The end of the suspense, and sad news for FC Sochaux. The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) issued a negative opinion on Tuesday evening regarding the reintegration of the Doubiste club into Ligue 2. The efforts of Romain Peugeot, helped by investors to make a takeover offer and injections of new capital, will therefore not have been enough to redress a catastrophic financial situation.
This decision directs FC Sochaux towards bankruptcy and a demotion in the lower divisions. Without doubt the National 3, 5th national level. The situation should benefit Annecy, 17th and relegated at the end of the season, which could be reinstated in the second division while the resumption of the season is expected… this weekend.
The CNOSF was not convinced by the takeover project led by Romain Peugeot, great-grandson of the founder of the almost century-old club, declared to AFP the president of Greater Belfort, Damien Meslot, whose agglomeration had planned to bring one million euros to the FCSM. It is a monument of French football which disappears from the map of professional clubs.
The French Football Federation (FFF) and its National Management Control Department (DNCG) demanded from the FCSM a budget of 12 million euros in order to meet its expenses. But “the CNOSF considered that the arrangement proposed by Romain Peugeot and his investors had arrived too late and that it did not justify reviewing the decision taken by the DNCG”, according to Mr. Meslot, a few days before the resumption of Saturday of the L2 championship. The club’s supporters have been tossed about in recent days between hope and disappointment.
Founded in 1928 in the birthplace of car manufacturer Peugeot, the Sochaux club was a model of stability for almost 90 years when it was owned by the family of the same name. Its training center has released many major players and French internationals in recent decades.
Sochaux is one of the founders of the first professional French Championship, in 1932-1933. The Cubs were French champions twice (1935, 1938) and won the Coupe de France twice (1937, 2007), as well as the Coupe de la Ligue in 2004.
But within a few years, its Chinese owners pushed it to the brink of bankruptcy. The last owner, Nenking, has made it known in recent weeks that he no longer wishes to invest in the Franche-Comté club.
Then on the night of July 25 to 26, Mr. Peugeot managed to negotiate an agreement stipulating that he would take over 67% of the capital of FCSM for 8 million euros, the Chinese group temporarily retaining the remaining capital (4 million euros). euro). But Nenking went back on this commitment, announced Sunday to AFP the senator of the Territory of Belfort Cédric Perrin.
The entourage of Romain Peugeot had then assured Monday that the latter had put together a “sufficient” takeover offer for maintenance in Ligue 2 with the help of local authorities. An online kitty, launched by the Sociochaux association, had raised more than 140,000 euros on Tuesday. “It would be inconceivable for FC Sochaux-Montbéliard to disappear from the map of French football”, pleaded the association.
Last week, Emmanuel Macron had for his part “wanted to express to the owners his attention to the safeguarding of the FCSM and its employees as well as its training center”, it was indicated in the entourage of the President of the Republic. In vain.
