Stade Malherbe Caen

Stade Malherbe Caen (French pronunciation: ​[stad malɛʁb kɑ̃]; commonly referred to as SM Caen or SMC) is a French professional football team, playing in the city of Caen in Normandy. The club was founded on 17 November 1913 by the merger of Club Malherbe Caennais and Club Sportif Caennais. The team takes its name from François de Malherbe, a 17th century poet from Caen.

Stade Malherbe Caen

Full name	Stade Malherbe Caen
Nickname(s)	Malherbe Les Vikings (The Vikings)
Short name	SMC
Founded	17 November 1913 (17 November 1913)
Ground	Stade Michel d'Ornano
Capacity	20,300
President	Fabrice Clément
Head coach	Pascal Dupraz
League	Ligue 2
2019–20	Ligue 2, 13th
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

For most of its history, SM Caen has been one of the main amateur clubs in France. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the rise of Stade Malherbe in the French football hierarchy. In 1985, Stade Malherbe adopted professional status. Three seasons later, it was promoted for the first time to first division. In 1992, a few months after being narrowly saved from bankruptcy, the club finished fifth in Division 1 and qualified for UEFA Cup. But it was relegated three years later. Despite a second division title won in 1996, SM Caen fell back into the anonymity of the second division.

Under the chairmanship of Jean-François Fortin, from 2002, and under the sporting direction of Patrick Rémy, Franck Dumas and then Patrice Garande, the Stade Malherbe has regained sporting success. The club was promoted in Ligue 1 several times, reached the Coupe de la Ligue final in 2005 and finished 7th in Ligue 1 in 2016. In 2018, as the club began its 5th consecutive season in Ligue 1, a conflict erupted within the management team: Jean-François Fortin left his place to Gilles Sergent, while Patrice Garande was replaced by Fabien Mercadal. Caen was relegated to Ligue 2 in 2019, after finishing 19th in the previous Ligue 1 season.

SM Caen has been playing since 1993 at the Stade Michel d'Ornano. Before and since its foundation, the club played at Stade de Venoix, which is now used by the reserve team. It has essentially geographical rivalries with Le Havre AC (sometimes called "Le derby normand") and Stade Rennais, its closest neighbour in Ligue 1.

History

Genesis (Before 1913)

Many football clubs were constituted in Caen at the end of the 19th century : the Union sportive des étudiants de Caen, founded in 1892, the Union Athlétique du Lycée Malherbe (UALM), founded in 1892[1] or 1895 and the Club Sportif Caennais, founded in November 1899. These clubs participated in the early editions of the football championship organised by the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques.

In 1907, former members of UALM created the Club Malherbe Caennais, soon the best club in Lower Normandy.[2] In 1909 and 1911, several friendlies matches were organised between a selection of players from Caen and the English club of St Albans City F.C..

First years and first professional adventure (1913–1947)

Stade Malherbe team in 1919

First professional team of Stade Malherbe, 1934–35 season

The Stade Malherbe Caennais was officially founded on 17 November 1913 from the merger of Club Sportif Caennais and Club Malherbe Caennais. It was a multi-sport athletic club, which adopted the "Malherbe" and the striped jersey of the CMC, and the red and blue colours of CSC.[3] The club had its own facilities – the Stade de Venoix – inherited from the CMC.

The football team of CMC, engaged in the league in Lower Normandy, changed its name just after the start of the season. By winning this competition, Stade Malherbe recorded their first title in its first year of existence. Having qualified for the finals of the 1914 USFSA Football Championship, Caen was eliminated in the 1/8 final by the Union sportive Servannaise : after a draw in the first game (3–3) it had to forfeit the second. World War I stopped the competitions. Thirty-nine members of the club were killed in the fighting, including former captain Eugène Lesomptier.

In 1919, the USFSA championship was replaced by regional championships organised by the French Football Federation, called Division d'Honneur. Stade Malherbe, reinforced by the move to Caen of the former French international Eugène Maës, won six times the championship of Lower Normandy between 1920 and 1928,[4] but were unable to compete with the major Upper Normandy clubs, Le Havre AC and FC Rouen. Since 1919–20, Caen also participated in the Coupe de France but fell in round of 32 in 1921 and 1922. In 1929, the two Division d'Honneur leagues of Normandy were merged and Stade Malherbe was promoted the year after. Its best final standing was 5th in 1933.

In 1934, one year after FC Rouen and Le Havre AC, Stade Malherbe acquired professional status and reached the French Division 2. The club finished 11th out of 16 for the first season, then 6th in 1936 and 8th in 1937. But its financial situation deteriorated and Stade Malherbe left D2 in 1938, after four professional seasons.

