Scores Rennes en direct
17 November 2010 | à 00h10

Roazhon - Brest : An derbi gwir

The Stade Rennais takes on Stade Brestois 29 this Saturday, 19:00 CET, at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, as part of the France Ligue 1's 14th game week.

Roazhon - Brest : An derbi gwir

Preamble

Stade Rennais VS Stade Brestois, the epitome of a Breton derby, East against West, an ancestral rivalry, but also the clash between two clubs with a rich and action-packed history.
"Derby! The magic word has been pronounced. And for anyone knowing Brittany, the country of legends where Cartesian minds sometimes struggle to find a place, where the irrational is always present, where the magic is in the air, maybe a bit more than anywhere else, a Breton derby can only revive the most deeply buried passions. A derby, what did I say? THE Breton derby.” (Viewed by Jean-Michel Brochen, a former journalist at the Télégramme de Brest, now working for France Football, before a Rennes-Brest game in the 1985-1986 season). History of a very particular derby.

The Opposition

The Stade Brestois was founded on June 26th, 1950, after the merging of Brest Armoricaine - Avenir, the Milice Saint-Michel, the Jeunes de Saint-Marc and la flamme du Pilier Rouge. The club from the Finistere started its history at promotion level (local league) during the 1950/1951 season, and reached the CFA (Championnat de France Amateur) as soon as 1958. At this time, the Stade Brestois was building its success mainly at regional level, with a few fabulous encounters with Brest’s other team, the AS Brest. 3rd in the CFA during the 1969-1970 season, the Stade Brestois reached the second French division for the first time in their history. Early days were full of promise, and Brest obtained a respectable fifth place for their first season at this level. Even better the following season, when Brest reached the Championship podium, preceded only by Limoges and Valenciennes (3rd). Finally, the Ponant city would continue playing in Division 2 for nine consecutive seasons, before reaching their consecration during the 1978/1979 season, with a historic promotion to the first division. Brest won the league and made their promotion official during the game against their main rival, the RC Lens on April 28, 1978. The Finisterian team won by 3 goals to 1, and the old Stade de l’Armoricaine, in a dazzling atmosphere, burst into an uncontrollable explosion of joy. The club was in heaven, and celebrated its heroes, including Patrick Martet, 26 goals on that season, and arguably the main man in Brest’s outstanding season. Jean-Pierre Guennal’s Brest would go on with a defeat against Gueugnon (first in the Group A) in the Division 2 final (1-2, 0-1). But it didn’t matter, the Stade Brestois had reached the Division 1 for the first time in their history!

With their professional status acquired, Brest was in the unknown at the time of starting their first season in the top flight. The first season in the French top flight eventually turned into a disaster. Indeed, the Stade Brestois had to wait for the 19th game week before recording their first success (against Lyon, 5-1). 20th and last in the Division 1 with only 4 wins out of 38 games, the Ponant club was soon returned to the second tier, despite seventeen goals by the outstanding Drago Vabec (Read below). Very much like the Stade Rennais FC, the Stade Brestois started a series of up and downs between the first and second division, dealing with the club many (and often internal) issues. Brest was very soon back in Division 1 however, earning themselves a French Division 2 champion title against Montpellier (1st in the Group A) in the process (3-2, 2-0 in the final). François Yvinec then became the club’s president in June 1981, marking the dawn of a new era at the club. At the beginning of the 1983-84 season, Yvinec decided to rename the club into “Brest Armorique FC”, after the stade de l’Armoricaine had become Stade Francis Le Blé* (in memory of the city’s former mayor, from 1977 to 1982). With time, the club from the Penfeld side managed a few vintage performances, such as the victory in Nantes (2-0) in Decembre 1984, marking the “Canaris”’s first defeat in their Stadium of La Beaujoire. In the trail of a thunderous Gérard Buscher (19 goals during the 1984-1985 season), the Brest Armorique is affirming itself every season as one of the clubs to watch in the French top-flight. As for Bucher, he remains, to this day, the club’s best goal scorer in the first division (58 goals wearing Brest’s shirt), scoring goals freely for a team build as a group of “mates”. His potential was enormous, and probably one of the best in France in the 1980’s.

In summer 1986, Raymond Kéruzoré, a man adored by the many Breton supporters, arrives in the Ponant City. By giving the reins of his team to a man from the Finistere, François Yvinec nourishes the idea to give the club a regional direction, hoping to turn Brest into the capital of West-Brittany football. The association would only last one season though, with a very satisfying 8th position in the final standing during in 1986/1987 (the club’s best final ranking in the top flight to this day). In autumn 1987, with Brest struggling in the League, François Yvinec returns to Finistère with a famous Paraguayan striker, Roberto Cabanãs (at the term of hectic adventures in South America), introduced to the supporters as some sort of messiah.

