After a fight of almost two months, Sochaux obtained Thursday the authorization of the DNCG, then of the French Football Federation (FFF) to play this season in National, the third division of French football, thus avoiding bankruptcy. A few hours after the decision of the DNCG, financial policeman of French football, the executive committee of the FFF “confirmed the favorable opinion (…) to the maintenance of the professional status in National 1 for FC Sochaux-Montbéliard for the present season 2023-2024 (started on August 11)”, according to its press release, specifying that the payroll and the transfer allowances of this historic club of French football would be framed.
The FCSM2028 project and the budget presented by Jean-Claude Plessis and Pierre Wantiez, at the head of a group of private investors, therefore convinced the football authorities. This decision removes the specter of bankruptcy that once hovered over this historic French football club. “The new leaders will now work on setting up their project, with the first priority being the construction of a competitive sports team in order to do well in the National Championship, the first meeting of which for the FCSM is set for Friday 25 August on the lawn of Red Star FC”, wrote FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in a press release.
Jean-Claude Plessis will take over the presidency of the club and Pierre Wantiez the general management, the latter revealed during a press video conference in the afternoon. “The problem starts tomorrow, tempered Jean-Claude Plessis. It was almost the fight of my life. It’s not won yet, we don’t have a team, we will have to make the team (…) The objective is not to go down, and to go up next season.
Ninth in Ligue 2 last season, the almost century-old club had been abandoned by its owner, the Chinese real estate group Nenking, in great financial difficulty. In July, a project led by Romain Peugeot, great-grandson of the club’s founder, was then born to try to keep the Cubs in Ligue 2. In vain, the file did not convince the executive committee of the FFF, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and the administrative court of Paris.
It was then the club’s former president Jean-Claude Plessis, at the helm from 1999 to 2008, and Pierre Wantiez, who had returned expressly from Le Havre AC, who took up the torch, initially managing to find a sales agreement with Nenking before convincing the DNCG. “We had a very good file, well balanced, with investors from Franche-Comté, people from home, declared Jean-Claude Plessis. I think it was a very appreciated thing. (…) The world of football wanted us to get out of it.
The former president of the FCSM and the one who was its director at the head of the doubiste club (2000-2008) rallied a group of private investors, but also obtained a substantial financial contribution from local authorities and the group of Sociochaux supporters, who enter the capital and the governance structures of the club.
“We should remember this historic moment of sacred union with the aim of celebrating our 100th anniversary within the elite of French football”, greeted the club, referring to the centenary which will take place in 2028, and which gave its name to the recovery project, FCSM2028. “The club was saved with the local communities and with the socios, rejoiced Pierre Wantiez. This is perhaps the first time that a rescue has been so collective. We still receive people today who want to join the project.
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, who sold it in 2014. Sochaux is one founding members of the first professional French championship, in 1932-33. 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.