The club then returned to Division d'Honneur of Normandy. It won the last edition before World War II in 1938–39, and the first two after WW2 in 1946 and 1947.

An important amateur club (1948–1985)

In 1948, Stade Malherbe joined the newly founded Championnat de France amateur, the third level of French football. Soon considered as a "lord" in CFA, Caen was unable to win the championship, unlike their regional rival US Quevilly, despite successive calls to former French international players as coaches: Jules Vandooren, Jean Prouff, Andre Grillon, Jean Vincent and Oliver Celestin.

Stade Malherbe made itself known essentially by repeated feats in Coupe de France in the 1950s : French champion Stade de Reims (2–1) and top teams Racing Club de France (3–2) and RC Lens were defeated in January 1953, 1956 and 1961. In 1958, Caen pushed FC Nantes to play five games to decide: the first three games resulting in 0–0 draws, the fourth was stopped, the fifth saw Nantes win 1–0. Through its success Caen won the "Challenge France-Football" rewarding the best amateur team in Coupe de France in 1956 and 1961. Undermined by the instability of its coaches and presidents and a precarious financial health, Stade Malherbe weakened gradually and was relegated twice (in 1962 and 1965) into Division d'Honneur, but regained its place in CFA.

In 1970, the CFA was removed and the Division 2 was enlarged to 48 teams. During the 1970s, Caen evolved between D3 and D2, where it failed to stabilise. Jacques Mouilleron became coach in 1973. In 1975, the club won its first national title: the West group of Division 3. Stade Malherbe was named best amateur club by France-Football and Jean-Paul Bouffandeau and Jean-Paul Pottier were named French amateur players of the year in 1975 and 1976. 3 years later, Caen fell back to D3.

Pierre Mankowski was hired as player-coach in 1983. He led Stade Malherbe from D3 to the top of D2 in a few seasons, and pushed it to adopt professional status in 1985.

From D2 to the European Cup (1985–1993)

SM Caen has been a professional football club since 1985. The stated objective of Mankowski was to bring Caen into the first division. He helped the team improve, first in defence then in attack. Caen finished sixth in D2 in 1986 and second in 1987, with notable scorers Philippe Prieur and Éric Pécout. Caen made the stade de Venoix an unbeatable place but bowed out in front of AS Cannes in the playoffs. Caen succeeded in the playoffs following season, defeating Olympique Lyonnais and Chamois Niortais F.C., relegated from D1.

In 1988 Stade Malherbe made Division 1. Despite many departures, including coach Mankowski (replaced by Robert Nouzaret) and six first losses, Caen stayed up, one point ahead of RC Strasbourg, with the advent of a promising striker Fabrice Divert. Stade Malherbe confirmed, not without difficulties, its performance the following season.

With a new coach, Daniel Jeandupeux, the team was largely restructured. In 1990–91, Caen took its place in the first half of Division 1, thanks to the excellent results obtained in Venoix. However, the press revealed in late 1991 that the club was close to bankruptcy. Regional businesses and local government bailed out the club, which led to a brilliant 1991–92 season. Stade Malherbe finished fifth and qualified for the first (and so far only) time for the UEFA Cup. Stéphane Paille scored 15 goals during the season. For the first round of the 1992–93 UEFA Cup, Caen had to face up to Real Zaragoza. Caen won 3–2 in the 1st leg but lost 2–0 in Spain. Despite the goals of Xavier Gravelaine, SM Caen finished the season in a relatively disappointing eleventh rank.

Between First and Second Division (since 1993)

Tifo at Stade Michel d'Ornano for Normandy derby in 1995.

Coupe de la Ligue Final in 2005.

In the 2003–04 season, Caen finished 2nd in Ligue 2, gaining promotion to Ligue 1. They were relegated on the last day of the 2004–05 Ligue 1 season, finishing in 18th place despite some positive results, including a surprise 3–2 away win at Marseille. But the main highlight of their season was making it into the final of the Coupe de la Ligue for the first time in their history. Their chance at a major trophy eluded them however, as they lost 2–1 to Strasbourg in the final.

On 25 May 2007, SM Caen obtained promotion to Ligue 1 after a victory in last game at Libourne (1–2). In the 2008–09 season, the team was once again relegated to Ligue 2 after losing 1–0 at home to Bordeaux, but won championship next season and thus came back to Ligue 1.

In the 2010–11 season, Caen got off to a highly impressive start by defeating defending champions Marseille 2–1 away on the first day of the season, then following it up with a 3–2 home win over the previous season's Champions League semi-finalists Lyon.