It is the beginning of a long love story between the Brest fans and the twirling Paraguayan forward. Unfortunately, Brest has already got too much foreign players in their squad, and the FIFA refuses to give them derogation, Cabanãs would have to wait until the 1988/1989 season before being allowed to play. Meanwhile, Brest failed to save their place in Division 1 and finished the championship in 19th position. The Brest Armorique had remained continuously in the first tier for seven years uninterrupted however. The Finisterian club restarted their quest in the Second division during the following season, finishing second after the League’s 34 game weeks. One of Brest’s finest football moments would follow. Everyone in Brest remembers the epic promotion play-off against RC Strasbourg in May 1989, and the incredible Roberto Cabanãs scoring the decisive goal during the return leg in Brest (2-2 / 1-0). The Paraguayan striker (22 goals during the regular season) liberated his team-mates and became instantly the hero of a whole city. Francis le Blé was shaking with joy, and the Brest Armorique returned to the first division, one year

only after being relegated

In May 1991, Brest finances were audited by the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG - National Directorate of Management Control), and the sentence was soon falling, relentless. With a debt in the area of 150 million of French francs (about 23 million euros), the Brest Armorique was relegated in second division alongside the Girondins de Bordeaux (whose former president, Claude Bez, had resigned a few months earlier after he was charged for fraud) and the OGC Nice. The decision profited to René Ruello’s (then president) Stade Rennes, who kept their place in the French top flight despite finishing bottom of the league. Two months later, the sanction was confirmed for Brest, and the club was forced to restart from the second division. Brest’s fortunes went from bad to worse, mainly because of the megalomania of their former and famous president, François Yvinec’s (and of his bagman, the infamous Charlie Chaker). A charismatic character, well known for his legendary mischiefs (notably the transfers of Cabanãs or Goycochea), he now lives away from the limelight in Spain, in his hut of Calpe near Alicante, where he finds peace in painting, one of his many passions. Brest Armorique played its final professional game on November 30th, 1991, at the Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp (EAG won 3-2). The game was interrupted twice after the pitch was invaded (and smoke bombs were thrown on the playing surface) by a group of Brest supporters vexed by the fate of their favourite club. In a surrealistic atmosphere, David Ginola was forced to take the microphone and ask his own supporters to calm down. The Finisterian club declared itself bankrupt only a few days later, on December 6th, 1991. Brest Armorique would not even finish their twelfth official season in the Division 2, although the club was still in with a chance to gain promotion back into the first league. Some of the most radical Brest supporters were quick to decide on a scapegoat, it would be Noël Le Graët. They accused the president of En Avant Guingamp, mayor of Guingamp and then president of the National League of Football to have abused of his power to eliminate the Breton competition, arguing that more Breton clubs had known the same fate, Saint Brieuc for example. A few years later, when Brest returned in Ligue 2 for the 2004-2005 season (laying the foundations of a new era), Brest would come and snatch the victory in Guingamp (2-1, a double by Boulanger), taking their revenge on the field. A sign of destiny, probably. But at that time, the Stade Brestois finished the season in Division 3 (D3), with an amateur status and a 9th position in the Western Group.

A long journey through the wilderness started for the club from the Penfeld banks, in which mirages were many and oasis only a few. The Stade Brestois 29 (recently renamed) would play five seasons in Division 3 and National (the new name for the 3rd tier of French football) before crumbling completely during the 1996/1997 season. The club was in ruins and relegated in the CFA Championship (4th tier), sinking further in the anonymity. The club would spend three years at this level. The passion and enthusiasm around the Ponant club never died, however, and they were ready to return at any occasion. A derby between Brest and the GSI Pontivy attracted 9561 spectators in 2000, still a record at this level. During the same season, games against Tours and Saint-Maur were also played in front of big attendances. The Stade Brestois eventually clinched the League’s first position in front of Saint Maur. The Finisterian club could then start a new spell in the National, where they would stay for another four seasons. In 2000/2001, with players such as Jean-Marc Droesch (19 goals), Rogerio Moreira (16) or Franck Lérand (14), the Stade Brestois 29 came close to a return in Ligue 2 in front of TV Breizh’ cameras, which broadcasted a few of Brest’s games that season. The team was playing high-profile football with tactics resolutely turned towards the attack (64 goals scored), managing one of the Stade Brestois 29’s best seasons since it was created in 1992: A reference in terms of style and a fan base which would identify themselves completely to their team. Eventually, the Stade Brestois returned to Ligue 2, thanks, in particular, to the blossoming of a young player named Franck Ribéry, and retrieved a professional status at the beginning of the 2004-2005 season. Four years later, the club is in danger and seems to be heading back to the National. This is when Alex Dupont, an experienced manager, winner of the Coupe de la Ligue with Gueugnon in 2000, is introduced with a simple target: save Brest from a return to the third level. The mission was accomplished despite a few frights, the SB29 remained in Ligue 2 for a 5th consecutive season. A much brighter future was opening to the club from the ocean side.

