History of the Stade Rennais in the French League
The most important of national competitions, the French League, Division 1 or Ligue 1, remains the best marker of a team's good health. The Stade Rennais is one of its historical members, and the “Rouge et Noirs” have known a few highs, but also many lows, including 8 relegations in second division, the last one in 1992. This is now water under the Vilaine's bridges, and Rennes has reached a national standing it only knew in the 1960's. But let's not forget where we come from.
The Stade Rennais had the privilege to be the only club from Brittany entering the first French professional first division championship, which was split in two groups for its first edition. In fact, it was even the only team from the West, most of the opponents being based around Paris, in the North or in the Mediterranean coast. The Bretons performed rather well by the way, managing reasonable positions
_After five years in the top flight, the first relegation happened, but the Second World War stopped the League just before the 1939-1940 season. There would be no real professional championship until 1945.
After the Liberation, Rennes returns to the First Division, and obtains encouraging results, a fifth place in 1945-46 and a fourth place in 1948-49. But soon, things will get darker, and the fifties will see Rennes spend most of their time struggling in Division 2 …or to stay up in the top flight.
Back in the elite at the end of the decade, the Stade Rennais will cement their place in the First Division and know its first instants of glory, with victories in the Coupe de France in 1965 et 1971. The team doesn’t know the same success in the League, with mostly mid-table positions (despite a fourth position in 1964-65), but seems ready to settle over time.
_The return to reality is brutal in the middle 1970’s , and the Stade Rennais will experience the darkest years of its history, playing only seven seasons in Division 1 over nearly 20 years, and managing to remain in the first division only once, in 1986. These famous years “in the elevator” are still very much part of the Stade Rennais image.
However, with the promotion obtained at the end of the 1993-1994 season, a new era seems to open. This time, Rennes manages to stay up, and even to obtain a hard-fought 8th position in 1995. The arrival of Francois Pinault, real catalyst of the infrastructures’ development (stadium, training centre and academy) will assess Rennes presence in the higher division. A presence marked by some disappointments, but also with some nice success, the better illustration being the first ever European qualification through the League, during the 2004-2005 season.
Summary of Rennes final positions in the French League:
- 1932-33 : 6th in Group B [1] (out of 10)
- 1933-34 : 6th (out of 14)
- 1934-35 : 10th (out of 16)
- 1935-36 : 10th (out of 16)
- 1936-37 : 15th (out of 16) – Relegated to Division 2
- 1937-38 : Division 2 – 3rd
- 1938-39 : Division 2 – 2nd
- 1945-46* : 5th
- 1946-47 : 9th
- 1947-48* : 10th
- 1948-49* : 4th
- 1949-50* : 9th
- 1950-51* : 14th
- 1951-52* : 15th
- 1952-53* : 16th – Relegated to Division 2 after losing in the play-offs
- 1953-54 : Division 2 - 6th
- 1954-55 : Division 2 – 3rd, losing in the promotion play-offs
- 1955-56 : Division 2 – 1st
- 1956-57* : 16th - Relegated to Division 2 after losing in the play-offs
- 1957-58 : Division 2 – 2nd
- 1958-59 : 12th
- 1959-60 : 15th
- 1960-61 : 14th
- 1961-62 : 12th
- 1962-63 : 11th
- 1963-64* : 11th
- 1964-65* : 4th
- 1965-66 : 6th
- 1966-67 : 11th
- 1967-68 : 14th
- 1968-69* : 11th
- 1969-70* : 14th
- 1970-71* : 11th
- 1971-72 : 11th
- 1972-73 : 10th
- 1973-74 : 13th
- 1974-75 : 20th – Relegated in Division 2
- 1975-76 : Division 2 – 1st in Group A [2]
- 1976-77 : 20th – Relegated to Division 2
- 1977-78 : Division 2 - 12th in Group B
- 1978-79 : Division 2 - 8th in Group B
- 1979-80 : Division 2 - 2th in Group A, defeated by Avignon in preliminary play-off (0-0, 2-3)
- 1980-81 : Division 2 - 4th in Group B
- 1981-82 : Division 2 - 5th in Group B
- 1982-83 : Division 2 – 1st in Group A
- 1983-84 : 20th - Relegated in Division 2
- 1984-85 : Division 2 – 3rd in Groupe A [3], promoted to Division 1 after a play-off victory against Rouen (0-1, 1-0 a.e.t, 7-6 pen.)
- 1985-86 : 13th
- 1986-87 : 20th – Relegated to Division 2
- 1987-88 : Division 2 - 10th in Group B
- 1988-89 : Division 2 – 3rd in Group A, defeated by Nimes in preliminary play-off (0-1)
- 1989-90 : Division 2 – 1st in Group B
- 1990-91 : 20th [4]
- 1991-92 : 18th – Relegated to Division 2 after a play-off defeat to Strasbourg (0-0, 1-4)
- 1992-93 : Division 2 – 2nd in Group B, defeated by Cannes in promotion play-offs (0-1, 0-3)
- 1993-94 : Division 2 – 2nd [5]
- 1994-95 : 13th
- 1995-96 : 8th
- 1996-97 : 16th
- 1997-98* : 14th
- 1998-99* : 5th
- 1999-00* : 13th
- 2000-01* : 6th
- 2001-02* : 12th
- 2002-03 : 15th
- 2003-04 : 9th
- 2004-05 : 4th
- 2005-06 : 7th
- 2006-07 : 4th
- 2007-08 : 6th
- 2008-09 : 7th
All Championships were composed of 20 teams except those marked with *, composed of 18 teams and pre-war championships, where the number of participants was varying (and is indicated between brackets)
[1] The first professional Division 1 championship split 20 teams in two groups of 10, the two groups winners meeting for a final game deciding the France Champion
[2] from 1973 until 1993, the Division 2 French Championship was split in two groups, each composed of 18 clubs. Both group winners are directly promoted to Division 1 and meet in a two-legged tie for the title of French Division 2 Champions. A preliminary play-off round is played between the runners-up (also in two-legged ties), and the winner would qualify to a promotion/relegation play-off against the antepenultimate of Division 1 (Again, in a two legged-tie).
[3] That year, the rules of promotion play-offs are changed. The winner of each group is still directly promoted, but the runner-up of Group A now plays against the third in Group B and vice versa (on an unique game). Both winners then meet in a two legged tie, and the winner qualifies to a promotion/relegation play-off against the antepenultimate of Division 1.
[4] The club is saved from relegation through the administrative relegations of Bordeaux, Nice and Brest
[5] The two Divisions 2 groups are merged to create an unique division of 22 teams