In the 2013–14 season, Caen were in Ligue 2, but won promotion to Ligue 1 for the 2014–15 season. As part of their promotion battle, they drew a crucial match with Nîmes in May 2014. This 1–1 result was also very favourable to Nîmes who were battling to avoid relegation. This result raised suspicions, and in November 2014, Caen chairman Fortin was arrested, amongst several others, on suspicion of match fixing.[5][6] Finally, he was cleared in March 2015.[7]. For the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons, Caen avoided relegation to Ligue 2 on both occasions by securing a draw on the final day of the season against Paris Saint-Germain.[8][9]

In the 2018–19 season, Caen were relegated on the final day of the campaign after losing to Bordeaux 1–0. Caen needed to win the match and hope that results elsewhere would go in their favour. The relegation ended Caen's five-year stay in the top division.[10]

Honours

National	Regional, Youth and International
Championnat de France/Ligue 1: Best performance: 5th (1991–92) Championnat de France de Division 2/Ligue 2 (2): Champion: 1995–96, 2009–10 Runners-up: 1986–87* (group A), 1987–88* (group B), 2003–04*, 2006–07* Coupe de France: Best performance: Semi-finals (2017–18) Coupe de la Ligue: Final: 2004–05 Division 3 (2): Champion : 1975, 1980 (groupe Ouest)	Normandy championship: Champion: 1939, 1947, 1948, 1963, 1966 Lower Normandy championship: Champion: 1914, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1928 Coupe Gambardella: Final: 1959, 1994, 2001 Coupe des Cadets: Winner: 1973 UEFA Intertoto Cup: Final: 1992 (group 6)

* denotes promotion without winning the championship.

Domestic Record

Year	Division	Place	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	G.F.	G.A.	G.D.	Points
1934–35	Second League	11th	26	9	3	14	61	57	+4	21
1935–36	Second League	6th	34	17	5	12	68	57	+11	39
1936–37	Second League	8th	32	12	7	13	44	53	−9	31
1937–38	Second League	14th	30	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	23
1970–71	Division 2 – B	15th	30	8	6	16	29	46	−17	22
1971–72	Division 2 – A	6th	30	12	9	9	32	36	−4	33
1972–73	Division 2 – A	17th	34	8	7	19	37	65	−28	23
1975–76	Division 2 – A	6th	34	16	8	10	54	48	+6	43
1976–77	Division 2 – B	15th	34	11	8	15	43	51	−8	30
1977–78	Division 2 – B	18th	34	6	8	20	29	66	−37	20
1980–81	Division 2 – B	18th	34	6	10	18	25	58	−33	22
1984–85	Division 2 – A	11th	34	11	11	12	33	40	−7	33
1985–86	Division 2 – B	6th	34	14	9	11	33	31	+2	37
1986–87	Division 2 – A	2nd	34	21	6	7	62	30	+32	48
1987–88	Division 2 – B	2nd	34	20	9	5	54	22	+32	49
1988–89	First League	16th	38	10	10	18	39	60	−21	40
1989–90	First League	16th	38	12	10	16	34	48	−14	34
1990–91	First League	8th	38	13	12	13	38	36	+2	38
1991–92	First League	5th	38	17	10	11	46	45	+1	44
1992–93	First League	11th	38	13	9	16	55	54	+1	35
1993–94	First League	16th	38	12	7	19	29	54	−25	31
1994–95	First League	19th	38	10	6	22	38	58	−20	36
1995–96	Second League	1st	42	24	9	9	59	34	+25	81
1996–97	First League	17th	38	7	16	15	35	46	−11	37
1997–98	Second League	9th	42	15	11	16	61	55	+6	56
1998–99	Second League	5th	38	16	11	11	47	39	+8	59
1999–00	Second League	6th	38	12	17	9	50	37	+13	53
2000–01	Second League	17th	38	11	10	17	38	53	−15	43
2001–02	Second League	6th	38	16	10	12	59	55	+4	58
2002–03	Second League	7th	38	12	16	10	45	40	+5	52
2003–04	Second League	2nd	38	20	11	7	56	31	+25	71
2004–05	First League	18th	38	10	12	16	36	60	−24	42
2005–06	Second League	4th	38	18	12	8	56	35	+21	66
2006–07	Second League	2nd	38	19	14	5	65	40	+25	71
2007–08	First League	11th	38	13	12	13	48	53	−5	51
2008–09	First League	18th	38	8	13	17	42	49	−7	37
2009–10	Second League	1st	38	18	15	5	52	30	+22	69
2010–11	First League	15th	38	11	13	14	46	51	−5	46
2011–12	First League	18th	38	9	11	18	39	59	−20	38
2012–13	Second League	4th	38	17	12	9	48	28	+20	63
2013–14	Second League	3rd	38	18	10	10	65	44	+21	64
2014–15	First League	13th	38	12	10	16	54	55	−1	46
2015–16	First League	7th	38	16	6	16	39	52	−13	54
2016–17	First League	17th	38	10	7	21	36	65	−29	37
2017–18	First League	16th	38	10	8	20	27	52	−25	38

Club crest and colours

SM Caen Shirts (1992, 2002 and 2005).