The following year, in the stride of Bruno Grougi (transferred from Clermont in Summer) and Nolan Roux (the son of a former SRFC striker, Bruno Roux), a 15 goals scorer during the Championship, the club from Finistère managed a perfect season. After nineteen years of drought, the SB29 was returning to the French football elite at the end of a clear victory over Tours (2-0). As soon as the final whistle blew, the players were celebrated by a delirious crowd. Kept away from the highest level since nearly twenty years, the fans could let their emotion flow, and the scenes of jubilation were reminiscent of the Stade’s finest hours. At the end of a smoothly run season, the Breton club finished the league in second position behind the SM Caen, and gained an almost unexpected return to Ligue 1. The Stade Brestois had paid a heavy bill for its past, but brushing away its old daemons, Michel Guyot’s club is now wishing to consolidate its place at the highest level of national football. In terms of silverware, alongside their French Division 2 Champion title (1981), one of the club’s main achievements was the Gambardella Cup victory in 1990. It marked the dawn of a generation of talented youngsters such as Stéphane Guivarc’h (who would later play with Rennes in the 1996/1997 season), Erwan Manach, Laurent David, etc…In the final in Mulhouse, the “P’tits zefs” from Brest took the better on Grenoble, a 3 goals to 1 victory with a brace by Cujard and a goal by Guivarc’h…it was on May 2nd, 1990. In only 60 years of history, the SB29 is eventually playing its eleventh year in the first division with mixed results at this level, but the Finisterian club has kept a certain notoriety, at the time of returning to the Ligue 1.

On the Supporters side, the now famous “Ici c’est Brest”, a chant inspired by the Paris Saint Germain fan’s “Ici c’est Paris”, is maybe a bit more than just a random choice. AT the end of the 1980’s, a couple of years before the club was relegated to the Division 2, the Brest Armorique had turned into a sort of provincial branch of the Paris Saint-Germain. Indeed, the Capital’s club came regularly to Brest to buy players (and future international players) such as Paul le Guen, Vincent Guérin, Bernard Lama, David Ginola or Patrick Colleter. Also, some big names of French and European football played at the Finisterian club: Yvon Le Roux (1977 to 1983), Joel Henry (1983 to 1986), Bruno Pabois, Jean-Pierre Bosser, Patrick Martet, Bernard Pardo, Jocelyn Rico, Maurice Bouquet, Stéphane Plancque, Milan Radovic, Sergio Goycochea, Julio Cesar, Karim Maroc, Gérard Bernardet (one of Stade Brestois’ iconic players in the early 80’s), José Luis Brown, Michel Sorin, Raymond Kéruzoré

, Gérard Buscher, Willem Letemahulu (the “pixie” from l’Armoricaine), Claude Makelele (June 90 - December 91), Stéphane Guivarc’h to name only a few, wrote the finest pages in the Ponant city club’s history.

* Highest Attendance : 20548 spectators (Brest-Marseille 0-0, August 8th, 1986 - D1).

Previous meetings

For many years, the « Rouge et Noir » from the Stade Rennais FC were the leading force in Breton football, but in the early 80’s, it was clearly the Brest Armorique that dominated football in Brittany. At this time, the “Brezhoneg” dominance was certainly coming from the Ponant city. With Rennes struggling in the second division, the Brest Armorique was fighting with the giants. Behind Brest, the whole Breton football was revived. A long absentee in the elite, the region had found a new flagship. A regional dynamic was born… before dying out in 1991.

To reach the top of Breton football, Brest had to build its unity. The rivalry was buried between the “Stade”, a team founded by priests in 1950 from the merging of 5 religious teams, and the agnostic “Association Sportive”, now playing in the regional divisions. Rennes-Brest is a fight for supremacy, a fratricidal duel. The 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s for the Stade Brestois and FC Brest Armorique were years of epic proportion: Twisting seasons, talented players with strong personalities, funny business (of all sorts) and supporters fully identifying to their club.

Despite the few official encounters between the teams, the games between Brest and Rennes often opened the way to hard-fought battles, with the regional supremacy at stake. Some animosity even exists between the fans of both sides, Rennes/Brest is also the confrontation between the bourgeois club of Rennes, and the “working class” team of Brest.

