Le Havre AC

Le Havre Athletic Club (French pronunciation: ​[lə ɑvʁ]; commonly referred to as Le Havre) is a French association football club based in Le Havre, Normandy. The club was founded as an athletics and rugby club in 1872,[2] making Le Havre Athletic Club the oldest French football club. Le Havre plays in Ligue 2, the second level of French football, and plays its home matches at the Stade Océane.

Le Havre
Full nameHavre Athletic Club
Nickname(s)Le club doyen (The Dean Club)
Les Ciel et Marine (The Sky-and-Navy)
Founded1872 (1872)
GroundStade Océane,
Le Havre
Capacity25,181[1]
PresidentVincent Volpe
Head coachPaul Le Guen
LeagueLigue 2
2019–20Ligue 2, 6th
WebsiteClub website
HAC in Tournoi de paques 1913

Le Havre made its football debut in France's first-ever championship in 1899 and, on its debut, became the first French club outside Paris to win the league. The club 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 honour to date was winning the Coupe de France in 1959.

The main rivalries of Le Havre are the "Derby Normand" with SM Caen and an always heated clash with Lens, located in the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

History

It was in 1872 that a group of British residents formed Le Havre Athlétique,[3] which played a hybrid form of football, a cross between rugby and association football, called "combination". Association football began being played on a regular basis in 1894.

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.[4] 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 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 Benjamin Mendy, Ibrahim Ba, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Lassana Diarra, Riyad Mahrez, Steve Mandanda, Vikash Dhorasoo, Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet.

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 Fiorentina to pay training compensation.

Club culture

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: the anthem of the club is played to the melody of "God Save the Queen" to mark the English origins of the club:

"A jamais le premier
 de tous les clubs français
 ô H.A.C.
 Fiers de tes origines
 Fils d'Oxford et Cambridge
 deux couleurs font notre prestige
 Ciel et marine!"

English translation:

"The first ever
of all French clubs
The H.A.C
Proud of your roots
Son of Oxford and Cambridge
two colors make our prestige
(the colors of the) sky and the sea!"

Players

Current squad
As of 15 February 2020.[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Mathieu Gorgelin
3 DF Umut Meraş
4 DF Ertuğrul Ersoy
5 DF Fernand Mayembo
6 MF Romain Basque
7 MF Jean-Pascal Fontaine
8 MF Himad Abdelli
9 MF Ateef Konaté
10 FW Alan Dzabana
11 FW Tino Kadewere (on loan from Lyon)
12 DF Ayman Ben Mohamed
13 FW Ebenezer Assifuah
14 FW Jamal Thiaré
No. Position Player
17 MF Alexandre Bonnet
18 MF Amos Youga
20 DF Baba Traoré
21 MF Daylam Meddah
22 MF Victor Lekhal
23 MF Eric Junior Dina-Ebimbe (on loan from PSG)
24 MF Pape Gueye
25 DF Barnabás Bese
26 DF Woyo Coulibaly
28 DF Loïc Badé
29 FW Hervé Bazile
30 GK Yahia Fofana

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
— DF Yacouba Coulibaly (on loan to Paris FC)
No. Position Player
— DF Kelly Irep (on loan to Bourg-en-Bresse)

Reserve squad

As of 10 October 2018.[6] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Nikola Curcija
GK André Costa Da Silva
DF Arouna Sangante
DF Woyo Coulibaly
DF Allan Hauguel
DF David Gesseau
MF Himad Abdelli
MF Seref-Can Buyuk
No. Position Player
MF Mamadou Fofana
MF Ateef Konate
MF Zoumana Touré
FW Theo Epailly
FW Brandon Hoareau
FW Alvin Le Corre
FW Cheikh Diaby
FW Adonijah Reid

Honours
  • Ligue 2
    • Winners (5): 1938, 1959, 1985, 1991, 2008
    • Runners-up (1): 1950
  • Coupe de France
    • Winners (1): 1959
    • Runners-up (1): 1920
  • USFSA Championnat
    • Winners (3): 1899, 1900, 1919
  • Challenge international du Nord
    • Winners (1): 1900
  • Coupe Nationale
    • Winners (2): 1918, 1919
  • Challenge des Champions
    • Winners (1): 1959

Managerial history

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Hernandez, Anthony (15 May 2009). "Avec Louvel," – via Le Monde.
  3. "Historical Rugby Milestones – 1870s". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 14 May 2006.
  4. "France - List of Champions". www.rsssf.com.
  5. "Effectif". Le Havre AC Official Site. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  6. "Effectif". hac-foot.com. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  7. "France – Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs on RSSSF". Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2007.
  8. "Le Havre : Paul Le Guen manager général et entraîneur (off)" (in French). foot-national.com. 29 May 2019.
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