the essential
The emblematic “Marguerite” on the Blau Grana jerseys of the ASM Football club has lost color in recent years. Over-indebted, the Muretain club is surviving thanks to subsidies from the municipality which has granted it more than €274,000 since the start of 2023. The historic equipment manufacturer of ASM is struggling to recover more than €88,000 in unpaid debts.
Without the help of the City of Muret, the Amicale Sportive Muret Football (ASM) would have already gone out of business in recent years. This notary football club, which has been playing in Regional 1 since its descent during the 2021-2022 season, currently has around 550 licensees. It has been on financial life support since February 2023, the date on which former president Marco Cafiero who, after 20 years of presidency, handed over… Leaving behind him an over-indebted club which Serge Baronchelli very “naively” inherited, this Muretain who runs a general painting company.
“I inherited all the club’s debts”
“At the time, I was on the board of directors. In mid-February 2023, when we took over the club, my predecessor told me that the club owed only €5,000… but we were very far away of the account!” Serge Baronchelli mentions a debt of around €120,000 excluding tax, but it would be closer to €200,000 including tax according to other sources. ASM Muret has reportedly been living beyond its means since post-Covid (1), with new sporting ambitions to rise which have weighed down the club (recruitment of 8 players under federal contract) and unpaid bills on all sides. “When we arrived, we had a player at the Prud’homme who cost €20,000 in court, unpaid hotel costs, unpaid educators, unpaid player bonuses,” lists Philippe Truntzer, vice-president. And above all, the club owed its equipment supplier Étienne Lagrost an initial payment in February 2023 of €73,000.
Despite €274,000 in municipal subsidies and a €60,000 zero-interest loan
“Blau Grana” jerseys, tracksuits, balls, with the Jako brand, studs, pennants, cups… “I have been equipping the club for seven years,” confides Etienne Lagrost, boss of the ATDC company in Auterive. “To date, ASM owes me €88,000, plus €9,000 in bailiffs’ and lawyer’s fees. Since Mr. Baronchelli and his team took over the club, none of his successive promises of reimbursement have been made. ‘was held’.
Etienne Lagrost is all the more bitter as the club receives an annual subsidy from the town of Muret of €118,000. The municipality having made regular advances as usual, to which are added €45,000 in exceptional subsidies (June 26, 2023 and October 5, 2023) to help repay this debt, i.e. €274,000 received by the club between March 2023 and this January 15, 2025; sums to which are added a loan of €60,000 at zero interest granted to the club on July 11, 2024.
2025, the club is on a diet
“In June 2024, I sent a bailiff. The president had agreed to pay me €24,000. RAS. I was able to obtain €10,000, that’s all. And the promise of a spread 5,000 over several months!” Tired of war, the equipment manufacturer appealed to the courts for summary proceedings and obtained a precautionary seizure of €25,000 in August 2024, which the president was still committed to paying without delay. RAS. Since then, the dialogue between the two men has broken down. Serge Baronchelli defends himself. “It was either we close the club in 2023, or we find solutions. We decided to continue. We paid off 60% of the debts, we still have the equipment supplier,” continues Serge Baronchelli who once again promises to write a check to Etienne Lagrost…
“Now, this season, we have put the club on a diet. At the risk of not keeping the commitments we made at the start of the season. Player bonuses have been cut and it’s bad! We had 8 players with federal contracts , it’s over! We also have employees to pay. Today we prioritize training, the experiences of young people. We have found new partners,” he continues, seconded by. Philippe Truntzer. “If the mayor of Muret is following us today, it’s because he sees that this club has certain values!” Yes, but at what cost? “The club put my business in danger. I had to bail it out”, adds Etienne Lagrost, “Since I equipped the club, each time in April my sports season orders have always been paid thanks to municipal subsidies and licensee registrations. Today, the town hall is saving the club, but the managers are using this money for purposes other than what they owe me.”
Club policy
Former president Marco Cafiero had hired a professional coach, Christophe Taine, for the 2021-2022 season who brought 8 players under federal contract. The club played in National 3. Good level, and hoped with this recruitment to move up to National 2. Disaster, the club finished last and went down to Regional 1.
The new ASM policy is to prioritize training so as not to “enlist mercenaries” as in 2021-2022. Training is the essential cog of the club now. Train your players to help them progress to the highest senior level in the League, or even move up to the National level.
The club has players from 5 years old. All categories are represented, from U6 to U20. All play at the top league level and a few in district. The educators in the smallest categories are all certified by the federation. (BNF or BEF)..
C.Partinico