In the first division, only four games were played in Rennes between the clubs, for a Ligue 1 record balancing to the advantage of Brest. The “Rouge et Noir” won only once (during the 1990-1991 season) at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, for two Brest victories and a draw. The first encounter in the top flight dates back to the 1983-1984 season, when the clubs drew 1-1. Jacky Charrier had equalised after Brest opened the score line through Njo-Léa at the end of the first half.

* Stade Rennais 1 - 1 Brest
Divsion 1, Game Week 8
Saturday, September 10, 1983

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : 21 334 spectators

Goals : Charrier (65’) for Rennes, Njo-Léa (41’) for Brest.

Stade Rennais FC : Hiard - Samson, Stopyra, Charrier, Brulez - Marais (Tischner, 57’), Horsmann, Zajakowski, Vésir - Bousdira, Morin.

Brest : Bernard - Rico, Henry, Muslin (Bosser, 66’), Steck - Le Magueresse, Honorine, Pardo, Pouliquen (Le Guen, 46’) - Maroc (Dupraz, 72’), Njo-Léa.

Two years later, as Stade Rennes returned to the first division, the Finisterian team, led by a magnificent Petrovic, came to triumph in Rennes, thumping the “Rouge et Noir” 4-0. The SRFC did not exist against a team walking on the water. This game remembered as “legendary” by the Brest fans, is maybe one of the best memories for the Brest Armorique supporters of that time. Brest’s fresh and smart attitude had given no chance to Rennes, the Finistère had walked over the Ille-et-Vilaine.

* Stade Rennais 0 - 4 Brest
Divsion 1, Game Week 12
Friday, September 20, 1985

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : 17 509 spectators

Goals : Bernardet (36’), Mariini (57’) and Buscher (71’ & 85’) for Brest.

Stade Rennais FC : Hiard - Gallou, Rio, Ninot, Doaré - Christophe, G.Lacombe, Lanthier - Voordeckers, Relmy (Muller, 61’).

Brest : Chaslerie- Bosser, Zambelli, Gousset, Pouliquen - Bernardet, Petrovic, Muslin, Bouquet - Buscher, Mariini (Guérin, 78’).

* Link video

Next year, same story, it’s Brest again who comes winning at the Route de Lorient, with two goals by Buscher and Guégan (0-2). The game was then played in front of a very reduced attendance (2856 spectators…), Brest 8th in the league, had nothing to win anymore and Rennes, 20th with only 17 points (5 wins, 7 draws and 23 defeats) was already relegated to D2.

* Stade Rennais 0 - 2 Brest
Division 1, game week 35
Friday, May 15th, 1987

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : 2 856 spectators

Goals: Buscher (35’) and Guégan (51’) for Brest.

Stade Rennais FC : Bourges - Le Goff, Sembel, Ninot, Marais - Christophe (Doaré, 75’), Angloma, Barraud, Solsona - Voordeckers (L. Delamontagne, 46’), Relmy.

Brest : Chaslerie - Bosser, Sorin, Brown, Honorine - Goudet, Guégan, Colleter, Bouquet (Le Guen, 46’) - Mariini, Buscher.

In 1990, and as Brest Armorique was going down the road to big difficulties, the Stade Rennes managed to win at home for the first time in their history against their Breton neighbour. With goals by Laurent Delamontagne, François Omam-Biyik and Bob Senoussi, the SRFC put an end to their curse against Brest in the top league (3-0).

* Stade Rennais 3 - 0 Brest
Divsion 1, Game week 21
Sunday, December 23rd, 1990

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : 17 853 spectators

Goals : L. Delamontagne (14’), Omam-Biyik (80’) and Senoussi (89’) for Rennes

Stade Rennais FC : Hiard - L’Helgouac’h, Le Dizet (cap), Sorin, Oosterveer - Senoussi, Ribar, Rico, P. Delamontagne (Paillard, 69’) - L. Delamontagne, Omam-Biyik.

Brest : Lama - Bouquet (David, 18.), Kane (cap), Sekana, Pierre - Pabois, Martins, Salaün (Guivarc’h, 66’), Ferrer - Ginola, Cloarec.

Until 2004, Rennes and Brest had met only once in the Coupe de France. It was in 1970, and Rennes had shown no sympathy to the then minnows from Brest. The Breton capital’s club earned a large victory that night, winning by 5 goals to one.

