SOCCER. On January 8, 2005, the late CO Saint-Dizier hosted RC Lens for the 32nd finals of the French Football Cup. An event that excited an entire city, bringing together 6,890 people at the Jacquin stadium. A look back at 25 crazy days.
“Coupe de France: celebration and defeat”, headlined the Journal de la Haute-Marne the day after the event. Celebration, as the event enlivened the City and attracted crowds; 6,890 spectators at the Charles-Jacquin stadium, a record that will be difficult to beat. Defeat, because the players of CO Saint-Dizier, then playing in the Honorary Division (6th division), lost 4 goals to 0 against the legendary RC Lens. This match remains the last official match between a Haut-Marne team and a first division team.
The draw
It was on December 13, 2004, at the Palais des Ducs de Dijon, that the draw for the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France took place. The COSD hits the jackpot with the RC Lens. Lens, neighboring town of Avion, the team that the Bragards took out in the previous round. “It’s an excellent draw!” We couldn’t dream of better,” commented the vice-president at the time, Roland Duca (died in 2012).
The meeting is in 25 days, we need to get organized quickly. Good news, the Charles-Jacquin stadium is approved and can accommodate 6,990 people, including 500 Lensois (there will ultimately be 260) in the small stand, which has since been razed. Faced with the enthusiasm, several ticket pre-sales are organized. Town hall, the Civette, Leclerc, the Ambassy… But also outside the bragarde city, like in Chevillon at the Moulin Rouge, or in Chaumont at the JHM headquarters.
Home straight
Tuesday January 4, 2005, a final four-hour meeting – including a meter-by-meter visit to the enclosure – made it possible to finalize the security plan. Stadium gates will open at 5 p.m., two hours before kickoff. Spectators will be able to enjoy three alcohol-free refreshment bars to quench their thirst. “The Bragards know how to receive and win,” underlined the Sports Assistant at the time, Frédéric Garcia. The day before, the announcer Patrick Thévenin and the sound system manager François-Xavier Lemon were already warming up their voices: “If it’s Lens who scores, I won’t announce it,” joked the second. All week long, the technical services will be hard at work, such as the creation and installation of a six-meter wide fair play banner “Welcome to the Lensois! Go Bragards! “.
Preparation is also done on the ground. After the holidays, Fabien Tissot, coach, plans four training sessions (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Physical work, passing games, finishing, liveliness, set pieces, opposition… “They will face starving people who will not give up,” warns the coach, who has since enjoyed the heyday of Épinal notably. The program will rather be turned upside down in the face of media enthusiasm.
The day before the match, the RC Lens players and staff arrive at 7:15 p.m. at the Hôtel Gambetta (Ibis Styles), welcomed by members of the municipality and the Bragard club. A former minister (of Commerce and Crafts) was also on the trip, in the person of André Delelis. For the record, the bus driver was the one who had transported the Avionnais to Saint-Dizier during the previous round.
-The big day
“I think Saint-Dizier is capable of beating the Lensois,” confided in our columns, on the day of the match, the iconic Oleksandr Zavarov, who made his debut as a coach at COSD. The afternoon is lively in the city center between a few blood and gold supporters and a dozen young bragards. Provocations, exchanges of blows, throwing cans… The police intervened before the arrival of the blood and gold fans’ bus, which left to some jeers from passers-by. The only dark point to highlight from this event.
At the stadium, at 7 p.m., 6,890 people were gathered in the stands and around the pitch. After the minute of silence dedicated to the victims of the tsunami in South-East Asia and to former president Pierre Rondeau (who died in July 2004), it’s time to celebrate. Fog horns on the Bragards side, smoke bombs on the Lensois side, songs on both sides.
On the meadow, the premises are holding up well. The start of the match was marked by the transfer of Bragard full-back Rémi Armenio to the hospital, who will have twelve stitches placed on the right of his forehead following a big shock with Jérôme Leroy. Five minutes later, the Sang et Or scored the first of their four goals. A defeat which will, however, leave good memories, as demonstrated by Fabien Tissot’s analysis after the match: “It was unforgettable and really great. It was a change from the regular season matches. There was atmosphere! If we had managed to be more dangerous, no doubt the public would have pushed us even more. There is nothing to regret, Lens was stronger than us, that’s all. »
Louis Vanthornout
