Captain of Tours FC until recent weeks, formerly of Rouen and the Nîmes Olympique 2 team, the 27-year-old player fits perfectly with the ambitions of the pescalune club.
“A player with physique, presence, charisma. An experienced central defender, that’s the type of player we lacked this season to go up because we still beat Aigues-Mortes and Le Grau-du-Roi in the first and second leg.” Jean-Marie Charbonnier is categorical. A year after placing his sporting ambitions in the Lunel club, the Soreco boss believes that the arrival of the former Tours FC captain Benjamin Tison will be a major asset in carrying out the Gallia sporting project in the medium term and the clear ambitions set for the first team next season: namely promotion to N3.
A signature at the Soreco headquarters
The proof ? This Thursday, it was at the Soreco headquarters in Montpellier that the Gallia management staff met. Jean-Marie Charbonnier therefore but also Pascal Martin, former Gallia player who played a role in the arrival of Soreco in Lunel, as well as the co-presidents Joël Fernandez and Richard Nacarlo, and the coach of team 1 Nicolas Le Bellec have wanted to solemnize the signing of Benjamin Tison’s contract at Gallia next season. A signing that was prepared well in advance. In fact, the first contacts between the Lunel club and the captain of Tours FC date back to December, via Pascal Martin and the former Nîmes coach Bernard Blaquart.
An important decision for Benjamin Tison
“There have been several stages since December, confides Benjamin Tison. First of all, it was important for me to listen to the Gallia management because, at the beginning, I didn’t yet have any plans. I saw that the project, the management staff, the coach, everything seemed coherent to me. Then, at 27, the choice was important: either I stay in Tours, or I take a turn in my career. Finally, there is now the situation of Tourss (Editor’s note. The club is in liquidation) which is rather a surprise because the possibility of a liquidation does not date from today and there seemed to be a real buyer.”
Other elements convinced the player to sign for Gallia: Benjamin Tison mentions the development of his business project which is close to his heart. Two years ago, the young man created his business development company, BT Création, which he hopes to make prosper with this decision. Finally, the player also highlights “a family project” since his entourage lives in Montpellier. In fact, the central defender is not unknown in the region. He laced up his boots at the age of 5 at Lattes, a club where he stayed for 10 years before leaving for Nîmes Olympique for 5 years. “In the reserves we did well and it was the year that the pros moved up to L1 and I trained with them often”remembers Benjamin Tison.
Captain of Tours FC
What does he feel like he can bring to Gallia? “My role first is to be a player, a player who has been promoted to N2 twice and once to N3. So I know what it’s like to play in teams that have important objectives. Then, I like to stay in a club for a long time. At Gallia, the idea of signing up for a 5-year project allows me to build great things and I like that.”, he emphasizes. Benjamin Tison also highlights his captaincy in Tours and the fact of having played full seasons: “All this is my experience”he sums up.
Ambitions become achievable
On the Gallia side, with this important signing and several others which will be announced shortly, the consolidation of team 1 is well underway. The structuring of the club now complete, the ambitions become achievable especially as the mayonnaise between historic and new investors of Gallia seems to be solid. “ We are not disappointed with our choice to come to Gallia. We arrived in a healthy club, with real values, we received a very warm welcome and apparently it is beneficial”underlines Joël Fernandez. A statement confirmed by Richard Nacarlo:“For our part, the arrival of Soreco has allowed us to relaunch the club that we took over 7 years ago. It’s really a great move.” Added to this enthusiasm is that of coach Nicolas Le Bellec who completely gives up: “They gave me back the taste for coaching.” To say that the planets seem to be aligning for a great 2024-2015 season is therefore an understatement.
