FC Villefranche
 | ||
| Full name | Football Club Villefranche-Beaujolais | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 | |
| Ground |
Stade Armand Chouffet Villefranche-sur-Saône, Rhône-Alpes | |
| Capacity | 5,000 | |
| Chairman | Philippe Terrier | |
| Manager | Alain Pochat | |
| League | Championnat National | |
| 2017–18 | National 2 Group B, 1st (promoted) | |
|
| ||
Football Club Villefranche-Beaujolais is a French association football club founded in 1927. They are based in Villefranche-sur-Saône, Rhône-Alpes and play at the Stade Armand Chouffet in the town. Their most successful period was in the early 1980s when they spent a single season in the second tier of French football. As of the 2018–19 season they are currently playing in the Championnat National, the third tier in the French football league system.
History
Football Club Villefranche-Beaujolais was formed in 1927, from the football section of multi-sports club Cercle Sportif de Villefranche. The Beaujolais suffix of the name had been applied by 1985, the club being known as just Football Club Villefranche previously.[1]
The club first appeared in the national league structure in 1953 when, as champions of the Division d'Honneur of the Lyonnais region they qualified for Division Nationale, the highest tier of amateur football. For five season they remained at this level, before suffering relegation in 1958. They returned again to the Division Nationale in 1966 as champions of the Lyonnais region, this time for three seasons before relegation in 1969.[1]
In 1970 the club gained access to the Division Nationale for a third time, remaining in the division when the FFF reorganised the leagues at the end of the 1970–71 season, meaning the club were officially part of the third tier of French football in the first edition of Division 3 in 1971. They remained at this level until relegated back to the regional league in 1976.[1]
In 1978 the FFF introduced a fourth division to their national league structure, and FC Villefranche were founder members, having finished 6th in the regional Division d'Honneur the previous season. An 11th place finish kept their place, and the following season, 1979–80, brought promotion to Division 3 via a 3rd place finish in their group. In 1983 they were promoted to Division 2 as a result of finishing in 3rd place in their group behind two teams ineligible for promotion.[1]
The club stayed just one season in Division 2, finishing bottom of Group A and being relegated back to Division 3. They remained at that level until finishing bottom of their group in 1988, and in 1989 suffered a second successive relegation back to the regional league.[1]
In 1993 the FFF introduced a fifth tier, and the club secured a place in the new National 3 division as champions of the Division Honneur (now the Rhône-Alpes region, after internal restructuring of the French regional leagues). After a fourth place finish in their group in 1994 they secured promotion in 1995 by finishing second in their group. The club completed three seasons of mid-table finishes before suffering back to back relegations again in 2000 and 2001.[1]
The club were once again champions of the Division d'Honneur in 2004, gaining promotion to CFA2. In 2008, their fourth season at the level, they won their group and gained promotion to the fourth tier, CFA.[1] They remain at this level as of the 2017–18 season.
Current squad
- As of 8 February 2018[2]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Histoire du FCVB" (in French). FCVB Official Site. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ↑ "L'Effectif National 2 2017/18" (in French). FC Villefranche. Retrieved 8 February 2018.