In his book, Aimé Dagorn recounts his funny journeys with the En Avant Guingamp team

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Aimé Dagorn was one of the main players in the club football d’Forward Guingamp (EAG) for over 40 years. Not on the pitch but behind the scenes, as administrative manager of the professional team. In his bookhe recounts what he experienced during these numerous trips around the world, between distressing moments et juicy anecdotes.

On the shores of the Black Sea

Summer 1996. En Avant Guingamp plays the Intertoto, a European competition which has now disappeared. It allows modest clubs to win a place in the UEFA Cup. But before that, an obstacle course awaits the Guingampais. It will take them from Finland to Russia, via Georgia.

This trip to the former Republic of the Soviet Union, on the shores of the Black Sea, remains the most significant moment experienced by Aimé Dagorn, in his role as administrative manager of the En Avant pro team. In his book, entitled 1980-2024, forty-four years of the most improbable memories and journeyshe recounts with relish this episode worthy of a spy film…

Chirac, Stalin, vodka…

The Guingampais made the trip alone, a few weeks before the team. History of clearing the ground: visiting the stadium, looking for a hotel, finding a means of transport between the two, etc. This is part of its missions.

In Georgia, between Tbilisi, the capital and Poti, the city where the match is to be played, nothing is going well.

In his book, Aimé Dagorn speaks of a plane with more than dubious security, of an advisor to President Chirac who came to wait for him at the airport, of an interpreter ex-colonel of the Red Army, of the visit of Stalin's birthplace (because on the road and not out of conviction!), of a seaside resort once popular with the dignitaries of the communist regime which has fallen into disuse, of a dilapidated hotel, of a few glasses of vodka, custom obviously, a briefcase full of bank notes… An incredible journey.

Many trips with En Avant

“In forty-four years, I have made numerous trips for En Avant around the world, for friendly matches or during European campaigns. But this one, in Georgia, will remain the most extraordinary in all these aspects,” laughs Aimé Dagorn, 78 years old, today.

This absurd stay is also the starting point of the book.

“One day, I told myself that I had to write down what I had experienced there. I did it on around thirty pages,” says the adopted Paimpolais. He previously resided in Guingamp. “After that, I started writing about other trips with the club. »

“In kyiv, we were really scared”

Among them, the expedition to Romania in 1984 to play a friendly match. Under the Ceausescu regime, supervised by the Securitate, the secret political police.

Or that of Jaro, in Finland, in 1996, approaching the Arctic Circle. “It never got dark, we had to staple black tarpaulins to the windows to be able to sleep! »

In his book, the former administrative manager of the En Avant team also looks back on his travels to Quebec, Russia, Greece, Italy, Tunisia, Guadeloupe, Vietnam, China, Qatar …and in Ukraine.

The latter is the worst memory of this improbable football world tour. In February 2015, En Avant traveled to kyiv to face Dynamo in the 1/16 second leg of the Europa League (in the first leg, En Avant won 2-1). In a melting stadium, Guingamp supporters had to rush from their stands in the face of violence from Ukrainian hooligans.

Friendships, emotions, intense joys…

In the dressing rooms, the atmosphere is also very tense. Aimé Dagorn was part of the Guingamp delegation. “In kyiv, we were really scared,” he says.

A deleterious and hostile atmosphere, provocations, we believed that things were going to go badly with the Ukrainian officials. Fortunately the French ambassador was there and intervened with great authority…

An unfortunate episode which in no way reflects the positive attitude that emerges from the book. “For four decades, my functions have brought me a lot in all areas: human relationships, friendships, training, personal development, discoveries, travel, emotions, intense joys…”, writes Aimé Dagorn on the back cover of his book .

A book that he had not planned. “I wrote all of this in small pieces, gradually, but without the intention of making it into a book. It was only for me, my grandchildren,” he assures. “And then one day, my children ended up asking me what I was writing. After telling them, they convinced me to make a book with all these stories. »

In 1980-2024, forty-four years of the most improbable memories and journeys, the author also recounts his relationships with the men and women who worked to make En Avant grow over all these years.

Recruited by Noël Le Graët

Starting with Noël Le Graëtthe emblematic president of En Avant. “One day, Christmas showed up in my office at the Guingamp sub-prefecture, where I worked. I didn’t know him except for having met him sometimes at the stadium,” remembers Aimé Dagorn.

And there, he told me that he was urgently looking for someone to act as administrative secretary for the club. After 24 hours of reflection, I made the decision to go see what was going on behind the window of a club on the rise.

It was in 1980. Since then, the two men have shared a long journey. Around the football fields, but also in the offices of Guingamp town hall, where one was mayor and the other, his chief of staff. A story of friendship, like Aimé Dagorn's book.

The book is priced at 18 euros. It is available in Guingamp, at the En Avant boutique, but also in Paimpol, at the Renard bookseller and at the Maison de la Presse.

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