Club Malherbe Caennais wore a black and white vertical stripes jersey, while Club Sportif Caennais used blue and red horizontal stripes. Following the merger of two clubs in 1913, the officials decided to mix colours and symbols by adopting the CMC vertical stripes and CSC colours.

Stade Malherbe used for almost fifty years the same diamond shaped logo, designed for the first professional period in 1934.

In 1989, a new logo was designed, with a longship floating on the waves, a nod to the Viking origin of Normandy, and three arrows of the city of Caen. It was used in various versions for eighteen seasons, including within a shield in the 2006–07 season. In 2007, officials present a new logo. The new logo reflects the identity of the club, closely linked to the Norman period of William the Conqueror: the flag of Normandy, which is actually the historical Norman flag of the Two Lions, can be often seen in the Kop Normandy. In 2013, the official anthem of SM Caen "Normands, fiers et conquérants!" was made with a marked reference to the Norman identity:

"Représenter la Normandie est un honneur

Derrière nos léopards nous chanterons en cœur!

Décrire cette belle région

Doit se faire à l'unisson

Nous sommes Normands, fiers et conquérant!

Portons les couleurs du Stade Malherbe de Caen,

et c'est à d'Ornano que nous allons chantant

Nous sommes de la même famille,

Tous unis à domicile,

Nous sommes Normands fiers et conquérants!"

English:

"Represent Normandy is an honour,

We are gonna support our leopards with our chants,

Describe this beautiful region

must unite us together

We are Normans, proud and conquerors!

We wear the colours of SM Caen

And we go singing to d'Ornano

We are from the same family,

All united in a home,

We are Normans, proud and conquerors!"

SM Caen crests

• 
  1913–1930
• 
  1934–1988
• 
  2013–2016

Stadiums

Venoix

d'Ornano

Caen stadium pictures

Stade de Venoix was the club's home from 1913, although the first stand was built only in 1925, until 1993. Venoix could hold over 15,000 spectators at its peak, and now has a capacity of 5,000.

In 1993 a new 21,500-capacity stadium was built, named Stade Michel d'Ornano. The new stadium is around 500 meters away from the Stade de Venoix.

Players

Current squad

As of 17 August 2020.[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  FRA Erwin Zelazny 2 MF  FRA Loup Hervieu 3 DF  FRA Yoël Armougom 4 DF  FRA Jason Ngouabi 6 MF  CGO Prince Oniangué (captain) 7 FW  USA Nicholas Gioacchini 8 MF  FRA Jessy Deminguet 9 FW  FRA Benjamin Jeannot 10 FW  MAR Yacine Bammou 11 FW  SEN Santy Ngom 12 MF  FRA Johann Lepenant 14 FW  CIV Caleb Zady 15 MF  FRA Aliou Traoré (on loan from Manchester United) 16 GK  FRA Thomas Callens 17 MF  FRA Anthony Gonçalves 18 DF  FRA Jonathan Rivierez 19 FW  FRA Malik Tchokounté 20 DF  BFA Steeve Yago

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 FW  FRA Kélian Nsona 22 DF  SEN Adama Mbengue 23 FW  CGO Herman Moussaki 24 DF  FRA Hugo Vandermersch 25 MF  FRA Godson Kyeremeh 26 DF  FRA Alexis Beka Beka 27 MF  FRA Azzeddine Toufiqui 28 DF  FRA Anthony Weber 29 MF  FRA Jessy Pi 30 GK  FRA Rémy Riou 32 DF  CMR Aloys Fouda 35 DF  FRA Pathy Malumandsoko 36 DF  COM Younn Zahary 37 DF  COD Arnold Isako 38 FW  FRA Brice Tutu 39 FW  FRA Ayoub Jebbari 40 GK  FRA Marvin Golitin

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  FRA Evens Joseph (on loan at Boulogne)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  FIN Timo Stavitski (on loan at MVV)

