“The Tours supporters, it was wonderful!”

“At my age, we lose our memories! » At 76 years old, Delio Onnis prefers to joke about it, because he no longer remembers everything. Those who were able to see him evolve in the Cher Valley, on the contrary, keep very vivid memories of him. That of an outstanding scorer, author of a total of 299 goals in the first division. A staggering total which still serves as an absolute record.

And he scored a number of them with FC Tours, whose colors he wore from 1980 to 1983. “It was Yvon Jublot, then sporting director, who brought me in by offering me a three-year contract, while Monaco only wanted to give me one… He insisted, when he came to see me in Nice, and I thank him for it, because I loved everything about this beautiful city of Tours.” does he slip NR in a smile.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of an evening organized in a room bearing his name, near the stadium of some of his exploits, on December 6, on the occasion of the release of the book 100 years of sport in Touraine (1).

“Maybe I was very lucky”

Unexpected, not to say improbable, his arrival in Touraine caused a stir, and the Italian-Argentinian did not disappoint. Far from it. From his kindness, praised by the inhabitants of Saint-Avertin, where his Solex trips have become legendary, to his skill on a green rectangle. “Maybe I was very lucky to score so much, he thinks. You definitely need it, especially to avoid being injured. I haven't had too many injuries in my career, so it has had an impact on my statistics. »

Far from drawing light on himself, Delio Onnis instead praises the players who accompanied him: “I was always well surrounded by people who understood my way of playing and thinking. I was well fed by friends who made me score goals. I don't say it to say it, I really say it because I mean it. Really ! »

Those who knew him at the time confirm this. They also say that his success owed nothing to chance and was the result of daily work, particularly on his above-average physical condition. In front of his fans who came to greet him the other evening at the Vallée du Cher, he added on the same subject: “Messi can score alone, Mbappé too, not Onnis! »

“They forgave me everything! »

His best sporting memory with the FCT also confirms his sense of work well done as a team: “ I remember a season where we escaped from the descent on the last day. It was a very strong moment. It was not something individual, but purely collective. It had a big impact on me! »

Of his memories, not so lost after all, the “goleador” – who arrived in France almost through a misunderstanding (“Stade de Reims came looking for a number 9 in Argentina and, as their first choice refused, I took the plane in their place,” he narrates) – highlights another particularly striking fact: “I loved everything about Tours, everything. But above all the relationship with the supporters. They forgave me everything! Even when I wasn't good, they found a way to find me good. The Tours supporters, it was wonderful, wonderful! It was a real marriage with the public. »

“It pains me to see the club at this level”

The divorce was never really formalized, despite his departure in 1983. Even if Monaco – where he lives today – is clearly his favorite club, he actually keeps Tours in the back of his mind. He sometimes talks on the phone with Yvon Jublot and therefore took advantage of the first weekend in December to revisit the city a little. “It’s changed, it’s prettier,” notes the former striker, twice semi-finalist in the Coupe de France with the Touraine club.

Incidentally, Delio Onnis was able to get news from the current Tours FC, which has fallen back to R1. “It pains me to see the club at this level, I would like to see it higher, he said. Especially since, when I played here, there was also ice hockey and basketball at the highest level. When I arrived in 1980, these two sports were still champions of France! Touraine, sportingly speaking, was very good! »

“A way of living”

Memory may be failing, but the nostalgia for another time is very present. A time when he reigned over the Cher Valley stadium, “an absolute football lover” that he always is. “I lived until I was 23 in Argentina, he recalls in conclusion. And there, it’s a way of life! » That’s clearly unforgettable.

(1) 100 years of sport in Touraine, Éditions Sutton, 2024, 192 pages, €16.90.