in France

Football is the most popular sport in France. The Fédération Française de Football is the national governing bodyand is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of association football in the country, both professional and amateur...

 team from the city of Avignon

Avignon

Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...

, Vaucluse, currently playing in Division d'honneur (6th division in the French football league system

French football league system

The French football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in France. At the top two levels of the system is the Ligue de Football Professionnel, which consists of two professional national divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Below that are a number of leagues run by the...

).

History

The club was founded in 1931 as Association Sportive Avignonaise and was subsequently professional from 1942 until 1948. The club was later renamed Olympique Avignonnais in a merger with Saint-Jean and became professional again in 1965.

In 1975, the team was promoted to Division 1

Ligue 1

Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

, after winning a playoff match against FC Rouen

FC Rouen

Football Club de Rouen 1899 is a French association football club based in Rouen. The club was formed in 1899 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third level of French football. Rouen plays its home matches at the Stade Robert Diochon; named after Robert Diochon, a historic player...

. However, the 1975–1976 season was disastrous, as the club finished bottom with 20 Points, 7 victories, 6 draws, 23 defeats, with 30 goals scored and 80 goals conceded. The club was relegated from Division 2

Ligue 2

Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...

 in 1976 and had to forgo its professional status in 1981 due to financial problems.

The club found itself in the fourth division in 1983–1984, but bounced back to Division 2

Ligue 2

Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...

 after successive promotions from 1989 to 1991. In 1992, the club was renamed Club Olympique Avignonnais after a merger with Sporting Club Avignonais. Relegation to the sixth division (Division d'honneur) followed in 1994. The club was renamed Avignon Foot 84 in 2003.

Notable players

Joseph Alcazar

Joseph Alcazar

Joseph Alcazar was a French association football striker. He was part of the French national team at the FIFA World Cup 1934.- Olympique de Marseille:* Coupe de France: 1934* Coupe de France runner-up : 1934-References:**...

 Patrick Cubaynes

Patrick Cubaynes

Patrick Cubaynes is a French former professional football player.-International career:Cubaynes was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California....

 Yves Herbet

Yves Herbet

Yves Herbet is a former French footballer now manager born in Villers-Cotterêts, who played as a midfielder.He was part of France at FIFA World Cup 1966.-External links:* French...

 Laurent Paganelli

Laurent Paganelli

Laurent Paganelli, is a former footballer, currently a journalist for Canal +, since 1997. He holds the record of the youngest player in French Division 1.-Titles:...

 Noël Tosi

Noël Tosi

Noël Tosi is a French football coach and former player.As a player he played for minor clubs in France. His first job as a coach was Deauville in 1986.Tosi previously coached the Congo national football team...

 Abdoulaye Traoré Franck Fiawoo

Managerial history

Dautheribes Huot Roger Cabanis: 1945–1948 Mokhtar Arribi: 1957–1958 Roger Vandooren: 1960–1965 Léon Glovacki

Léon Glovacki

Léon Glovacki was a French football striker.-References:*...

: 1965 – April 1968 Robert Siatka

Robert Siatka

Robert Siatka is a French former football defender.He played for France in the Euro 1960.-References:*...

: April 1968–1970  Louis Dupal: 1970–1971 Louis Hon: 1971–1972 Marc Bourrier

Marc Bourrier

Marc Bourrier is a French football midfielder who played for Montpellier, Lens, Toulon and Avignon.He most notably won the 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with the France national under-21 football team. He also coached Avignon, Marseille, Sète and Alès.-External links:* *...

: 1972–1976 Albert Batteux: 1976–1977 Jacques Bonnet: 1977–1979 Yves Sicard: 1979–1983 Robert Pintenat

Robert Pintenat

Robert Pintenat was a French former professional football player.-External links:***...

: 1983–1986 André Moulon: 1986–1988 René Exbrayat

René Exbrayat

René Exbrayat is French former footballer and football manager.He played for Arles and Aix-en-Provence, playing for France amateur football team at the Mediterranean Games....

: 1988–1991 Georges Korac: 1993–1996 Charles Decorzent: 2000–2002 Franck Lucchesi: 2003–2005 Christophe Chaintreuil: 2005–

External links

• Official site
• Heráldica de Fútbol: Sur le pont d’Avignon (Spanish)