Reserve squad

As of 15 February 2020[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  MAR Yassine Gueddar — GK  FRA Sullivan Péan — DF  FRA Théo Barré — DF  FRA Alexis Beka Beka — DF  FRA Allan Bidard — DF  FRA Thomas Chesnel — DF  FRA Stephe Ewangue — DF  FRA Pathy Malumandsoko — DF  FRA Hugo Vandermersch — DF  FRA Tony Villeray — MF  FRA Luca Boudonnet

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  FRA Loup Hervieu — MF  FRA Godson Kyeremeh — MF  FRA Johann Lepenant — MF  FRA Pierrick Mouniama — MF  CIV Kader Yaya Touré — MF  FRA Azzeddine Toufiqui — FW  CMR Aloys Fouda — FW  FRA Andréas Hountondji — FW  FRA Robin Legendre — FW  FRA Ilyes Najim — FW  FRA Kélian Nsona

Notable former players

Kennet Andersson
Youssef El-Arabi
William Gallas
Raphaël Guerreiro
Ngolo Kanté
Thomas Lemar
Aleksandr Mostovoï
Graham Rix
Jérôme Rothen
Emiliano Sala

Most capped players Name Matches (D1/L1) Nicolas Seube 477 232 Anthony Deroin 395 93 Yvan Lebourgeois 391 200 Jimmy Hebert 321 38 Christophe Point 301 172

Top scorers Name Goals (D1/L1) Cyrille Watier 61 9 Xavier Gravelaine 45 26 Fabrice Divert 44 40 Sébastien Mazure 43 13 Anthony Deroin 38 9

French internationals Name Caps Xavier Gravelaine 3 (1992–93) Fabrice Divert 1 (1990) Steve Savidan 1 (2008)

last update : summer 2010 (only D2, D1 and cups matches)

For all SM Caen players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Stade Malherbe Caen players.

Coaching history

Years Coach 1934–35 François Konya 1935–36 Jean Gast 1936–38 Maurice Cottenet 1938–44 Jean Gast 1944–46 Karoly Mayer 1946–47 Armand Deruaz 1947–49 Charles Carville 1949–52 Jules Vandooren 1952–53 Jean Prouff 1953–55 Eugène Proust 1955–58 André Grillon 1958–59 Marcel Leperlier 1959–61 Louis Require 1961–62 Albert Eloy 1962–64 Marcel Mouchel

Years Coach 1964–67 Jean Vincent 1967–72 Célestin Oliver 1972 – Dec 72 Bernard Lelong Dec 1972 Guy Lunel (interim) Dec 1972 – Nov 73 Émile Rummelhardt Nov 1973–79 Jacques Mouilleron 1979–83 Alain Laurier 1983–88 Pierre Mankowski 1988 – Dec 89 Robert Nouzaret Dec 1989–94 Daniel Jeandupeux 1994–96 Pierre Mankowski 1996–97 Guy David 1997 – Nov 97 Gabriel Calderon Nov 1997 Daniel Jeandupeux (interim)

Years Coach Nov 1997 – Sept 00 Pascal Théault Sept 2000 Christophe Desbouillons (interim) Sept 2000–01 Jean-Louis Gasset 2001–02 Hervé Gauthier 2002 – 5 May Patrick Remy May 2005 Franck Dumas (interim) 2005–09 Franck Dumas & Patrick Parizon 2009–12 Franck Dumas & Patrice Garande 2012–18 Patrice Garande 2018–19 Fabien Mercadal 2019 Rui Almeida[13][14] 2019– Pascal Dupraz[15]

References

1. "From birth to Division 1". Stade Malherbe Caen. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
2. "Palmarès USFSA". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
3. "Caen ... before 1940". City of Caen – Town Hall. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
4. "France – List of Regional Champions 1919–1932 : Normandie". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
5. "Marseille arrests and match-fixing probe rock French football". France 24. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
6. "Presidents of two French clubs arrested on match-fixing suspicions". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
7. Pretot, Julien (17 March 2015). "Nimes to be relegated for attempted match fixing". Reuters. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
8. http://www.espn.com/soccer/french-ligue-1/story/3504434/ligue-1-memphis-depays-hat-trick-puts-lyon-in-champions-league-troyes-relegated
9. http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/rodelin-masterminds-caen-escape.htm
10. "Caen relegated after bordeaux defeat". Ligue 1.
11. Effectif Caen – Equipe Pro
12. "EFFECTIF ET STAFF" (in French). Stade Malherbe Caen. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
13. "Caen : Le nouveau coach nommé (off)" (in French). foot-national.com. 9 June 2019.
14. "Caen : Rui Almeida suspendu de ses fonctions" (in French). foot-national.com. 28 September 2019.
15. "Caen : Pascal Dupraz nouvel entraîneur (off)" (in French). foot-national.com. 1 October 2019.