Le Havre AC
Encyclopedia
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association (lə avʁ; commonly referred to as Le HAC, HAC, or simply Le Havre) is a French association football
club based in Le Havre
. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club
in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France. Le Havre currently plays in Ligue 2
, the second level of French football
and plays its home matches at the Stade Jules Deschaseaux
, although in 2012 it will move into the Grand Stade du Havre
.
Le Havre made its football debut in France's first-ever championship in 1899 and, on its debut, became the first French club outside of Paris to win the league. The club, subsequently, won the league the following season in 1900. Le Havre has yet to win the current first division of French football, Ligue 1
, but has participated in the league 24 times; its last stint being during the 2008–09 season. The club's highest honor to date was winning the Coupe de France
in 1959. Le Havre is managed by Cédric Daury
and captained by midfielder
Hassane Alla
.
and soccer, called "combination". Le Havre can therefore be said to be origin of rugby union in France
.
Association football began being played on a regular basis in 1894, so technically FC Mulhouse
could be considered the first French football team being established in 1893 (however, they were a German team at the time). Le Havre currently play in Ligue 2
of the French league and their home stadium is Stade Jules Deschaseaux
.
In 1899, Le Havre became the first club from outside Paris to become French football champions
. At the time the championship was organised by the USFSA
. After being awarded a win over Iris Club Lillois in the semi-final by walkover, they were awarded the title after also receiving a walkover in the final against Club Français
. They would also win the following year, with the final being a "re-match" of the forfeited 1899 final.
The club is famous for its notable youth investment program
which develops and nurtures young (often local) talent, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise. A vast amount of good young talent has gone on to make an impact at international level including Ibrahim Ba
, Jean-Alain Boumsong
, Lassana Diarra
and Vikash Dhorasoo.
The club was on the receiving end of some high-profile illegal transfers, by which Charles N'Zogbia
, Matthias Lepiller
and Paul Pogba
were signed by other clubs, allegedly without the proper compensation being paid. The first two were arbitrated by FIFA, who ordered Newcastle United and ACF Fiorentina
to pay training compensation.
Le Havre is known as 'les ciel et marine' in France, which translates as 'the sky and navy blues'. These colours were chosen by the club's English founders as they were those of their alma maters, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
{|width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="5"
|- valign="top" align="left"
| width="33%" | Ibrahim Ba
Pascal Chimbonda
Vikash Dhorasoo Lassana Diarra
Didier Digard
Guillaume Beuzelin
Guillaume Hoarau
Christophe Revault
Florent Sinama Pongolle Anthony Le Tallec
Mathieu Manset
Dzoni Novak John Byrne
|----- Style="vertical-align:top"
| George Kimpton (1921–26) Mac Burgess
(1934–35) George McLachlan
(1935–36) Josef "Pépi" Schneider (1936–39) George Kimpton (1945–46) Jean Cornelli (1946–47) Roger Magnin (1948–49) Jules Bigot (1950–52) Elek Schwartz
(1952–53) René Bihel
(1953–54) Edmond Delfour
(1954–55) Roger Magnin (1955–56) Théo Bisson (1956–57) Lucien Jasseron
(1957–62) Eduardo Di Loreto (1962–63) Arie Devroedt (1963–64) Christian Villenave (1964–66) Max Schirschin
(1970–71) Corlani (1971–72) Fredo Garel (1972–73)
| Léonce Lavagne (1973–74) Edmond Baraffe
(1974–76) Léonce Lavagne (1976–82) Yves Herbet
(1982–83) Didier Notheaux
(1983–88) Pierre Mankowski (1988–93) Guy David (1993–96) René Exbrayat
(1996–97) Denis Troch
(1997 – October 98) Joël Beaujouan (October 1998–99) Francis Smerecki (1999–00) Joël Beaujouan (2000) Thierry Uvenard, Philippe Sence and Bruno Baronchelli
(December 2000) Jean-François Domergue
(December 2000–04) Philippe Hinschberger
(2004 – April 2005) Thierry Uvenard (April 2005–07) Jean-Marc Nobilo
(2007–08) Frédéric Hantz
(2008–09) Cédric Daury
(2009–)
|}
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...
club based in Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France. Le Havre currently plays in Ligue 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...
