We’re not messing about now. The French Ligue 2 is a serious League for serious people doing and saying serious things. It’s the biggest league that I’ve managed in both in reputation and actual number of teams, unless you count the Portuguese Championship which had to be split up into many smaller leagues. We’ve got 19 opponents in the league this season so we’d best get to know them.
Athlétic Club Ajaccio
From: Ajaccio
Ground: Stade François Coty
Last Season: 8th
Predicted: 9th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise
From: Auxerre
Ground: Stade Abbé Deschamps
Last Season: 16th
Predicted: 7th
Rivals in Ligue 2: ESTAC Troyes (Local), Bourg-en-Bresse 01 (Competitive)
Angers Sporting Club de l’Ouest
From: Angers
Ground: Stade Jean Bouin
Last Season: 20th in Ligue 1 (Relegated)
Predicted: 2nd
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Bourg-en-Bresse Péronnas 01
From: Bourg-en-Bresse
Ground: Stade Marcel Verchère
Last Season: 15th
Predicted: 15th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Chamois Niortais Football Club
From: Niort
Ground: Pôle Sport
Last Season: 9th
Predicted: 12th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Clermont Foot 63
From: Clermont-Ferrand
Ground: Stade Gabriel Montpied
Last Season: 7th
Predicted: 10th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes
From: Sedan
Ground: Stade Louis Dugauguez
Last Season: 10th
Predicted: 14th
Rivals in Ligue 2: Stade de Reims (Fierce, Local), FC Metz (Local), ESTAC Troyes (Local), Valenciennes FC (Historic)
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champaigne
From: Troyes
Ground: Stade de l’Aube
Last Season: 6th
Predicted: 6th
Rivals in Ligue 2: Stade de Reims (Local), CS Sedan Ardennes (Local), AJ Auxerre (Local)
Football Club de Metz
From: Longeville-lès-Metz
Ground: Stade Saint-Symphoriem
Last Season: 4th
Predicted: 3rd
Rivals in Ligue 2: RC Strasbourg Alsace (Local)
Groupe Sportif Consolat
From: Marseille
Ground: Stade de la Martine
Last Season: 18th
Predicted: 18th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
La Berrichonne de Châteauroux
From: Châteauroux
Ground: Stade Gaston Petit
Last Season: 17th
Predicted: 11th
Rivals in Ligue 2: US Orléans Loiret Football (Local), Chamois Niortais FC (Local)
Nîmes Olympique
From: Nîmes
Ground: Stade des Costières
Last Season: 12th
Predicted: 8th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace
From: Strasbourg
Ground: Stade de La Meinau
Last Season: 13th
Predicted: 13th
Rivals in Ligue 2: FC Metz (Local)
Red Star Football Club
From: Paris
Ground: Stade Jean-Bouin
Last Season: 14th
Predicted: 16th
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
Stade de Reims
From: Reims
Ground: Stade Auguste Delaune
Last Season: 19th in Ligue 1 (Relegated)
Predicted: 4th
Rivals in Ligue 2: CS Sedan Ardennes (Local)
Stade Malherbe Caen
From: Caen
Ground: Stade Michel d’Ornano
Last Season: 18th in Ligue 1 (Relegated)
Predicted: 1st
Rivals in Ligue 2: N/A
US Créteil-Lusitanos
From: Créteil
Ground: Stade Dominique Duvauchelle
Last Season: 2nd in French National (Promoted)
Predicted: 19th
Rivals in Ligue 2: Red Star FC
US Orléans Loiret Football
From: Saint-Ouen
Ground: Stade Bauer
Last Season: 11th
Predicted: 17th
Rivals in Ligue 2: La Berrichonne (Local)
US Boulogne Côte d’Opale
From: Villeneuve-d’Ascq
Ground: Stadium Lille Métropole
Last Season: 1st in French National (Promoted)
Predicted: 20th
Rivals in Ligue 2: Valenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club
From: Valenciennes
Ground: Stade du Hainaut
Last Season: 5th
Predicted: 5th
Rivals in Ligue 2: USBCO (Local), CS Sedan Ardennes (Historic)
I’m encouraged that we’re predicted to finish 7th and I’d certainly take that right now, but I do worry that I’ve got largely the same squad that’s finished 16th 2 years in a row, albeit with a couple of quality improvements. I’m certainly interested to see whether I can be the one to make these players actually realise their potential or whether they’re just going to sit by and let me fall by the wayside like the last poor sap. Enough talk though, we’ll never know unless we get this show on the road.
As the French say, Allons-y!
Great episodes to kick-off a new boring work week. Sounds like it’ll be quite the season and I really look forward to it.
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I feel your pain. If it makes you feel any better I started my week off by getting on the the wrong train and ending up in York instead of the City I actually work in 😀 hope you enjoy mate!
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Only found this series a couple weeks back and finally caught up in time for the new season. Keep it up, I can’t wait!
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That’s quite a binge read 😄 welcome aboard mate!
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What else am I meant to do at work?
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Not a bloody thing. Writing this stuff is all I do at work too!
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Haha this guy gets it!
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