SRUC : Aubour - Cosnard, Jazdzyk, Cédolin, Cardiet - Garcia, Naumovic, Simian, Rodighiero (Lenoir) - Lukic, Guermeur. (January 8, 1970)

The last competitive game between the two Breton clubs was a Round of 64 of the 2004 Coupe de France. Unlucky during the game, Brest (just promoted to Ligue 2) had lost 1-0 on an own goal by Morestin at the last minute of extra-time.

* Stade Rennais 1 - 0 Brest
Coupe de France, Round of 64
Friday, January 7th, 2004

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : 14 717 spectators

Goals : Morestin (120’, og) for Rennes

Stade Rennais FC : Isaksson - Jeunechamp (cap), Ouaddou, Adailton, Le Lan - Didot, Gourcuff (Frei, 62’), Dudu (Bourillon, 95’), Monterrubio - N’Guéma (Sorlin, 74’), Maoulida.

Brest : Heurtebis - Bourgis, Morestin, Massot, Hriscu - Grondin (L. David, 76’), Guégan (cap), Auriac, Hammouti - Dissa, Fortuné (Dja Djedjé, 106’).

Finally, many players have played for both clubs during their career, including Raymond Kéruzoré, Thierry Goudet, Jocelyn Gourvennec or Yoann Bigné recently, witnessing the rich common history of these two clubs.

Last Rennes goal scorer (in L1) : Bob Senoussi (December 23rd, 1990 – 89’)

Summary of Stade Rennais - Stade Brestois 29 in Division 1 : 4 games, 1 Rennes victory, 1 draw and 2 Brest victories. 4 goals to Rennes, 7 to Brest.

Summary of Stade Rennais - Stade Brestois 29 in Division 2 : 5 games, 2 Rennes victories, 2 draws and 1 Brest victory. 14 goals to Rennes, 6 to Brest.

Previous games between Rennes and Brest

- 2004/2005 (CDF – R64) : Rennes wins 1-0 (Morestin og, a.E.T)
- 1990/1991 (D1) : Rennes wins 3-0 (L. Delamontagne, Omam-Biyik & Senoussi)
- 1988/1989 (D2)* : Draw 2-2 (Van Den Boogaard 2 / Cabanãs & Le Guen)
- 1986/1987 (D1) : Brest wins 2-0 (Buscher & Guégan)
- 1985/1986 (D1) : Brest wins 4-0 (Bernardet, Mariini & Buscher (2))
- 1983/1984 (D1) : Draw 1-1 (Charrier / Njo-Léa)
- 1980/1981 (D2) : Draw 1-1 (Zivaljevic for Rennes)
- 1978/1979 (D2)** : Brest wins 2-1 (Thoirain for Rennes)
- 1977/1978 (D2) : Rennes wins 4-0 (Rabier, Spréco et Bernard 2 for the SRFC)
- 1975/1976 (D2) : Rennes wins 6-1 (Willim (4) & P. Delamontagne (2) for Rennes)
- 1969/1970 (CDF – R64) : Rennes wins 5-1, in Quimper (Lukic (2), Guermeur, Lenoir (2) for the SRFC)

* 20.805 spectators, best attendance of the season
** 20.473 spectators, best attendance of the season

Spotlight on... Drago Vabec

If one man should be picked, it would certainly be the incredible Drago “Dragutin” Vabec. With 60 goals scored with Brest Armorique in four seasons (1979-1983), he was one of the best strikers in the Division 1 during his spell in Brest. This left winger, with outstanding dribbling skills, was the type of players able to decide of the outcome of a game. An all-round player, he was able to score with a pure and powerful shooting ability, or to give the perfect inch-pass, a real aesthete of football, and certainly the most admirable player to have ever worn the Brest shirt. Despite his difficult temperament, the Yugoslavian player’s incredible talent dazzled the crowds in Brest and in all the stadiums in France, his intelligence, his pace and his skills in front of the goals were comparable to the best players of his time. 25 years later, he remains the Stade de l’Amoricaine’s idol. Drago Vabec, a 7 times Yugoslavian international (1 goal), arrived in the city of Ponant with solid references to his name, he left as a living legend 4 years later, an iconic player to remain forever among the greats in the Finisterian club, and the incarnation of the Stade Brestois’ successful 1980’s. The flying Yugoslavian returned to Dinamo Zagreb (his first club) at the end of his spell in Brittany.

* Summary of his career in Brest :

- 1979/1980 (D1) : 17 goals
- 1980/1981 (D2) : 14 goals
- 1981/1982 (D1) : 18 goals
- 1982/1983 (D1) : 11 goals

Sources :
forum footnostalgie

Stade Brestois 29’s official web site
« Le Stade rennais, fleuron du football breton » by Claude Loire, Ed. Apogée.

Photos :
Stade Brestois 29’s official web site
forum footnostalgie

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