, the second level of French 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...
and plays its home matches at the Stade Jules Deschaseaux
Stade Jules Deschaseaux
Stade Jules Deschaseaux, is a multi-purpose stadium in Le Havre, France. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium is able to hold 16,400 people and was built in 1932. During the 1938 World Cup, it hosted one game. In 2012 it will be replaced by the currently under...
, although in 2012 it will move into the Grand Stade du Havre
Grand Stade du Havre
Grand Stade du Havre is a football stadium that is under construction in Le Havre, France. When it is completed it will have a capacity of 25,000 all-seated and be the home ground of Le Havre AC. It will replace Stade Jules Deschaseaux when it opens in mid 2012....
.
Le Havre made its football debut in France's first-ever championship in 1899 and, on its debut, became the first French club outside of Paris to win the league. The club, subsequently, won the league the following season in 1900. Le Havre has yet to win the current first division of French football, Ligue 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....
, but has participated in the league 24 times; its last stint being during the 2008–09 season. The club's highest honor to date was winning the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
in 1959. Le Havre is managed by Cédric Daury
Cédric Daury
Cédric Daury is French former footballer and football manager. He is currently managing Le Havre.-Career:Daury played as a midfielder and striker, for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs Reims, Angers, Le Havre, Cannes, Laval and Châteauroux....
and captained by midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Hassane Alla
Hassane Alla
Hassane Alla is a Moroccan footballer currently under contract for French side Le Havre AC.-External links:* *...
.
History
It was in 1872 that a group of British residents formed Le Havre Athletique. which played a hybrid form of football, a cross between rugbyRugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and soccer, called "combination". Le Havre can therefore be said to be origin of rugby union in France
Rugby union in France
Rugby union is the second most popular team sport in France, after association football, and is the dominant sport in most of the southern half of the country. It was first introduced in the early 1870s by British residents. Elite French clubs participate in the professional domestic club league,...
.
Association football began being played on a regular basis in 1894, so technically FC Mulhouse
FC Mulhouse
Football Club de Mulhouse is a French association football club based in Mulhouse. The club was founded in 1893 and currently play in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of French football. Mulhouse plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Ill located within the city...
could be considered the first French football team being established in 1893 (however, they were a German team at the time). Le Havre currently play in Ligue 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...
of the French league and their home stadium is Stade Jules Deschaseaux
Stade Jules Deschaseaux
Stade Jules Deschaseaux, is a multi-purpose stadium in Le Havre, France. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium is able to hold 16,400 people and was built in 1932. During the 1938 World Cup, it hosted one game. In 2012 it will be replaced by the currently under...
.
In 1899, Le Havre became the first club from outside Paris to become French football champions
French football champions
The French football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in France, Ligue 1. Since the National Council of the French Football Federation voted in support of professionalism in French football in 1930, the professional football championship of France has been contested...
. At the time the championship was organised by the USFSA
Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques
Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques is a former French sports governing body. During the 1890s and early 1900s it organised numerous sports including athletics, cycling, field hockey, fencing, croquet and swimming...
. After being awarded a win over Iris Club Lillois in the semi-final by walkover, they were awarded the title after also receiving a walkover in the final against Club Français
Club Français
Club Français was a French association football team based in Paris which was founded in 1890. Club Français won the Coupe de France Final 1931, its only major honour.The club played the first ever Division 1 season in 1932–33 but was relegated in Division 2...
. They would also win the following year, with the final being a "re-match" of the forfeited 1899 final.
The club is famous for its notable youth investment program
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
which develops and nurtures young (often local) talent, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise. A vast amount of good young talent has gone on to make an impact at international level including Ibrahim Ba
Ibrahim Ba
Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba is a Senegalese-born professional French football player of the 1990s and 2000s whose career as a right midfielder lasted from 1991 to 2008...
, Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong-Somkong is a professional football defender who currently plays for the Greek team Panathinaikos and the French national team.-Early career:...
, Lassana Diarra
Lassana Diarra
Lassana "Lass" Diarra is a French footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid. His predominant position is defensive midfielder but he can also play in a more advanced role and has played at right back, which he occasionally did for former clubs Chelsea, as well as France.-Early career:Diarra...
and Vikash Dhorasoo.
The club was on the receiving end of some high-profile illegal transfers, by which Charles N'Zogbia
Charles N'Zogbia
Charles N'Zogbia is a French footballer who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League. N'Zogbia was capped for the France under-21 team on thirteen occasions, and made his debut for the senior side in 2010....
