Le Havre AC

History

Contrary to what the club has long claimed, Le Havre AC was not founded in 1872. It was in 1884 that a group of British residents formed Le Havre Athlétique, which played a hybrid form of football, a cross between rugby and association football, called "combination". Association football began being played in Le Havre in 1894.

In 1899, Le Havre became the first club from outside Paris to become French football champions. At the time the championship was organised by the USFSA. After being awarded a win over Iris Club Lillois in the semi-final by walkover, they were awarded the title after also receiving a walkover in the final against Club Français. They would also win the following year, with the final being a "re-match" of the forfeited 1899 final.

The club has a youth investment program,. A large amount of young players have gone on to play at international level including Benjamin Mendy, Ibrahim Ba, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Lassana Diarra, Riyad Mahrez, Steve Mandanda, Vikash Dhorasoo, Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet.

The club was on the receiving end of some high-profile illegal transfers, by which Charles N'Zogbia, Matthias Lepiller and Paul Pogba were signed by other clubs, allegedly without the proper compensation being paid. The first two were arbitrated by FIFA, who ordered Newcastle United and Fiorentina to pay training compensation.

In the 2022–23 Ligue 2, Le Havre finished top of the league table to win their sixth title in the division and secure promotion to the Ligue 1 for the first time since 2008.

Club culture

Le Havre is known as 'les ciel et marine' in France, which translates as 'the sky and navy blues'. These colours were chosen by the club's English founders as they were those of their alma maters, the universities of Cambridge and Oxford: the anthem of the club is played to the melody of "God Save the King" to mark the English origins of the club:

"A jamais le premier

de tous les clubs français

ô H.A.C.

Fiers de tes origines

Fils d'Oxford et Cambridge

deux couleurs font notre prestige

Ciel et marine!"

English translation:

"The first ever

of all French clubs

The H.A.C

Proud of your roots

Son of Oxford and Cambridge

two colours make our prestige

(the colours of the) sky and the sea!"

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Honours

Nationals

• Ligue 2 (French 2nd Division)
  • Winners (6): 1938, 1959, 1985, 1991, 2008, 2023
  • Runners-up (1): 1950
• Coupe de France (French Cup)
  • Winners (1): 1959
  • Runners-up (1): 1920
• Trophée des champions (French Super Cup)
  • Winners (1): 1959

Friendlies

• USFSA Championnat
  • Winners (3): 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1918–19
• Challenge International du Nord
  • Winners (1): 1900
• Coupe Nationale
  • Winners (2): 1918, 1919

Club staff

Managerial history

• George Kimpton (1921–26)
• Mac Burgess (1934–35)
• George McLachlan (1935–36)
• Josef "Pépi" Schneider (1936–39)
• George Kimpton (1945–46)
• Jean Cornelli (1946–47)
• Roger Magnin (1948–49)
• Jules Bigot (1950–52)
• Elek Schwartz (1952–53)
• René Bihel (1953–54)
• Edmond Delfour (1954–55)
• Roger Magnin (1955–56)
• Théo Bisson (1956–57)
• Lucien Jasseron (1957–62)
• Eduardo Di Loreto (1962–63)
• Arie Devroedt (1963–64)
• Christian Villenave (1964–66)
• Max Schirschin (1970–71)
• Gino Corlani (1971–72)
• Fredo Garel (1972–73)
• Léonce Lavagne (1973–74)
• Edmond Baraffe (1974–76)
• Léonce Lavagne (1976–82)
• Yves Herbet (1982–83)
• Didier Notheaux (1983–88)
• Pierre Mankowski (1988–93)
• Guy David (1993–96)
• René Exbrayat (1996–97)
• Denis Troch (1997 – Oct 98)
• Joël Beaujouan (Oct 1998–99)
• Francis Smerecki (1999–00)
• Joël Beaujouan (2000)
• Thierry Uvenard, Philippe Sence and Bruno Baronchelli (Dec 2000)
• Jean-François Domergue (Dec 2000–04)
• Philippe Hinschberger (2004 – April 2005)
• Thierry Uvenard (April 2005–07)
• Jean-Marc Nobilo (2007–08)
• Frédéric Hantz (2008–09)
• Cédric Daury (2009 – Nov 2012)
• Christophe Revault (Nov 2012 – Dec 2012)
• Erick Mombaerts (Dec 2012 – Dec 2014)
• Thierry Goudet (Dec 2014 – Sept 2015)
• Bob Bradley (Nov 2015 – Oct 2016)
• Oswald Tanchot (Oct 2016 – May 2019)
• Paul Le Guen (May 2019 – June 2022)
• Luka Elsner (June 2022 – June 2024)
• Didier Digard (July 2024–present)

References

References

1. (4 May 2020). "#35 – Le Havre AC : Ciel et Marine". Footnickname.
2. "Stade Océane".
3. (2011). "La combination au Havre Athletic Club (1872–1914) : les «origines» du football-rugby ?". Études Normandes.
4. Archives municipales du Fort de Tourneville (Le Havre), statuts du HAC, fonds de Sanvic, R3 1 L.2.
5. "France – List of Champions".
6. (2 June 2023). "Official {{!}} Le Havre promoted to Ligue 1". Get French Football News.
7. "Effectif". Le Havre AC.
8. "France – Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs on RSSSF".
9. (29 May 2019). "Le Havre : Paul Le Guen manager général et entraîneur (off)". foot-national.com.