Pau FC

Foundation

Pau Football Club was founded as a catholic organization called Bleuets de Notre-Dame de Pau, founded by a parson, Jean-Paul Ramonguilhem, with Gaston Santé, a local entrepreneur and a postman Louis Delnaz in 1920. This club was founded in the Notre-Dame de Pau parish, also known as Mayolis (aka LeTriangle nowadays). Different activities were practiced back then, such as music, theater, gymnastics, track & fields or rollers.

The original club was named after the Bleuets (cornflower) for this flower is the first to grow (along with poppies) after bombings on battle fields. The club was therefore meant to be a symbol of renaissance and reconstruction.

The first real football season at the club took place in 1935–1936.

Therefore, Pau, still known under the name Bleuets de Notre-Dame de Pau reached the highest level of the French South-West regional football league for the first time in 1956. Under the guidance of coach Albert Lille at the beginning of the 50s, the Bleuets de Notre-Dame de Pau are growing as a football club with a Champion of France youth title in 1951.

This was the foundation of their run in the 1958 Coupe de France, when the first team played in the French third tier.

The Round of 64 of the 1957/1958 edition of the Coupe de France against FC Girondins de Bordeaux, then in the Division 2, that was lost 4–1 after extra-time in front of more than 6000 spectators at the stade de l'avenue de Buros is still one of the greatest matches of the club.

The club bought in 1941 a 12,000 m2 field, located chemin de Buros, in order to build their stadium. This land was originally used for grazing. The field's farm was the facility the players used at the time.

Football Club de Pau

There was a split at the club in 1959, which resulted in the creation of Football Club de Pau, focused on the first team and Bleuets de Notre-Dame de Pau, which continued with the youth team. Indeed, the club was not willing to shed their amateur status and start remunerating their players, as the parsons argued that training professional players was not part of their attributions.

Back in 1958, promotion in CFA was subject to a great deal of discussions, before the club finally agreed.

Pau Football Club

The club changed its name again in 1995 for its current name of Pau Football Club when it went to administration. Pau FC reached the third tier of French footbal – National during the 1998–1999 season.

Bearn, and South-Western France as a whole is a Rugby union land, and Pau FC always had to battle for survival.

Pau Football Club stayed in National until the 2007–2008 season when they finished 17th and were relegated to CFA. Pau Football Club (from 1998 to 1999 to 2007–2008) and AS Cannes (from 2001 to 2002 to 2010–2011) are the record holding clubs for the number of seasons spent in the French third tier, with 10 consecutive seasons

Pau FC is again promoted to National for the 2016–2017 season from the CFA after finishing first in the 2015–16 season. They entered the season and did not win any of their first 5 games (drawn 3, lost 2). However they steadily pulled themselves out of the relegation zone and after 22 games, appeared safe from relegation in 12th position. However, Pau went on a 10 match winless run (drawn 5, lost 5) and found themselves sitting in 17th position with 2 games remaining. However, victories over SAS Épinal and US Concarneau saved them from relegation and finished in 14th position, just 1 point out of the relegation zone.

Key moments

1920: Foundation of Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau.

1923: First Football season at Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau.

1951: French Champion – youth team

1956: Reached the top level of the French South-West Regional football league.

1958: Champion of the French South-West Regional football league. Promotion to the third tier of French football.

1959 : Split of Football Club de Pau and Bleuets de Notre-Dame de Pau.

1995 : The club went to administration, reformed, changed their name to Pau football Club and were relegated to the fourth tier of French football.

1998 : Pau football Club is champion of the Group C of the Championnat de France Amateur groupe C and are promoted to the Championnat National. The club also reached the Round of 16 of the Coupe de France, which they lost 0 – 1 a.e.t. to Paris Saint-Germain FC.

2008 : Relegation to Championnat de France Amateur .

2016 : Promotion to the Championnat National.

Appearances

Pau Football Club's highest appearance-maker is ex-captain Jacques Leglib with 260 appearances, followed by Nicolas Cami with 239 matches.

Goals

Denis Baylac is Pau Football Club's all-time top goalscorer, with 59 goals.

Pierre Aristouy and Seydou Koné are respectively second and third with 29 and 22 goals.