, Matthias Lepiller
Matthias Lepiller
Matthias Lepiller is a French football striker. He currently plays in Italy for Hellas Verona on loan from Fiorentina.- Career :...
and Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba
Paul Labile Pogba is a French footballer who plays for English club Manchester United in the Premier League. Of Guinean descent, he operates primarily as a midfielder who is comfortable at playing both offensively and defensively...
were signed by other clubs, allegedly without the proper compensation being paid. The first two were arbitrated by FIFA, who ordered Newcastle United and ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
to pay training compensation.
Le Havre is known as 'les ciel et marine' in France, which translates as 'the sky and navy blues'. These colours were chosen by the club's English founders as they were those of their alma maters, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Current squad
Reserve squad
- Head Coach: Johann Louvel
Notable players
- For all Le Havre AC players with a Wikipedia article, see :Category:Le Havre AC players.
{|width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="5"
|- valign="top" align="left"
| width="33%" | Ibrahim Ba
Ibrahim Ba
Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba is a Senegalese-born professional French football player of the 1990s and 2000s whose career as a right midfielder lasted from 1991 to 2008...
Pascal Chimbonda
Pascal Chimbonda
Pascal Chimbonda is a French footballer who currently plays for Doncaster Rovers, having been released early from a short term deal by Queens Park Rangers...
Vikash Dhorasoo Lassana Diarra
Lassana Diarra
Lassana "Lass" Diarra is a French footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid. His predominant position is defensive midfielder but he can also play in a more advanced role and has played at right back, which he occasionally did for former clubs Chelsea, as well as France.-Early career:Diarra...
Didier Digard
Didier Digard
Didier Digard is a French footballer who plays for Nice as a midfielder.-Le Havre AC:Digard started his career with Le Havre, and spent eight years at the club. He played over 70 league games for the club.-PSG:...
Guillaume Beuzelin
Guillaume Beuzelin
Guillaume Beuzelin is a French former professional footballer. He played for Le Havre, AS Beauvais, Hibernian, Coventry City, Hamilton Academical and Olympiakos Nicosia.-Hibernian:...
Guillaume Hoarau
Guillaume Hoarau
Guillaume Hoarau is a French football player who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He is noted for his imposing height standing at 6 ft 3.5 in and his prolific goal-scoring....
Christophe Revault
Christophe Revault
Christophe Revault is a French professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Le Havre AC-Le Havre:Revault started his career with Le Havre, playing his first Ligue 1 game for them against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.-Paris SG:Revault would return to Paris to play for PSG in...
Florent Sinama Pongolle Anthony Le Tallec
Anthony Le Tallec
Anthony Le Tallec is a French footballer who plays for AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1, as a forward or attacking midfielder.-Liverpool:...
Mathieu Manset
Mathieu Manset
Mathieu Manset is a French footballer who plays for Reading as a centre forward.-Career:Manset was born in Metz and started his career in his native France with Le Havre AC. In the 2007–08 season he managed to break into the reserve side, who played in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth...
Dzoni Novak John Byrne
John Byrne (Irish footballer)
John Frederick Byrne is an English-born Irish former international footballer in the 1980s and 1990s.-Club career:...
Honours
- Ligue 2Ligue 2Ligue 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...
- Winners (5) : 1938, 1959, 1985, 1991, 2008
- Runners Up (1) : 1950
- Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
- Winners (1) : 1959
- Runners Up (1) : 1920
- USFSAUnion des Sociétés Françaises de Sports AthlétiquesUnion des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques is a former French sports governing body. During the 1890s and early 1900s it organised numerous sports including athletics, cycling, field hockey, fencing, croquet and swimming...
Championnat- Winners (3) : 1899, 1900, 1919
- Challenge international du Nord
- Winners (1) : 1900
- Coupe Nationale
- Winners (2) : 1918, 1919
- Normandy Division d'Honneur
- Winners (13) : 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1926
- Challenge des ChampionsTrophée des championsThe Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...
- Winners (1) : 1959
Managerial history
{||----- Style="vertical-align:top"
| George Kimpton (1921–26) Mac Burgess
Mac Burgess
Mac Burgess was an English professional football manager who coached French team Le Havre between 1934 and 1935.-References:...
(1934–35) George McLachlan
George McLachlan
George Herbert McLachlan was an FA Cup-winning Scottish footballer and manager. He was born in Glasgow and played as an outside left or at wing half.-Early years:...
(1935–36) Josef "Pépi" Schneider (1936–39) George Kimpton (1945–46) Jean Cornelli (1946–47) Roger Magnin (1948–49) Jules Bigot (1950–52) Elek Schwartz
Elek Schwartz
Alexandru "Elek" Schwartz was a Jewish-Romanian footballer and coach of the Dutch national football team. With SL Benfica he won the national Championship and Cup trophies of 1965 and led the club into the final of the European Cup of Champions.-Player in Romania and France:Elek Schwartz initially...
(1952–53) René Bihel
René Bihel
René Bihel was a professional French football player.-External links:***...
(1953–54) Edmond Delfour
Edmond Delfour
Maurice Edmond Delfour was a French international footballer who played midfielder and manager. He was born in Ris-Orangis...
(1954–55) Roger Magnin (1955–56) Théo Bisson (1956–57) Lucien Jasseron
Lucien Jasseron
Lucien Jasseron was a French footballer.He played for Le Havre AC and RC Paris, and was part of France in the 1938 World Cup. He then had a coaching career.-References:*...
(1957–62) Eduardo Di Loreto (1962–63) Arie Devroedt (1963–64) Christian Villenave (1964–66) Max Schirschin
Max Schirschin
Max Schirschin is German former footballer and football manager.He played for Schalke 04, Angers, Le Havre, Rouen and RC Maison-Carrée.He coached Rouen, Gent, Fortuna '54, Metz and Le Havre. and Bastia.-References:...
(1970–71) Corlani (1971–72) Fredo Garel (1972–73)
| Léonce Lavagne (1973–74) Edmond Baraffe
Edmond Baraffe
Edmond Baraffe is a former professional French football striker and manager.-References:* *...
(1974–76) Léonce Lavagne (1976–82) 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...
(1982–83) Didier Notheaux
Didier Notheaux
Didier Notheaux is a French football coach.Prior to his coaching career, he played mainly for FC Rouen, RC Lens and Stade Rennais FC.He then coached numerous French clubs and already had a brief stint for Burkina Faso.He led the team to 2000 African Cup of Nations, but was fired just before the...
(1983–88) Pierre Mankowski (1988–93) Guy David (1993–96) 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....
(1996–97) Denis Troch
Denis Troch
Denis Troch is a former French professional football player and now manager.Troch's last job in management was with Chamois Niortais, but he was sacked in June 2009 after the club were relegated to the Championnat de France amateur...
(1997 – October 98) Joël Beaujouan (October 1998–99) Francis Smerecki (1999–00) Joël Beaujouan (2000) Thierry Uvenard, Philippe Sence and Bruno Baronchelli
Bruno Baronchelli
Bruno Baronchelli is a former professional French football striker.- External links :*...
(December 2000) Jean-François Domergue
Jean-François Domergue
Jean-François Domergue is a former French footballer who played defender, now manager of Montpellier HSC.Throughout his career he was called up nine times to the France national football team, where he scored only two goals – both in the semi-finals of the 1984 European Football Championship...
(December 2000–04) Philippe Hinschberger
Philippe Hinschberger
Philippe Hinschberger is a retired French football player who played with FC Metz.After retiring as a player Hinsberger has managed CS Louhans-Cuiseaux, Chamois Niortais and Le Havre; he has been manager of Laval since 2007.-References:...
(2004 – April 2005) Thierry Uvenard (April 2005–07) Jean-Marc Nobilo
Jean-Marc Nobilo
Jean Marc Nobilo is a former French Striker, and former coach and now chief executive of French Ligue 1 side Le Havre.- Career :On 18 December 2008 he bandies from Head Coach of Le Havre AC to chief executive...
(2007–08) Frédéric Hantz
Frédéric Hantz
Frédéric Hantz is a football manager, currently managing SC Bastia.-Coaching career:Formerly coached FC Sochaux who had a playing career before coaching. On 18 December named as new Head Coach by Le Havre AC and was after the end of his contract on 30 June 2010 released...
(2008–09) Cédric Daury
Cédric Daury
Cédric Daury is French former footballer and football manager. He is currently managing Le Havre.-Career:Daury played as a midfielder and striker, for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs Reims, Angers, Le Havre, Cannes, Laval and Châteauroux....
(2009–)
|}